Resource Guide
To help you navigate the vast array of Jewish resources in the Bay, we’ve compiled our first (and ever-evolving!) Gather Guide.Home › Resource Guide
The Gather Guide
Whether you’re looking for an urban Jewish farm, a synagogue without walls, or somewhere to spend Shabbat dinner, we’ve got you covered.
The Gather Guide is a starting point — reach out to us if you have suggestions on organizations or initiatives to add.
If you’re not sure where to begin, let’s get coffee and we can strategize!
Jump to a topic you’re most interested in:
Community Building
Home to Rabbi Frankie Sandmel and Elaina Marshalek, Base Bay is on the Berkeley-Oakland border in Rockridge. Join them for a variety of gatherings from Shabbat dinner to weekly Torah study to holiday celebrations.
Inside Scoop
Lots of folks in their 20s and 30s hang out here! Most programs are in the evenings with some daytime/weekend gatherings.
Contact
Rabbi Frankie Sandmel
rabbi.frankie@moishehouse.org
Camp Nai Nai Nai is for anyone ages 21-39 who wants to experience the joy, beauty, and silliness of Jewish summer camp.
Inside Scoop
Their core offering, Camp West, happens in Northern California once a year (in 2022, it was at Camp Newman in Santa Rosa—stay tuned for next year’s).
Honeymoon Israel provides immersive trips to Israel for cohorts of young couples that have at least one Jewish partner. HMI offers opportunities for personal exploration and for building a lifelong local community.
Inside Scoop
They’ve got a whole slew of East Bay-specific events so make sure to explore those listings. Read their eligibility criteria for more details on who their trips are for and when they happen.
Contact
Randi Reed
Randi.reed@honeymoonisrael.org
Jewish Studio Project cultivates creativity as a Jewish practice for spiritual connection and social transformation.
Inside Scoop
JSP hosts a lot of rad virtual programs for people of all ages (including lots of young adults!), as well as in-person High Holiday services in the East Bay. They’ve also got a beautiful studio in West Berkeley.
Contact
Candace Goodwin
cgoodwin@jewishstudioproject.org
The JCC East Bay creates healthy communities inspired by Jewish values, culture, and tradition.
Inside Scoop
Some events happen at their Walnut Street location in North Berkeley. They’re in the process of opening a new campus in Rockridge in the next 3-5 years. Yay!
Contact
Sarah Wolfman-Robichaud
sarahwr@jcceastbay.org
Jewtina y Co. is a Jewish and Latin organization on a mission to nurture Latin-Jewish community, identity, leadership and resiliency, while celebrating Latin-Jewish heritage and multiculturalism.
Inside Scoop
Many of their events are virtual but some have been in person in the East Bay. Stay tuned as they grow.
JIMENA’s mission is to achieve universal recognition for the heritage and history of the 850,000 indigenous Jewish refugees from the Middle East and North Africa. Their programs aim to ensure that the accurate history of Mizrahi and Sephardic Jews is incorporated into mainstream Jewish and Middle Eastern narratives in order to create balance in attitudes, narratives, and discourse about Middle Eastern refugees and the modern Jewish experience.
Inside Scoop
A lot of their programs are virtual but they also have a substantial community in the Bay Area.
Contact
Sapir Taib
sapir@jimena.org
J Leaders inspires Jewish young adults to grow their leadership capacity, connect with like-minded peers, and make a positive difference in the world by providing impactful leadership skill development illuminated by Jewish wisdom.
Inside Scoop
Their programs run the gambit, ranging like their flagship 6-month Leadership Academy, 1:1 Mentorship, Jewish Leadership Forums featuring prominent business and Jewish leaders, and one-off community-building events such as Shabbat dinners and fun outings with partner organizations.
Contact
Peter Hoffman.
Kol is a unique weekend retreat that brings together singers, musicians, and learners of diverse backgrounds.
Inside Scoop
Their inaugural retreat was in 2022 at Urban Adamah—stay tuned for information about their 2023 retreat.
