As awe-inspiring features of the landscape, mountains have an extraordinary power to evoke a sense of the sacred. Drawing on personal experiences and extensive research illustrated with spectacular photography, Edwin Bernbaum takes us on a fascinating journey exploring the many ways that mountains embody humanity's highest values and aspirations, with a focus on their singular importance in Judaism.

Join us as Rabbi David Cooper discusses Burt Jacobson's search for the Baal Shem Tov. For three decades, between his radical political activism and his rabbinic responsibilities, Burt Jacobson, founder of Kehilla Synagogue, investigated and drafted notes on the teachings and life journey of the 18th-century founder of Hasidism, the Baal Shem Tov. Those notes became the 600-page Living in the Presence, published posthumously last year. Jacobson's own journey is a key eleme... Read more

Make amends in an unapologetic world. Learn how to engage in repair work—intentional and interpersonal, whether or not you go to shul (synagogue). Find your own path into a meaningful engagement with the High Holidays, through shared study and reflection.

This program is based on Daniel Matt's book The Essential Kabbalah, an anthology of teachings from various stages of the Jewish mystical tradition, including Sefer Yetsirah, the Bahir, Spanish Kabbalah (including the Zohar), Lurianic Kabbalah, and Hasidism.

Please register directly with Daniel Matt using the link below. The cost is on a sliding scale from $150-$300, depending on what you can afford.

For methods of payment,... Read more

New ways of engaging with Jewish life and practice have emerged in the Bay Area. This program will highlight four of them—Urban Adamah, Wilderness Torah, the Jewish Studio Project, and Chai Cycle. Each presenter will give a short talk, followed by a Q&A and an opportunity for participants to share their own experiences with "alternative Jewish practice." 

Urban Adamah, an educational farm and community center in Berkel... Read more

Some think the rabbis of the Talmud saw women as their servants. Others think they put women on a pedestal. Where does the truth lie? To answer this question, we will read Talmudic texts in Hebrew/Aramaic, with English translation, and assess how the rabbis viewed women's socio-legal status. We will also read non-legal passages that show how the rabbis thought about women. No Talmudic background ne... Read more