6:30pm – 7:30pm
East Bay Jewish Community Campus, 5957 Chabot Road, Oakland
Novelist Helene Wecker reads from the final book of her Golem and the Jinni trilogy and talks about writing historical fantasy, with a book signing after.
More about JCC East Bay and Litquake Present: Helene Wecker (opens in a new tab)
5pm – 6:30pm
Fischer Library, Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit Street, Oakland
A kid-friendly potluck Shabbat dinner for the LGBTQ+ community at Temple Sinai and their families, friends and allies. Free; registration requested.
More about Rainbow Shabbat Dinner (opens in a new tab)
10:30am
Oakland (exact location shared closer to the event)
Marking ten years since his passing, a tribute to Shimon Peres's life and vision of peace, with a virtual conversation with his son Chemi Peres. Hosted by the Consulate General of Israel and JCC East Bay.
More about Shimon Peres: A Legacy of Peace and Hope (opens in a new tab)
7pm – 9pm
Urban Adamah, 1151 Sixth Street, Berkeley
Next-level Hebrew lettering class covering several fonts and composition skills, for people with some prior lettering experience. Sliding scale.
More about Intermediate Hebrew Lettering Workshop (opens in a new tab)5:45pm – 6:30pm
Urban Adamah, 1151 Sixth Street, Berkeley
People in their 20s and 30s gather a flower bouquet from the farm's beds before Kabbalat Shabbat. Free.
More about Petals & Prayers: Pre Kabbalat Shabbat Bouquet Making for Young Adults (opens in a new tab)All day
Athletic Playground, 4770 San Pablo Avenue, Emeryville
A playful contact-dance session for families that uses games and guided movement to practice trust, balance and respect. No experience needed.
More about KAVOD: Contact Dance for Families (opens in a new tab)
10am – 12pm
3000 California St (at Maple), Oakland
All-ages volunteer tree planting in Oakland with Trees for Oakland supplying saplings and tools; sign up to get location details.
More about Tree Planting with Tikkun Olam Climate Justice Action Campaign (opens in a new tab)12pm – 1:30pm
Sanctuary, Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit Street, Oakland
Leaders of three local grassroots groups talk about their work against antisemitism and how to get involved. Pizza is available for a fee.
More about Forum on Antisemitism - Local Grassroots Activists Report (opens in a new tab)2pm – 3pm
Albers Chapel, Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit Street, Oakland
Eric Beck Rubin talks with Stewart Florsheim about his novel Ten Clear Days, about a Holocaust survivor weighing medical aid in dying.
More about A Conversation with Author Eric Beck Rubin (opens in a new tab)2:30pm – 5:30pm
Urban Adamah, 1151 Sixth Street, Berkeley
Hands-on workshop on identifying local oaks and turning acorns into food (foraging, leaching tannins and cooking), with notes on oaks in Jewish tradition.
More about Acorn Processing and the Sacred Oak (opens in a new tab)4:30pm
Urban Adamah, 1151 Sixth Street, Berkeley
First session of a three-week Wednesday series using the garden and Jewish teachings to reconnect with a sense of the sacred. You register for the full series.
More about Playing with Spirituality (opens in a new tab)6:30pm – 8:30pm
Albers Chapel, Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit Street, Oakland
Screening of a documentary made with asylum seekers, followed by a panel and light snacks; co-presented with East Bay Sanctuary Covenant.
More about Screening: No Separate Survival (opens in a new tab)7pm – 8:15pm
Congregation Beth El, 1301 Oxford Street, Berkeley, CA
First of two sessions introducing the melodies and patterns of Torah chanting; open to all, no Hebrew needed.
More about Trope Workshop with Cantor Elaya (opens in a new tab)
5:30pm – 7:30pm
Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley
Tony winner Ari'el Stachel performs his one-man Off-Broadway show about growing up Yemeni-Israeli and Ashkenazi American and the search for belonging.
More about Ari’el Stachel’s “Other” (opens in a new tab)7pm – 8:30pm
Congregation Netivot Shalom, 1316 University Ave, Berkeley
Mohammad Darawshe of Givat Haviva discusses Israel after its elections and building a shared, inclusive society. Co-sponsored with Temple Sinai.
More about Jewish and Arab Partnership in Israel During a Time of Crisis (opens in a new tab)4:30pm – 6:30pm
East Bay Jewish Community Campus, 5957 Chabot Road, Oakland
Opening session of an intergenerational program that pairs teens with seniors for shared Jewish learning; this first meeting is a pickle-making session.
More about Better Together (opens in a new tab)12pm – 1pm
Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley
Brown-bag lunch talk in which photographer Nancy Lee Katz's longtime partner discusses her life and work with the Magnes senior curator.