Contact
Kol Retreat
kolretreat@gmail.com
LABA is a laboratory for Jewish culture and a program of the Firehouse, located in San Francisco. LABA presents Judaism’s rich literary and intellectual tradition in a free and creative setting, so that these fertile stories and ideas spark new thought and creative work.
Inside Scoop
They open applications to artists and creatives to join their fellowship just once a year (in the fall) but they also host public events.
Contact
Elissa Strauss
labafirehouse@gmail.com
The LUNAR Collective cultivates connection, belonging and visibility for Asian American Jews through intersectional community programming and authentic digital storytelling.
Inside Scoop
They have lots of virtual opportunities to connect plus in-person programming throughout the Bay Area! Several of their staff and volunteers are also based in the Bay.
Contact
LUNAR Collective
hello@weareasianjews.org
Minyan Dafna is an independent traditional egalitarian minyan in Berkeley that comes together two to three times a month for Friday night (Kabbalat Shabbat) and Shabbat morning davening.
Inside Scoop
At this point, services are mostly two Saturday mornings a month but their mailing list is the best way to stay in the know. This is a volunteer-run project so signing up to help is a great way to get involved.
Mission Minyan is a vibrant, lay-led, non-denominational Jewish community centered in San Francisco’s Mission District. They gather for spirited, liturgically complete davening (prayer), as well as study and social events. Their practice is guided by traditional halacha (Jewish law), gender equity, and respect for variations in personal observance.
Inside Scoop
Mission Minyan hosts Friday night services every week, a Tisch (community meal) about every other month, as well as Saturday morning services roughly every other week. They generally meet at the Women’s Building in the Mission District of San Francisco.
Contact info@missionminyan.org
Moishe House residents host a wide range of programs, all created by and for Jewish adults in their 20s and early 30s.
Check out the four houses in the East Bay:
Berkeley, Lake Merritt, Rockridge, Contra Costa
And the five houses in San Francisco:
Dolores Park, the Castro, Nob Hill, Duboce, and San Francisco Russian Speaking Jewish House.
Inside Scoop
Each house has a different flavor and set of programs, based on the interests and skills of the residents. Check their specific calendars and Facebook pages/groups for more intel.
New Lehrhaus is the Bay Area’s non-denominational lifelong Jewish learning institution dedicated to academic excellence, open inquiry, contemporary relevance and cultural and religious pluralism.
Inside Scoop
Most classes are on Zoom, with lots of options for learning Biblical and Modern Hebrew, Talmud, and much more.
Contact
New Lehrhaus
programs@newlehrhaus.org
Nigun Collective gathers to sing nigunim—soulful, wordless melodies from new and old Jewish tradition—in community.
Inside Scoop
Held at a rotation of locations, including Base Bay, Moishe House Rockridge, and Urban Adamah. Add yourself to their Google Group to get more intel. Listen to past collectives and learn tunes here.
Contact
Atid Kimmelman
atid.b.k@gmail.com
Inspired by ancient Jewish wisdom, OneTable is a national non-profit that empowers folks (21-39ish) to find, share, and enjoy Shabbat dinners, making the most of their Friday nights.
Inside Scoop
Check the Bay Area page to find a dinner or host your own!
Contact
Zoe Stricker
zoestricker@onetable.org
Onward Israel focuses on personally and professionally uplifting young people, allowing them an authentic taste of modern day Israel while gaining experience and knowledge through an internship opportunity.
Inside Scoop
Onward offers several young adult focused programs, from a Bay Area summer program to Career Passport (a WorkCation program in Tel Aviv) to the Tel Aviv Pro program. Inquire with them directly for the status of these programs, which do vary throughout the year.
Contact
Jason Steckler.
A volunteer-run group that meditates every Wednesday evening at 6.30pm, with time for check-ins and sharing.
Inside Scoop
Join this WhatsApp group and look at their spreadsheet (linked in the group chat) to see upcoming sits. A good way to get involved is to host or facilitate one evening.
