Contact office@shaarzahav.org to sponsor a Shabbat
Friday Night Services:
April 1 at 7:30 pm. Hybrid: On Zoom and In-Person. Led by Cantor Bernstein and Warren Baim. D'rash by Arthur Slepian about his recent trip to the border of Ukraine and Poland.
Meeting ID: 886 7131 3838

Saturday Morning Service:
April 2 at 10:00 am. Hybrid: On Zoom and In-Person.
Join the Zoom Meeting. Meeting ID: 365 434 855 and Passcode: 068575.
To join by phone for either service, dial +1 669 900 9128 or find your local number.
Returning to Hybrid Services
For more info on Registration and Attending In-Person Events and Services, scroll to the end of this email.
Community: Let's Get Together
Mx brin solomon for Transgender Day of Visibility
Thursday, March 31st, 6:30pm
Mx brin solomon (it/its), the liturgist behind the Inclusive Siddur Project, will give a presentation on the process of bringing its new prayerbook to life. The talk will situate this work in the larger history of liturgy with room for nonbinary existence in the Jewish tradition and will also take a deep dive into a few selected excerpts from the prayerbook to show how solomon's general principles translate into actual practice.

Join the discussion: Register here
Nonbinary Chanting Minyan
Friday, April 1, 9-9:30am
Curious about a nonbinary way to pray? Join Rabbi Copeland in a short chanting service with entirely nonbinary Hebrew and names for the Divine. All prayers will be in transliteration or English, so come even if Hebrew is new to you. If you want to learn more about the Nonbinary Hebrew Project that made this possible, come at 8:45am for a bit of grammar before we start.

Join the discussion: Register here
Crip Camp documentary virtual panel discussion
Sunday, April 3 at 1:30pm- 3:00pm on Zoom
Sha'ar Zahav's Disability and Accessibility and Social Action Committees are excited to present Judith Heumann, Denise and Neil Jacobson, and Lionel Je'Woodyard who were featured in the documentary. In a virtual panel discussion about the film and their experiences during and after Camp Jened, they will comment on how they see issues facing disabled people today, including barriers to participating in religious services. Free Zoom event, ASL provided. Please contact the Disability and Accessibility Committee with any accessibility questions.

Join the discussion: Register here
Beit Sefer Phyllis Mintzer Open House 
Saturday, April 9
9:00-11:00am

Do you have children ages 5-12 or friends who do? Are they ready to join an amazing community of kids and adults while they dive into Jewish learning? Come check out our inspired, diverse, creative, intimate, queer-positive learning community that is Beit Sefer Phyllis Mintzer. Join us for prayer, learning and connecting. Kids are invited! Contact Educator Sue Bojdak with questions and to RSVP.
Here! 2022 Rainbow Campaign 

With your help, we will continue to be Here for you and for our community.

The 2022 Rainbow Campaign is in full swing. The Rainbow Campaign is essential to providing our full range of services. This year we hope to raise $180,000 and secure 100% member participation. We welcome donations from non-members as well. Please check your emails for information or if you'd like to make a meaningful donation now, click here.

Thank you for your support and all that you bring to our community!
Kaddish Memory Circle
Wednesday, April 6th
8:30 - 9:00 am

During this time of immense loss and grief, we are holding regular Kaddish Memory Circles to support each other. Martin Tannenbaum and Ora Prochovnick will be leading this week's circle. Our entire community is welcome, especially if you’ve had a loss in the past year and might be looking for this kind of space to remember someone in your life. Feel free to invite any friends or relatives who may want to join.

Join the Zoom Meeting: Zoom link
Judaism and the Body with Rabbi Copeland
There's still time to join!
 Mondays, April 4-April 25, 7-8:45 pm on Zoom

Judaism celebrates our bodies. Practices like eating, praying and sex are our means toward experiencing the Divine, in Hebrew called "avodah b'gashmiut." How does this play out in our daily lives? In queer community? We will study Jewish texts - Midrash, Talmud, Zohar, Hasidut - and breath and stretch to solidify our teachings. No prior experience with Jewish texts or ideas are necessary. Texts will be read in English. Please purchase Jay Michaelson's book, God in Your Body: Kabbalah, Mindfulness and Embodied Spiritual Practice. If you would like assistance in buying the book, please email Susie Idzik.

John Lewis Memorial Voter Engagement Group
(a subgroup of the Social Action Committee)

We are working with the Center for Common Ground and the Reclaim our Vote campaign to send out postcards to voters in North Carolina and Alabama for their primary elections. Please contact Tirtza Pearl if you are interested in joining our group and/or sending out postcards.

Sign up for upcoming webinars here, from the Center for Common Ground. These are part of an ongoing series, "Road to the Midterms: Looking Forward and Federal," where they are joined by members of Congress, voting rights activists and state leaders for in-depth discussions on important pro-democracy legislation and efforts that you can help support as we gear up for the 2022 midterm elections.

