The Gather Guide: What’s Happening for the High Holidays
Services, learning, meals, and more in the East Bay & beyond. See below for all that the community has to offer!
Updated 2:11pm PT on 8.31.23
Dear friends,
Welcome to Elul, the Jewish month that leads up to Rosh Hashanah and the High Holy days. Whether this season of reflection has snuck up on you or you’ve been counting down the days, we’re glad to be here with you! The Gather Guide: What’s Happening for the High Holidays is your one-stop-shop for services, meals, events, and more across the East Bay and beyond.
We’re lucky to live in a place where there are abundant and varied offerings from so many amazing Jewish organizations—and, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, we’re here for ya. We’d love to take you for coffee (or tea!), chat about Jewish life, and help you find your place.
Shana tovah u’metukah — wishing you a good and sweet New Year,
The GatherBay team (Caroline, R’Gray, and Lena)
PS: Did we miss your event? Take ~2 minutes to submit it to the calendar. Other questions? Email info@gatherbay.org. Check back here — we’ll be updating often!
The Inside Scoop
Young Adult Discounts
Below is a list of communities and synagogues (who we’re aware of!) that are offering free or discounted tickets for young adults. Many places also have sliding scale, with an option to pay $0.
We’ll update this list as we hear of more discounts and reduced-cost services. Navigate to the org’s events below for more details and/or reach out individually to any spot you’re thinking of going to learn more about their low-or no-cost options.
- Base Bay/Urban Adamah (discounted tickets for Basers and sliding scale)
- Chochmat HaLev (sliding scale, will take walk-ups)
- Congregation Netivot Shalom (Young Adult Discount)
- Jewish Studio Project at the JCC East Bay (free for Rosh Hashanah, donations welcome)
- Kehilla Community Synagogue (sliding scale, walk-ups welcome)
- Or Shalom (sliding scale, free if you’re under 30)
- Torah of Awakening (free for young adults)
- Wilderness Torah (work-trade options and tiered tickets)
At a glance
Want to see everything on the calendar in a quick, monthly view? Head here to explore the offerings in September.
Yom Kippur
Sunday, September 24
- 4:00 p.m. Yom Kippur Spacious & Silent Meditation Retreat at Urban Adamah
- masks encouraged but not required
- 5:00 p.m. Yom Kippur Retreat with Wilderness Torah
- located in outer Bay Area
- 6:00 p.m. Yom Kippur 2-Day Art Making Experience with Jewish Studio Project and JCC East Bay
- 6:30 p.m. Erev Yom Kippur with Chochmat HaLev
- virtual option
- masked-only section available near an open door; other sections will be masks optional
- 6:30 p.m. Erev Yom Kippur/Kol Nidre Service w/ Torah of Awakening
- virtual option
- 7:00 p.m. Kol Nidre Services with Or Shalom
- virtual option
- masks required indoors
- 7:00 p.m. Kol Nidre Services with Kehilla Synagogue
- virtual option
- masks required indoors
Monday, September 25
- 9:30 a.m. Yom Kippur Morning Service with The Kitchen SF
- can listen on radio
- 9:30 p.m. Yom Kippur Morning Service with Kehilla
- virtual option
- masks required indoors
- 10:00 a.m. Yom Kippur 2-Day Art Making Experience with Jewish Studio Project and JCC East Bay
- 10:00 a.m. Yom Kippur with Chochmat HaLev
- virtual option
- masked-only section available near an open door; other sections will be masks optional
- 10:00 a.m. Yom Kippur with Torah of Awakening
- virtual option
- 10:30 a.m. Yom Kippur Services and Day-Long Programming with Or Shalom
- virtual option
- masks required indoors
- 5:00 p.m. Yom Kippur Day Yizkor with Chochmat HaLev
- virtual option
- masked-only section available near an open door; other sections will be masks optional
- 6:00 p.m. Ne’ilah: Yom Kippur Closing Services & Break Fast with Urban Adamah
- masks encouraged but not required
- 6:15 p.m. Yom Kippur Day Neilah with Chochmat HaLev
- virtual option
- masked-only section available near an open door; other sections will be masks optional
Sukkot
Friday, September 29
- 2:00 p.m. Sukkah Build at Base Bay
- 6:30 p.m. Shabbes in the Sukkah
Sunday, October 1
- 10:15 a.m. Hallel in the Sukkah at Base Bay
- 3:00 p.m. Join the Chochmat Halev Community in their Sukkah
- 7:00 p.m. Sukkot Dance Party w. Shamati at Urban Adamah
Monday, October 2
- 6:30 p.m. Study in the Sukkah at Base Bay
Wednesday, October 4
- 6:30 p.m. Sitting in the Sukkah at Base Bay
Thursday, October 5
- 3:00 p.m. Sukkot In-Gathering Festival with Wilderness Torah
- 5:00 p.m. Sukkot En La Casa: Celebrating Multicultural Sukkot Traditions with Jewtina
- 6:00 p.m. Sukkot Film Screening: The Route of the Citron by Izza Genini
Friday, October 6
- 6:30 p.m. Shabbes in the Sukkah at Base Bay
Simchat Torah
Stay tuned — more info to come!
