SHARE:  

Sha'ar Zahav was a polling place this year! Click here to see us be recognized by the J. Weekly.

Contact office@shaarzahav.org to sponsor a Shabbat

Friday Night Services:

November 11th at 7:30 pm.

Hybrid: On Zoom and In-Person.

Led by Cantor Bernstein and Josh Muller

D'rash by Barbara Leff

Register Here for Zoom Service

Meeting ID: 886 7131 3838


Saturday Morning Service:

November 12th at 10:00 am.

Hybrid: On Zoom and In-Person.

Join Sadie Post at her b'mitzvah as she celebrates this great milestone. All are invited!

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.

Adult Learning

Zohar Reading Circle with Rabbi Copeland

Not too late to join!

Weekly on Mondays, November 21 - December 12

7:00-8:30pm

Are you intrigued by Jewish mysticism, Kabbalah? Rabbi Copeland will lead an informal reading group of the Zohar, the central work of Kabbalah. Newcomers to Kabbalah or experienced readers are all welcome.

Please obtain Daniel Chanan Matt’s book, Zohar: Annotated & Explained. It’s easy to find online and there are places to borrow it as well - just ask Rabbi Copeland. All texts will be in translation. You don’t need to attend every session, but registration is necessary. Online and in person. 

Register for the class here

Nonbinary Hebrew Chanting Minyan

Friday, November 11, 9:00-9:45am on Zoom

Do you have a hard time with patriarchal language in our liturgy? With an anthropomorphic male God figure? Do you love chanting or are you chanting-curious? 

Join a morning minyan that is accessible to all and uses 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. 

This minyan is a joint effort between SZ and Moishe House Rockridge in Oakland.

Join the Meeting: Zoom link

Save The Date!

Klezmer Shabbat returns on Friday, December 16th. 

Dancing, davening, eating and drinking! More details to follow…

Music in the Mishkan is back starting January 2023!

Click here for details.

Community: Let's Get Together

Open Shabbat:

Welcoming Shabbat with the Mission's Unhoused

Friday, November 25, 6:00 pm

16th and Mission Bart Station

SZ will be sponsoring dinner for folks at the outdoor Open Shabbat service on Friday, November 25th. To learn more, click here to read the J Weekly article. If you are interested in volunteering to help prepare and/or distribute the food we will provide after the service or would like more information, please contact Deb Farkas.

Recurring Gatherings and Meetings

Adult Orphans

Tonight! Wednesday, November 9th

6:30 pm on Zoom

SZ members are invited on November 9th at 6:30 to a talk by James Carlson about his process in transitioning to a senior residence. Hosted by the Adult Orphans. For more information contact Paisha Rochlin. 

Join the Meeting: Zoom Link

Social Action Committee

Monday, November 14th

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 will focus on our next get-out-the vote actions, Open Shabbat and Refugee Shabbat planning. Want to join us? Come to our next meeting or contact Nancy Wecker or Geri Kahn.   

Join the Meeting:  Zoom link

Kaf-Lamed Monthly Gathering

Don't go to Shabbat alone!

November 18, 7:30pm

Join Sha'ar Zahav's young adult group (The Kaf Lameds) for a monthly gathering at Shabbat Services in person! Perfect for those who've ever felt intimidated to go to Shabbat in person services alone. Or perfect for those who just want a few buddies to join on Friday night services! This is a monthly gathering, where we'll do "Shabbat Together" the 3rd Friday of each month. Any questions please feel free to contact Emily Ornelas-Dorian.

Racial Equity Committee

Monday, November 21

6:30-8:00pm on Zoom

The Racial Equity Committee is back to meeting regularly! Subsequent meetings will be held on the the third Monday of the month at 6:30. Come help assure that CSZ is always a place of welcome, inclusion and equity for all.

Join the Meeting: Zoom link

Book Group Discussion:

He, She and It, by Marge Piercy

Tuesday, December 20, 7:00 - 8:00 pm on Zoom

It is the near future, and North America is a toxic, overheated wasteland after nuclear war. Most people live unprotected from the poisoned atmosphere or in domed cities ruled by mega-corporations. But in the free town of Tikva, scientist Malkah has illegally created a cyborg to protect her town from corporate takeover. Piercy's novel, which weaves between this dystopian future and stories of the 17thth century golem of Prague, deals with environmental disaster, a 1984-type world, courage, love, and the question of what's human. For more info, email Ami Zusman. 

Join the Meeting: Zoom Link

Art Group: Drop-in

Weekly on Tuesdays

Hybrid: In person and on Zoom

10am - 11:30am

Drop in for a joyful hour and a half of free art-making and connection. Everyone is welcome! The group meets every Tuesday. Please contact Paisha Rochlin or Barbara Cymrot for meeting location.

Join the Meeting: Zoom link

Climate Action Committee

2nd Monday of the Month   

5:00 - 6:30 pm on Zoom

The CAC gathers monthly to support and educate ourselves and our community on climate issues, including climate grief, policy advocacy, and personal and community strategies to address the urgent crises of climate change and climate justice. 

Contact Deborah Levy with any questions.

Join the Meeting: Zoom link

Disability and Accessibility Committee

If you identify as disabled, are exploring that identity, or have a loved one with a disability and are interested in joining the Disability and Accessibility Committee, please reach out to Eliana Smithstein for more information. If you are interested in learning more about disability and how you can become a better ally, stay tuned for educational events to come!

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
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 Idzik.
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
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
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

3rd Saturday of the month until 2023, 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!

Jonah Goldstone 11/9

Matt Rich 11/9

Abraham Katz 11/9

Brad Post 11/9

Annie Atura Bushnell 11/10

Evan Markiewicz 11/10

Patricia Lin 11/11

Marissa Guerrero 11/11

Daniel Stellini 11/11

Elliot Kukla 11/12

Mark Pressler 11/12

Richard Weiner 11/12

Gina Surber 11/12

Cohen Stein 11/13

Annette Spector 11/14

Roberto Acordi 11/15

While we strive for all our events to be mixed-access, this is not always possible. Some events are only in-person, and some are Zoom only. If you have any questions about a particular event, please contact the office, or the contact listed for the event.

Returning to 290 Dolores
Attending In-Person Events and Services

Starting at the end of April, our policy is as follows.
  • Shabbat Service: Masking during the service is required. Following the service, you may remove your mask to enjoy oneg.
  • For all other events, masking is optional. Children 2-5 will be required to mask. We welcome you to keep wearing masks if you choose.
  • Proof of vaccination is required, including a booster shot.
  • 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.
Updated Registration Policy
Registration: Registration will no longer be required for most in-person services and events. If you have a key card, please let yourself in. If you do not, you will be asked to sign in and show proof of vaccination. Key cards are available to all members. Please reach out to get yours.
Click here for information about our vaccination policy
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.
Visit Our Website
Facebook  Twitter