Long before modern Israel and the Palestinians, there were ancient Israel and the Philistines. The ancient Philistines appear in the Bible as an existential threat to Israel, suffering from a reputation given them by the Biblical writers as boorish pagans with superior military skills. 

Our class will begin wit... Read more

Nearly a year since October 7th, Israelis continue to struggle with the enormity of the ongoing trauma. Hear from Dr. Naomi Baum, an Israeli psychologist and a renowned trauma and resilience expert, and Yonatan Zeigen, son of Vivian Silver, a lifelong peace activist who was murdered on October 7th in her home in Kibbutz Be'eri.

Ultra-orthodox Jewish life has long been surrounded by secrecy from within and intense curiosity from without. This course will focus on four films that present Haredi Jewish life from multiple perspectives. Critical, compassionate and profoundly humane, these films offer an expanded view of the complexities of living within and beyond the strictures of Ultra-Orthodox Jewish life. Our film selection includes two fiction feature films and two documentaries, from the US, Israel and the United... Read more

A compelling nonfiction graphic novel written by Rafael Medoff and illustrated by Dean Motter, Whistleblowers is the true story of courageous individuals who risked their careers—or their lives—to confront the unfolding Holocaust.

Author Rafael Medoff will discuss the stories captured in the book and the process of translating them into the graphic novel format. San Fran... Read more

In partnership with the East Bay International Jewish Film Festival

Vishniac, is a documentary film that captures Europe from the streets of pre-war Berlin to those of Poland and Lithuania.

Watch the film ahead of the program (online), beginning Sunday, November 10.

Nearly every day the situation in Israel seems to take a sharp turn into uncharted territory as we approach a year since October 7th. What are the implications of the assassination of Nasrallah and much of the Hezbollah leadership? Of a possible IDF ground operation in Lebanon? How will these factors impact the hostage release and cease-fire negotiations in G... Read more

Join the Friday Morning Torah Study Group which has been meeting for 50+ years! Every week features a different teacher from among rabbis, scholars, Jewish educators, artists, and the lay leaders with which our community is blessed. Each session begins with the week's Parasha (Torah portion) and emphasizes deep conversation and multi-faceted perspectives. We offer this program tuition-free, but ask that you please consider a donation to New Le... Read more