Urban Adamah is an educational farm and community center in West Berkeley that integrates the practices of Jewish tradition, mindfulness, sustainable agriculture, and social action to build loving, just, and sustainable communities.
Inside Scoop
UA has tons of in-person and virtual events for a wide range of interests and ages so be sure to check their calendar. For folks 21-30 years old, explore their residential, multi-month fellowship where you live on the farm!
Contact
Urban Adamah
Info@urbanadamah.org
Wilderness Torah awakens and celebrates earth-based Jewish traditions through inclusive and intergenerational village-building.
Inside Scoop
WT mostly offers multi-day in-person festivals as well as some online classes. Tons of young adults show up here, and we recommend going with a friend if you can.
Contact
Wilderness Torah
info@wildernesstorah.org
Advocacy & Service
The Anti-Defamation League is an international Jewish non-governmental organization based in the United States that specializes in civil rights law and combats antisemitism and extremism.
Inside Scoop
Each year, the ADL offers the Glass Leadership Institute (GLI), specifically for young adults, a multi-month leadership development program that empowers participants to fight hatred in their communities. They usually open applications in the fall.
Contact
Alystar Sacks, Assistant Regional Director, Central Pacific Region
The Bay Area Chapter of Bend the Arc: Jewish Action is a movement of progressive Jews across America who are building a country that lives up to our values of justice and equality for all.
Inside Scoop
The best way to get involved is to volunteer! Ask about the locations of their chapters as there are a few in the Bay Area.
IPF Atid was created in July 2017 as Israel Policy Forum’s young professional-led community to engage and empower the next generation of leaders to build a resilient community, elevate discourse, and advance a two-state vision in Israel.
Inside Scoop
They host a number of young adult events, including Shabbat dinners, and lectures, as well as fellowships, summits, delegations, and other programs, that are both virtual and in-person.
Contact
Max Webb
mwebb@ipforum.org
J Street organizes pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy Americans to promote US policies that embody our deeply held Jewish and democratic values and that help secure the State of Israel as a democratic homeland for the Jewish people. We believe that only a negotiated resolution agreed to by Israelis and Palestinians can meet the legitimate needs and national aspirations of both peoples.
Inside Scoop
J Street’s Young Leaders Network is is a national organizing cohort whose members work on the political, legislative and communal fronts to advance diplomacy and progressive Israel-related policies and principles.
JFCS is a lifeline for children, families, and older adults facing personal crises or challenges. For residents of San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties, JFCS provides over 40 programs, including home care for seniors, therapy for children, youth volunteer programs, services for people with disabilities, and much more.
Inside Scoop
Check out their Young Adult Community Connection program, which has monthly volunteer opportunities for professionals in their 20s and 30s who are looking for a way to contribute, learn, and connect through service and volunteering. They also run a leadership fellowship!
Contact
Tamar Zaken
tamarz@jfcs.org
JOCI works to build a truly multiracial, anti-racist Jewish community in which Jews of Color can experience joy and reach their full potential and belonging as leaders and community members.
Inside Scoop
Founded in the Bay Area, JOCI mostly hosts virtual programs and offers grant opportunities. Sign up for Galim, their incredible newsletter, as they sometimes host in-person meet-ups for Jews of Color and presentations for the wider community.
Jews On Ohlone Land activates our Jewish communities in solidarity with Indigenous sovereignty.
Inside Scoop
There are lots of ways to support their work, including becoming a member, paying the Shuumi land tax, sharing their newsletter, and more.
The New Israel Fund (NIF) helps Israel live up to its founders’ vision of a society that ensures complete equality to all its inhabitants. Our aim is to advance liberal democracy, including freedom of speech and minority rights, and to fight the inequality, injustice and extremism that diminish Israel.
Inside Scoop
New Generations is NIF’s is their community of young professionals, social activists, community leaders, and students in their 20s and 30s who are committed to the work of NIF. They have a San Francisco chapter, which hosts webinars, movie screenings, giving circles, fellowships, book clubs, and Shabbat dinners where you can break bread and learn about social justice.
