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OUT TO EAT SHABBAT AND BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
FRI, OCT 23 • 11:30 AM - 1 PM
Mezzaluna, Cotati
Join us for this monthly no-host lunch gathering where we celebrate this month's birthdays and visit different restaurants in our county.
There will be cake!
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HOLECHIM
SONOMA WALKING CLUB
Last Sunday of every month
SUN, OCT 25 • 11 AM - 1 PM
Location TBD
Get outside, explore Sonoma County and make new friends with Holechim, the Sonoma Walking Club. Join us on the last Sunday of each month for a leisurely group walk along some of the North Bay’s most beautiful trails. All experience levels are welcome, and routes are relatively flat so everyone can enjoy the scenery at their own pace.
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FINE ARTS MUSEUMS SF DOCENT TOUR: Something Fishy is Going on Here!
MON, OCT 26 • 10:30 AM – 12 PM
Online (Via Zoom)
Join docents Joy Bullen and Shelley Ford for a free guided exploration of this week's theme: Something Fishy is Going on Here!
Fish have swum throughout the human imagination and made their way into great art for centuries appearing in such diverse forms as ancient Roman mosaics, 18th century Chinese porcelain and 19th century paintings of American sport fishing. Fish have symbolized fertility, abundance, and prosperity. However we also appreciate fish for their endless variety, brilliant colors, and for their value as a culinary delight. Please join us for this captivating presentation that will surely get you hooked, and, if you like, share your best fishing tale with us.
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If you haven’t considered logging on for a quick trip to the museum with us, you should before this special program takes a break in November and December. | | |
WE MET AT GROSSINGER'S
TUES, NOV 17 • 1 & 6:30 PM
Rialto Cinemas, Sebastopol
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We Met at Grossinger’s is an immersive journey through the Jewish Catskills—once known as the Borscht Belt—reviving the iconic resort that inspired Dirty Dancing and defined an era of Jewish American life.
Throughout decades of prejudice stifling the integration of Jewish immigrants in America, the Borscht Belt in the Catskills provided an oasis of belonging, and Grossinger’s Resort and Hotel was the crown jewel. The real-life inspiration for the setting of the 1987 classic film Dirty Dancing, Grossinger’s provided both a physical and mental getaway where Jews—and others from marginalized communities—needing a break from NYC could relax.
The resort’s growing reputation attracted a wide variety of comedians, athletes, and political figures, including Mel Brooks, Jerry Seinfeld, Jackie Robinson and Eleanor Roosevelt. Award-winning filmmaker Paula Eiselt (Aftershock, 93Queen) resurrects this vanished world with an immersive warmth, providing a timely reminder of the historic richness of Jewish culture and its immeasurable contributions to American life.
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COMING UP: SONOMA COUNTY & BEYOND
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ISRAEL - A Continuing Conversation
An ongoing series of programs exploring our relationships with Israel. We’ll engage the questions and connections that shape our lives as American Jews, making room for complexity, curiosity, and diverse perspectives.
Advanced registration required. Free and open to nonmembers.
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ARE WE STILL ZIONISTS?
A Conversation with Rabbi Amitai Fraiman
TONIGHT
THU, OCT 15 • 7 PM
Congregation Shomrei Torah, Santa Rosa
& Online (Via Livestream)
What does Zionism mean to us today—and does it still describe our relationship with Israel? Join Congregation Shomrei Torah and Rabbi Amitai Fraiman for an open conversation, hosted by Rabbi Morrison, exploring the questions, tensions, and possibilities shaping our relationship with Israel as American Jews.
| | Rabbi Fraiman is the Founding Director of the Z3 Project and founder of שזור/Interwoven, which focuses on strengthening understanding between American and Israeli Jews. Raised in Jerusalem, ordained in New York, and now living in Palo Alto, Rabbi Fraiman brings a range of perspectives and experiences to this conversation. | | |
CLERGY'S TISCH - Roots and Rituals
FRI, OCT 16 • 6:15 - 7:30 PM
Congregation Shomrei Torah, Santa Rosa & Online (Via Zoom)
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Join Erik Ohlsen, internationally recognized regenerative designer, permaculture educator, landscape contractor, author, farmer, herbalist, and storyteller, for a unique exploration of ancient Jewish agricultural wisdom through the lens of Northern California’s climate and ecosystems.
Together, we’ll explore the history of the Shivat HaMinim (Seven Species) and ancient agricultural practices such as shmita (soil resting) and kilayim (companion planting boundaries). We’ll consider how these traditions can inform the way we approach gardening and landscaping today and discover practical ways to cultivate sustainable, values-driven heritage gardens in our own communities.
| | Our new Clergy's Tisch format does not include a catered meal. Instead, we invite you to bring a bottle of wine or a dessert to share as we gather for a community Oneg before the presentation. Advance registration is necessary to help us plan for parking, shuttles, and refreshments.
$10 per person. | | |
GROUP MEDITATION
FRI, OCT 23 • 5:30 - 6:30 PM
Congregation Shomrei Torah, Santa Rosa & Online (Via Zoom)
Ready to slow down, be present, and reconnect? Join us for Jewish Mindfulness Meditation, blending mindfulness practice with Jewish teachings to cultivate greater clarity, calm, and well-being. No previous experience necessary.