  • Thursday, April 14 - Women's Rights with New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney

Save the Date:
Next Week! Immigration Shabbat: Welcoming the Stranger on April 8
The Torah instructs us 36 times to care for the stranger: it's a foundational part of our Jewish values. Come learn about how members of our congregation have put these values into action by providing housing and joining accompaniment teams for refugees and asylum seekers. We're excited to welcome Rev. Deborah Lee, the Executive Director of the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, as our guest speaker for the d'rash. Services will be followed by a panel with congregants who have been involved in this work, as well as guests from some of our partner organizations.

Join SZ's Immigration Journal
The SZ Social Action Committee invites you to give our community a glimpse of an immigration story that has been important in your life. While we usually think of migrations across international boundaries, crossing social and cultural barriers, or relocations within national boundaries yield tales of joy and pathos as well. This can be your own story or that of someone close to you or your family. We can only give you 700 characters, so draft your story, find a photo or sketch to support it and give it a title. Submit your story here. Submission deadline is noon on April 1. Please share your stories and make this an even richer special Shabbat for us all.

Learning Together
Sha'ar Zahav Earth Day Fair
Saturday April 23rd from 11 am - 1 pm
led by our Climate Action Committee

Join the Sha'ar Zahav community in a day of information, education, and activities around how to protect the climate!
Introduction to Hebrew Class on Zoom
One Hour Evening Class (12) Sessions Note Date Change! Tuesdays, March 29 - June 7, 7:00 - 8:00 pm
Open to members and non-members
 
Continuing Hebrew on Zoom
One Hour Evening Class (12) Sessions, Note Date Change! Thursdays, March 31 - June 9, 7:00 - 8:00
Open to members and non-members

Israel/Palestine Working Group
April 11, 6pm

Interested in how we talk about Israel and Palestine at SZ? Join an informal group for members to discuss next steps on how we discuss this important issue in our community. To get involved, contact Rabbi Copeland.
Passover
No Shabbat Service, Friday, April 15

Passover Seder, Saturday, April 16 on Zoom

Passover Workshop with New Lehrhaus led by Rabbi Yoel Kahn
Wednesday, April 6, 7:00 pm- 8:30 pm
Examine several of the most beautiful and interesting examples of the illustrated medieval Haggadah, comparing the variety of styles, images and artistry among them.
For more information about this, click here.
This event is proudly co-sponsored by SZ.

Passover Picnic in the Park
April 17th, 3:00- 5:00 pm
Location: Dolores Park (Dolores St between 18 and 19th streets)
 
Celebrate our freedom in the freest spot in San Francisco, Dolores Park! This event is BYOS=Bring Your Own Seder. We won’t be sharing our food with one another, but we will be singing a few of our favorite Passover tunes, thinking about the seder plate rituals and their meaning for us in this particular year, and coming together as a community to celebrate our collective freedom. Grab a blanket, your food, and head to the park!
Recurring Gatherings and Meetings
Kaf-Lamed Monthly Check In 
Last Friday of the Month, April 29
6-6:30pm on Zoom
All young adults welcome! Kaf-Lameds is Sha'ar Zahav's 20-30s group. We meet on the last Friday of every month at 6pm-6:30pm, switching between meeting virtually and in person. This is a time to briefly check in on each other, plan ideas for events, and create belonging. For more information, please contact KL co-leader Emily Ornelas-Dorian.
Climate Action Committee
2nd Monday of the Month
5:00 - 6:30 pm on Zoom
Are you concerned about environmental degradation? Want to work with other Sha’ar Zahavniks against climate change? Come share your ideas, get support, and have fun while we work together on some of the most pressing issues facing the planet. Come and learn about the upcoming Earth Day fair! Contact Deborah Levy with any questions.

Join the Meeting: Zoom link
Social Action Committee
Monday, April 4
6:00 pm on Zoom

On fair elections, welcoming the stranger, secure housing and food, ending gun violence, and more! At our next meeting we’re planning the Immigrant Shabbat program for April 8 - we welcome your ideas. We are also actively recruiting SZ members to join an accompaniment team to assist an Afghan refugee family. Want to join us? Come to our next meeting or contact Nancy Wecker or Geri Kahn.

Join the Meeting: Zoom link
Theater & Movies Chavurah: The Pawnbroker
Wednesday, April 6th
6 pm
Join the Film and Theater Group in watching "The Pawnbroker." Based on the novel by Edward Lewis Wallant, this movie shows a painstakingly etched portrait of a man who survived the living hell of a Nazi concentration camp and encounters further prejudice when he runs a pawnshop in Harlem. Available through Apple TV, Google, Microsoft, Kanopy, Amazon Prime, and also YouTube. It costs $3.99 to rent the film, regardless of which streaming service. For more info, contact Yvette Adida.
Join the Meeting: Zoom Link
Remember When
1st Wednesday of the Month
6:30 - 8:00 pm
Hitch a ride on the wayback wagon for a trip down memory lane. Let’s reminisce about the 40’s thru the 70’s together! Different topics each month. We will gather on the first Wednesday of every month. Everyone is welcome! Questions? Please email Marv Lehrman.
Join the Meeting: Zoom link
Adult Orphans Friendship Circle 
2nd and 4th Wednesday 6:30 - 8:00 pm on Zoom
For elder members who have little or no family in the Bay Area. We meet for lively discussions and occasional presentations related to aging. Open to the whole SZ Community. Contact Paisha Rochlin for more info.

