Link of the Week: Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz spoke to us on Monday as part of our Queer & Jewish Talk Series! You can follow his work at Uri L’tzedek and Valley Beit Midrash.

Join us for Erev Shabbat at 7:30 pm led by Rabbi Copeland and Maggid Ramer, and stay from 8:15 - 9:00 pm for a conversation with Rabbi Ellen Bernstein, founder of Shomrei Adamah, Keepers of the Earth - the first national Jewish environmental organization.

Rabbi Bernstein will launch our conversation with teachings from the journey from Tu B’shvat to Pesach, and speak about the ecological depths of Judaism.

Everyone is Welcome! Register Here. Meeting ID: 452 290 988.

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.

An interactive seder for all ages. There will be stories, seasonal/edible seder symbols, and time for creativity. You will need some materials, so please use this list to prepare in advance. We encourage you to work with what you have, and get creative if you need to!

Join the Zoom Meeting: Zoom link

11:00 - 11:30 am (PT)

Rabbi Mychal Copeland is leading a yoga practice session for kids and their adults, inspired by her award-winning book "I Am the Tree of Life: My Jewish Yoga Book." This session is part of the Big Bold Jewish Climate Fest.

Plant a seed, go on a different hike path, consider a new text to study, start a new environmental practice, donate to an eco-organization or join Sha’ar Zahav’s Climate Action Committee. All of these and more are included in our home guide.

Jonathon Thunderword, a fellow Sha'ar Zahav member, will share his spiritual autobiography tracing a path from Christianity to Judaism, and well into Eastern traditions. His journey led Jonathon to becoming a believing non-believer, a theistic atheist, and perhaps, a “possibility model” for those who are beginning to seek their own spirituality.

Learn More and Register.

The election is over, so we are all finished? NO! Voter Suppression hasn't ended. Join the Social Action Committee and the John Lewis Voter Engagement Group as we welcome Andrea Miller to speak at CSZ! 

Andrea is one of the founding board members of the Center for Common Ground, and the driving force of its Reclaim our Vote Campaign. She will discuss new advocacy initiatives and how we may become involved. This is a unique opportunity to hear from her and ask her questions in an "intimate Zoom setting."

Open to All! Register for Free Here

Golan Moskowitz will share with us the evolution of Maurice Sendak’s artistic vision and its appeal for American, Jewish, and queer audiences. The talk will show how Sendak’s multiple perspectives as a gay, Holocaust-conscious, American-born son of Yiddish-speaking Polish immigrants informed his life and work, changed the face of children’s literature.

Learn More and Register.

Where Will I Live If I Ever Get Old? A Presentation About Rhoda Goldman Plaza in San Francisco

Please join The Adult Orphans Friendship Circle as we host a presentation about Rhoda Goldman Plaza in San Francisco. A residence for those of us “chronologically gifted,” this special community of independent, assisted and memory caring residents relish the menu of concierge level services and care.

 

Candiece Milford, Managing Director of Marketing with 16 years’ experience in this field will be sharing information about the community, how it works and welcomes any and all questions.

Everyone is Welcome! Join the Zoom Meeting

Brought to you by the Hineni Caring Community, and led by a Licensed Clinical Social Worker from the Family Caregiver Alliance, this group is open to members who are caring for older adults or adults with disabilities. There is a participant fee but anyone who needs assistance will be aided. If you have any questions, please contact Rabbi Mychal Copeland.

For Members Only. Fee: $125. Learn More and Register.

Caring for an adult with memory loss can be challenging. JFCS’ Seniors At Home invites you to their virtual support group.

Learn More and Register.

Do you have a professional practice, a business or a community resource that you would like to share with fellow Sha'ar Zahav members? We are curating a list of health and wellness resources, social services, products, or just community offerings! Anything useful during and post-Covid from which the community can benefit.

Please email Liliana Peliks with your ideas.

4 Weekly Sessions, Starting on Monday, February 22

In today's world, discussions about Israel and Palestine can quickly devolve into inflammatory disagreements and personal attacks that leave everyone angry and unheard – even in a loving community like ours! We often won’t succeed at convincing others to see things our way. But can we create a culture of resilient and respectful learning about Israel and Palestine at Sha'ar Zahav? There is a participant fee but anyone who needs assistance will be aided.

For Members Only. Fee: $54 for 4 Sessions. Learn More and Register.

Thursdays, from February 18 until May 6

This class is intended for first time Hebrew students, and will begin with the letters and the sounds they make. We'll provide a friendly and supportive learning environment to adult learners with limited time for study. Questions? Email the class instructor Michael Lederman. Scholarships available.

Learn More and Register.

A place to ask questions and discuss your ideas! This group will explore issues that arise for people who are considering, are in the process of, or have recently completed, converting to Judaism. Those with a Jewish parent (or parents), but raised with little or no Jewish experience are also welcome.

Learn More and Register Before February 28.

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 Zoom Meeting: Zoom link

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.

Join the Zoom Meeting: Zoom link

Join us for a discussion of binaries of Jewish life and how they impact our experiences as Jews in the United States. The discussions will be led by Meg Adler and will consider three binaries: religious vs. not religious, believe in G-d vs. don’t believe in G-d and Jewish vs. non-Jewish. Each session will involve some study but mostly, a lot of reflection and community learning. Bring your own ideas and be ready to share! Ask Liliana Peliks about scholarships.

Open to All. Learn More and Register.

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 Zoom Meeting: Zoom link

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 Zoom Meeting: Zoom link

During this time of immense loss and grief, we are holding regular Kaddish Memory Circles to support each other. Rabbi Mychal Copeland, Ora Prochovnick and Martin Tannenbaum will alternate leading these circles twice a month, starting in February.

Join the Zoom Meeting: Zoom link

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 Zoom Meeting: Zoom link

You are invited to a twice-a-month Shabbat morning exploration of yoga and Judaism that integrates mind, body, and spirit. Stuart Dick and Rabbi Mychal Copeland will alternate leading the first and third Saturday of every month.

Join the Zoom Meeting: Zoom link

It feels like a new year after the Inauguration!  Please join us and let's get moving! Our ongoing topics are post-elections actions, hunger, immigration, homelessness, racial justice, and gun violence. We meet every month but you may contact Geri Kahn or Nancy Wecker anytime.

Join the Zoom Meeting: Zoom link

Zoom with us to get an update on CSZ’s solar panels, discuss plans for 2021 and learn about the upcoming federal Farm Bill. New people and new ideas welcome!

Join the Zoom Meeting: Zoom link

Contact sharonh@shaarzahav.org to sponsor a Shabbat

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.

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