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Contact Alissa Hirshfeld at ajhirshfeld@gmail.com for information, to register, or to get the Zoom link.
Additional dates:
Nov 6 & 13, Dec 11 & 18.
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SHABBAT FAMILY PLAYDATE
SAT, OCT 17 • 10 - 11:30 AM
Congregation Ner Shalom, Cotati
A relaxed Shabbat morning with arts & crafts, snacks, free play, and time to connect. Nitzanim teachers are excited to create space for kids and parents to spend time together, build friendships, and be in community together. All are welcome!
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DANCE YOUR OYS AWAY
SUN, OCT 18 • 2 PM - 4:30 PM
Congregation Ner Shalom, Cotati
An afternoon of uplifting Klezmer/Israeli/Irish music and dance featuring Laurie Lippin and her group Two Tribes, and Jewish Dance Maven, Bruce Bierman.
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CONNECTING ACROSS DIFFERENCES
SUN, OCT 18 • 12:30 PM
Lucchesi Park, Petaluma
An edgy, honest, and hopeful conversation about Israeli-Palestinian issues with Gazan-American author and educator Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib. Featuring music by Rachel Valfer and Faisal Zedan of The Qadim Ensemble.
Free and open to all, ticket required.
| | Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib is founder and executive director of Project Unified Assistance, a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council, and the founder of the Realign For Palestine project. | | |
ABSOLUTE MUSIC PRESENTS: ALPHABET BAROQUE CONSORT
SUN, OCT 18 • 3 - 5:30 PM
Congregation Beth Ami, Santa Rosa
An elegant and charming Baroque Quartet performance. Captivating music played with lighthearted seriousness. $35 tickets.
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GOOD GRIEF: FIND COMFORT IN COMMUNITY
TUES, OCT 20 • 2 - 3:30 PM
Congregation Beth Ami, Santa Rosa
Grief does not follow a schedule. Whether your loss is recent or many years ago, the absence of a loved one can still be deeply felt. This support group, facilitated by Neil Herring, a seasoned, compassionate facilitator with 27 years' experience, offers a safe and compassionate space for those who are grieving and seeking understanding, support, and connection with others who share a similar journey. All are welcome. This group meets once a month and has no cost.
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DANCE NIGHT & HAVDALAH
SAT, OCT 24 • 7 - 9 PM
Congregation Beth Ami, Santa Rosa
An evening of music, dancing and community, as we say goodbye to Shabbat and welcome the new week.
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GROUP EXERCISE CLASS FOR OLDER ADULTS
WEDNESDAYS • 10:30 AM
Congregation Beth Ami, Santa Rosa
A weekly, in-person group exercise class for active, older adults will continue throughout the year. The class promotes functional strength, flexibility, balance and fall prevention combining physical and cognitive exercises. We will combine chair and standing exercises using Activator Poles, which will be provided. $5 donation per class requested.
| | | JOIN CAMP TAWONGA'S 2027 SEASON | | |
Tap into joyful Judaism, belonging, and epic adventure at Camp Tawonga this summer! Tawonga has served as a leader in Jewish camping for a century. Supported by an inclusive, loving environment, campers build self-esteem, make lifelong friendships, strengthen Jewish identities and connect to nature.
Join Tawonga at their stunning site in the Sierras for 1-week, 2-week and 3-week summer camp sessions, teen leadership programs, and adventure quests on the road. You can also check out family camps for all ages and adult retreats. Peek at the magic in this video and join an info session led by a Tawonga director to get all your questions answered. Registration opens to the public on Nov. 17.
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GRIEVING THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE
STARTS - OCT 27
In San Francisco, San Rafael, and Virtual
Together, we will explore the grieving process, share experiences, and gently build tools for navigating difficult emotions such as loneliness, loss, and isolation. The group also offers guidance on how to carry grief while beginning to re-engage with life in meaningful ways.
| | Pre-registration is required, and we request your commitment to attending all eight sessions when you enroll. The cost is $180 for the series. Please note, no one is turned away for lack of funds. | | INHERITANCE OF MEMORY - Holocaust Story Project | | Inheritance of Memory gathers the testimonies of Holocaust survivors alongside the reflections of their children — the generation who grew up inside the silence, the absences, and the love these histories left behind. | | Each chapter follows a single family across the borders they were forced to cross. The survivors tell what happened. Their children tell what it was to inherit it — the questions never asked at dinner, the relatives known only as names, the maps drawn from half-remembered stories. Together the two voices form something neither could hold alone. | This site is a companion to the book: a way to hold these photographs in your hands, trace these journeys across a map, and sit for a moment with the people who lived them. | | |
MAHJONG DAY OF PLAY
SUN, NOV 1 • 10 AM - 3 PM
Burton Ave Recreation Center, Rohnert Park
Play American, Chinese, or Siamese Mahjong as we raise funds for The Living Room Kitchen's renovation and expansion project.
- Hours of play with old and new friends
- Scrumptious lunch by The Living Room included
- Drawings for delightful prizes
Please bring your 2026 Mahjong card.
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| | Our eNews editions are also archived on our web page,
so each week's full collection of events from communities/groups can also be revisited and accessed. | | | | |