Join the Meeting: Zoom link. If this zoom link does not work, please email Paisha 
and she will email you an alternate link.
Weekly Torah Study Group
Weekly on Wednesday
8:30 - 9:30 am
Study the weekly Torah portion with Rabbi Copeland and lay leaders. For the first half-hour, we’ll talk, learn and share thoughts about the portion. In the second half, we will practice our Hebrew reading skills in a compassionate environment! Join for either or both parts of the study. To be added to our SZ Torah listserv, email susie@shaarzahav.org.
Join the Meeting: Zoom link
Mussar Group
Bi-weekly on Thursdays 7:00 - 8:00 pm
Mussar is a very practical and flexible spiritual discipline to help you balance soul-traits (Middah/Middot) such as Humility, Loving-Kindness, Generosity, and Silence. Drop-ins are always welcome! For more information, contact Mark Pressler.
Join the Meeting: Zoom link
Art Group: Drop-in
Weekly on Thursdays
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Drop in for a joyful hour of free art-making and connection. Everyone is welcome! The group meets every Thursday. For more information, contact Paisha Rochlin, Barbara Cymrot or AJ Turpen Fried.

Join the Meeting: Zoom link
Meditation Chavurah
1st and 3rd Saturday of the month
10:30 am - Noon
Everyone is welcome. And you will not regret it! A typical session includes a short and longer silent sit, with chanting, movement, and a short teaching. The group meets on the first and third Saturday of every month.
Join the Meeting: Zoom link
Jewish Yoga
April 9th with Stuart Dick
You are invited to a Shabbat morning exploration of yoga and Judaism that integrates mind, body, and spirit. Beginners and experienced yoga practitioners are welcome. To be added to our SZ Yoga listserv, email susie@shaarzahav.org.
Register for the Meeting: Zoom link
Hiking Chavurah
2nd Saturday of the month, 9:50 am
We hike on the second Saturday of the month
Join other Sha’ar Zahavniks on monthly urban hikes – mostly in SF but we sometimes venture farther afield. This is a great way to get to know other SZ members while exploring the city and beyond. The hikes usually last about two hours. For more information, email Karen Schiller and Ellen Murland
12-Step Meetings by and for Sha’ar Zahav Members
Weekly on Sundays On Zoom
1:00 - 2:00 pm

Come listen and share experience, strength, and hope with other CSZ members who identify as part of any 12-step community (AA, NA, CMA, Alanon, SA, etc.).
The meeting will be run in the usual 12-step format but will also feature some thoughts and reflections from members who are working to bring their Jewish selves and Jewish traditions to their 12-step practice. Contact Erika Katske with any questions.

For Sha'ar Zahav Members Only. Register Here to Attend.
Weekday Morning Prayer
Weekly on Tuesdays
8:30 - 9:00 am
Songs and prayers to set our hearts and minds! This service takes place every Tuesday morning, and is led by community lay leaders and Cantor Bernstein. For more information, contact Cantor Bernstein.
Join the Meeting: Zoom link
Birthdays this week!
Tony Harris 3/30
Deborah Cohler 3/30
Jonathan Kaplan 3/31
Zadie Whittow 3/31
Carolina Ornelas-Dorian 3/31
Merle Malakoff 4/1
Charlie Spiegel 4/1
Eliana Frank 4/2
Quinn Klaiman 4/3
Rachel Nancollas 4/5
Ben Gaster 4/5
Returning to Hybrid Services
Registration and Attending In-Person Events and Services

For more info on Registration and Attending In-Person Events and Services, scroll to the end of this email.
Sha'ar Zahav has established the following practices for meeting in-person at this time.
  • Attendees must wear a mask, either N95, KN95 or a surgical mask with a cloth mask over.
  • Attendees must show proof of vaccination, including a booster shot.
  • Please register before attending. Even if you think you might attend, please go ahead and register. We'd prefer that you register and not show up than show up without registering. Registration helps us manage security at the door as well as provides an ability to do contact tracing, should someone come down with Covid following an in-person activity. 
  • Please remember: Sha’ar Zahav is a scent-free environment. Keeping our synagogue safe for those with scent and chemical sensitivities is part of our commitment to accessibility. Questions/concerns? Email us, the Accessibility Committee
Thank You to Our Grantors
Programs at Sha’ar Zahav are supported by the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, the Gilbert and Eleanor Kraus Initiative for Immigrant and Refugee Justice of the Religious Action Center, San Francisco Humanities, and the National Center to Encourage Judaism.
You are receiving this email because you expressed interest in Sha'ar Zahav. Be sure to add office@shaarzahav.org to your (email) contacts list so that our communications land in your inbox! All our events take place at Sha'ar Zahav 290 Dolores Street, unless noted otherwise. To unsubscribe, please click on the "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of this email.