New Gen provides an opportunity to learn about and engage with the most important issues facing Israel today by building relationships with activists on the ground.
Repair the World mobilizes Jews and their communities to take action to pursue a just world, igniting a lifelong commitment to service.
Inside Scoop
A group of young adults cooks soup every Wednesday, and there are other recurring and one-off events as well.
Contact
Celena Ritchey
celena.ritchey@werepair.org
Northern California’s first and only Jewish agency dedicated solely to ending domestic violence in the Jewish community, Shalom Bayit fosters the social change and community response necessary to eradicate domestic violence in the Jewish community. They provide programs and services to over 2,000 individuals throughout the Bay Area each year. Contact them at 510-845-SAFE.
Inside Scoop
There are lots of ways to get involved with the work Shalom Bayit does including community organizing, office support, outreach, event planning, and public speaking.
Contact
Liana Thomason. Liana@shalom-bayit.org
Synagogues
Chochmat is a Jewish Renewal congregation that is a source of fresh, relevant, and inspiring pathways into Jewish practice.
Inside Scoop
Check out HeartSpace, a group for open-hearted, spiritual folks in their 30s(ish) to meet new friends and build community. They meet about monthly—join their WhatsApp group for details. They hold a mix of online and in-person programs!
Congregation Emanu-El is a Reform synagogue in the Richmond district of San Francisco. They are dedicated to connecting members with their Judaism and history at the highest level and bringing Jewish values to life in meaningful and inspiring ways.
Inside Scoop
There are tons of offerings for young adults, including their famous Late Shabbat (every second Friday), plus holiday gatherings, a leadership committee, and more.
Contact
Sarah Squarsino Overton
soverton@emanuelsf.org
Netivot Shalom began in 1989 and grew out of their founding members’ collective commitment to creating an egalitarian spiritual home for Conservative/Masorti Jews.
Inside Scoop
They have a young adults group that meets about once a quarter for Shabbat dinners and holiday celebrations—ask about their WhatsApp group.
Contact
Elana Congress
elana.congress@gmail.com
Kehilla Community Synagogue is a Jewish spiritual home for politically progressive people by Lake Merritt in Oakland.
Inside Scoop
There are lots of queer and trans folks on the bimah and in the community, as well as specific programs for POC/Jews of Color. A mix of in-person and virtual services, learning, B*mitzvah programs, conversions, and more.
Glitter Kehilla is a community space for 20- and 30-somethings that hosts Shabbat potlucks!
Contact
Rabbi SAM
rabbisam@kehillasynagogue.org
The Kitchen is a synagogue that meets at various locations in San Francisco. In their words, they are “one part Shabbat + justice + torah community, one part San Francisco experiment and one part tool kit for Jewish life at home.”
Inside Scoop
If you’re feeling iffy about attending Shabbat services by yourself, or just want to meet other young and definitely social adults, then Kitchen Social Club is for you.
Contact
Kayla Pollack
kayla@thekitchen.org
The Orchard is a sacred community within Beth Am, a progressive Reform synagogue in Silicon Valley. Located in Los Altos, The Orchard is led by one of the Beth Am rabbis, Jonathan Prosnit.
Inside Scoop
This group is specifically for young adults and young families! Lots of beautiful, in-person events.
Contact
Emily McCrone
emily_mccrone@betham.org
Temple Sinai is a Reform synagogue located in uptown Oakland, not far from Lake Merritt. They are a diverse community of individuals of all ages who come together for prayer, learning, community, social justice, and more.
Inside Scoop
Temple Sinai is primarily comprised of families with young children, including those who join for the preschool or religious school (called Kesher), as well as empty-nesters, older adults, and Jews by choice. Sinai offers many classes per year, including an Introduction to Judaism course in partnership with Beth El in Berkeley. Twice a month, they hold musical services including their well-attended First Friday musical service in the round featuring an all-volunteer band.
Contact
Rabbi Julie Bressler
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