Readings and Resources
A not-comprehensive list of articles, guides, how-tos, and more from a mix of organizations!
- A First-Timer’s Guide to Hosting Rosh Hashanah Dinner by Sonya Sanford from feminist online publication Hey Alma
- High Holy Day Blessings + Ritual Guide from the D.C.-based org Den Collective
- How To Lead A Sephardic Rosh Hashanah Seder from My Jewish Learning
- Jewtina y Co, a Jewish & Latin org that nurtures Latin-Jewish community, identity, leadership and resiliency, created The Rosh Hashanah Seder: Latinx Edition, a Yom Kippur Workbook, a Sukkot Guide, a Simchat Torah Guide!
- Keshet, an org that works toward LGBTQ equality in Jewish life, has a bunch of resources, which they’ll be updating throughout the season
- OneTable, which empowers to find, share, and enjoy Shabbat dinners, has a number of resources around the High Holidays. Find a dinner in the Bay Area, become a host, or, if you’re a host already, you can get Nourishment for Rosh Hashanah and Shabbat Shuva, the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
- Prayers and Rituals for those Who Need to Eat on Yom Kippur from A Mitzvah to Eat
- Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Readings and Rituals from American Jewish World Service
- Rosh Hashanah Sephardic-Style, recipes and stories from the Sephardic Spice Girls
- Rosh Hashanah Guide from 18 Doors, an org focused on interfaith couples and families in formation
- Rosh HaShanah Haggadah from Schusterman Family Philanthropies
- Includes English, Spanish, Russian, and Hebrew translations
- Rosh Hashanah mental health resources, like meditations, essays, and videos from Blue Dove
- Seeker Season: A High Holiday Guidebook for the Curious and Courageous and Turn and Return High Holiday Guidebook, both from Recustom
Got a resource specific to the Bay Area? We’d love to hear about it! Drop us a line at info@gatherbay.org.
Rosh Hashanah
Friday, September 15
- 6:15 p.m. Community Services & Sephardic Rosh Hashanah Seder with Urban Adamah
- masks encouraged but not required
- 6:30 p.m. Erev Rosh Hashanah services with Torah of Awakening
- virtual option
- 6:15 p.m. Erev Rosh Hashanah Dinner with Kehilla Community Synagogue
- virtual option
- N-95 masks required for all
- 7:00 p.m. Erev Rosh Hashanah 5784 with JCC East Bay and Jewish Studio Project
- virtual option
- masks are encouraged but not required
- indoor / outdoor seating and mask-only section outside
- 7:00 p.m. Erev Rosh Hashanah with the Kitchen SF
- can listen via radio
- 7:00 p.m. Erev Rosh Hashanah Service with Chochmat HaLev and Wilderness Torah
- virtual option
- masked-only section available near an open door; other sections will be masks optional
- 7:00 p.m. Erev Rosh Hashanah Services with Or Shalom
- virtual option
- masks required indoors
Saturday, September 16
- 9:00 a.m. Rosh Hashanah Morning Meditation w/ Rebecca Schisler at Urban Adamah
- masks encouraged but not required
- 9:00 p.m. Rosh Hashanah Day 1 with the Kitchen SF
- can listen via radio
- 9:30 a.m. Rosh Hashanah with Kehilla Synagogue
- virtual option
- N-95 masks required for all
- 10:00 a.m. Rosh Hashanah with JCC East Bay and Jewish Studio Project
- virtual option
- masks are encouraged but not required
- indoor / outdoor seating and mask-only section outside
- 10:00 a.m. Rosh Hashanah Day 1 Services w/ Torah of Awakening
- virtual option
- 10:00 a.m. Rosh Hashanah Day Service with Chochmat HaLev and Wilderness Torah
- virtual option
- masked-only section available near an open door; other sections will be masks optional
- 10:30 a.m. Rosh Hashanah Services with Or Shalom Jewish Community
- virtual option
- masks required indoors
- 11:00 a.m. Sephardic Poetry Singing Circle at Urban Adamah
- masks encouraged but not required
- 1:30 p.m. Community Lunch and Tashlich at Urban Adamah
- masks encouraged but not required
- 3:0o p.m. Tashlique with Reboot and JCCSF
- 7:30 p.m. Simanim Seder and Havdalah with Wilderness Torah and Chochmat HaLev
- masked-only section available near an open door; other sections will be masks optional
- 8:00 p.m. Holy to Holy: Community Havdalah & Bonfire at Urban Adamah
Sunday, September 17
- 9:00 a.m. Rosh Hashanah Morning Meditation w. Rebecca Schisler
- masks encouraged but not required
- 10:00 a.m. Rosh Hashanah Day Two with Kehilla Synagogue
- virtual option
- N-95 masks required for all
- 11:00 a.m. Sephardic Rosh Hashanah Services w/ Rabbi Tsipora Gabai at Urban Adamah
- masks encouraged but not required
- 1:30 p.m. Community Connection, Lunch and Torah at Urban Adamah
- masks encouraged but not required
- 4:00 p.m. Second Day Rosh Hashanah Tashlich and Shofar Service at Or Shalom
- virtual option