More about Behind the Scenes: Insights into Nancy Lee Katz with Michael S. Sachs (opens in a new tab)7pm – 8:30pm
Congregation Beth El, 1301 Oxford Street, Berkeley, CA
In-person discussion of Molly Crabapple's book on the history of the Jewish Labor Bund in Eastern Europe.
More about Being Jewish in the Diaspora (opens in a new tab)5pm – 6:30pm
Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley
Annual Diller Lecture by Harvard historian Derek Penslar on how the world perceived and reacted to the 1948 war, with a reception beforehand.
More about Seeing Through a Mirror: The 1948 War in the Eyes of the World (opens in a new tab)7pm – 8:30pm
Congregation Beth El, 1301 Oxford Street, Berkeley, CA
First of two sessions studying civil rights and social justice through Jewish texts; open to all, not only civil rights trip participants.
More about Exploring Civil Rights, Social Justice, and Jewish Text with Rabbi Bekah (opens in a new tab)1pm
Chochmat HaLev, 2215 Prince Street, Berkeley
A commuter Shabbat retreat on Jewish spirituality and the elder years, opening with an afternoon in Tilden Park and running through Saturday.
More about Elders Shabbaton with Adamah SF and Chochmat HaLev (opens in a new tab)6pm – 8:30pm
Urban Adamah, 1151 Sixth Street, Berkeley
Make elderberry syrup from berries grown on the farm and a jar of fire cider tonic, and take both home for winter.
More about Elderberry & Fire Cider Workshop (opens in a new tab)7pm – 8:30pm
Albers Chapel, Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit Street, Oakland
An evening of readings from Jewish poets who served in the two World Wars, marking Veterans Day.
More about Veteran's Day Poetry Reading (opens in a new tab)5:45pm – 8:45pm
Congregation Beth El, 1301 Oxford Street, Berkeley, CA
Havdalah and Thanksgiving dinner with Netivot Shalom and the Pacifica Institute, bringing together neighbors of different faiths.
More about Interfaith Thanksgiving (opens in a new tab)11am – 5pm
Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley
A day of art, readings, dance, film and music by LABA Bay Area fellows responding to Jewish texts on the theme of names, plus text study.
More about LABA Live: NAME (opens in a new tab)7pm – 8:05pm
Sanctuary & Stern Hall, Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit Street, Oakland
Author Michael Cooper reads from his historical novel The Rabbi's Knight. Snacks provided.
More about Book Reading: The Rabbi's Knight, Michael Cooper (opens in a new tab)3pm – 4:15pm
Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley
Workshop with LABA scholar Tova Birnbaum on the meaning of names in Torah, followed by a name game with prizes in the gallery.
More about NAME GAME: Pre-show Workshop (opens in a new tab)5:30pm – 7pm
Magnes Collection of Jewish Life and Art, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley
Senior Curator Alissa Schapiro lectures on photographer Ilse Bing, whose career was upended by the Holocaust, and her portrait by Nancy Lee Katz.
More about Ilse Bing: From Jewish Avant-Garde Photographer to Nancy Lee Katz’s Most Complicated Sitter (opens in a new tab)4pm – 8pm
Congregation Beth El, 1301 Oxford Street, Berkeley, CA
Chanukah festival for all ages with dinner, a chorus performance and a children's program. Tickets $15 adults, $11 kids.
More about Shine Your Light - Beth El's Chanukah Festival (opens in a new tab)9:15am – 11:30am
Temple Building & Outdoors, Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit Street, Oakland
A Sunday-morning Hanukkah celebration for families, hosted by Temple Sinai's Kesher TK-5 program indoors and outside.
More about Family Hanukkah Celebration @ Kesher TK-5 (opens in a new tab)2pm – 2:30pm
Fischer Library, Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit Street, Oakland
A short Hanukkah talk that answers one of the questions people ask most often about the holiday.
More about The Second-Most-Often Question Asked About Hanukkah (opens in a new tab)6:30pm – 8pm
Sanctuary, Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit Street, Oakland
A Hanukkah Shabbat evening service that rededicates the sanctuary, with music from the adult choir. Also livestreamed.
More about Erev Shabbat Hanukkah Service With Rededication Of Sanctuary Featuring Adult Choir (opens in a new tab)7pm – 8:30pm
Sanctuary, Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit Street, Oakland
Pianist Catherine Kautsky plays music of classical Vienna and works by composers exiled or killed in the Holocaust, with images and commentary.
More about Vienna and the Anschluss: Intersections of Music, Politics, and Judaism (opens in a new tab)9am – 1pm
Stern Hall, Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit Street, Oakland
A Saturday-morning shakshuka gathering at Temple Sinai.
More about International Shakshukah Day (opens in a new tab)