Link of the Week: Click here to read the award-winning poem, "Reality Feinting", written by our member Eli Andrew Ramer.
Contact office@shaarzahav.org to sponsor a Shabbat
Friday Night Services:
Transgender and Nonbinary Celebration Shabbat
June 17 at 7:30 pm.
Hybrid: On Zoom and In-Person.
This annual SZ holiday is a community-wide festival honoring the transgender, nonbinary and gender-queer community and the living diversity of creation. Led by Martin Rawlings-Fein and Karen Schiller. D'rash by Yuridia Yisraeli.
Meeting ID: 886 7131 3838

Saturday Morning Service:
June 18 at 10:00 am.
Hybrid: On Zoom and In-Person.
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.
While we strive for all our events to be mixed-access, this is not always possible. Some of the events below 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.
Pride at Sha'ar Zahav
Pride at the Park
ages 0-6 and their adults
Saturday, June 18, 11am-12:30pm at Dolores Park
Gather with PJ Library, Jewish Baby Network and Sha’ar Zahav for Pride at the Park. We will be experiencing Shabbat with Pride-themed stories, puppets, music, snacks, crafts and more. Remember to bring a blanket to sit on, snacks, water, sunscreen, a hat and your enthusiasm. This is our Baby Havurah gathering for June.
Trans* March Shabbat Picnic
Friday, June 24, 5:30-6:30pm at Dolores Park
Gather at Dolores Park to share Shabbat ritual and a BYO picnic dinner before the march.
Co-sponsored by Kehilla Synagogue
Annual Pride Shabbat Celebration
Friday, June 24, 7:30 pm
Hybrid: On Zoom and In-Person
New Voices Bay Area TIGQ (Trans Chorus) will be with us under the direction of our very own Rabbi Reuben Zellman.
San Francisco Pride Parade
Sunday, June 26, begins at 10:30 am
Join us--we'll be there! We're marching with JCCSF and other Jewish organizations. If you want to march or roll with us, please register here. JCCSF will send everyone who registers a follow-up email next week with the exact meetup location and further details.
Queer Jewish Arts Festival
The JCC and the Gordon Center will be hosting the second annual Queer Jewish Arts Festival. It's a series of programs celebrating multiple facets of identities including gender, race, religion and class through film and theater. This festival will highlight national, and international artists who are making art with Queer and Jewish content and examine the complexity of how we present ourselves and move throughout life. 
Learning Together
Judaism 101 with Maggid Eli Andrew Ramer
Tuesdays from July 12th- September 13th, 6:30-8:30pm
 on Zoom 
Open to members and non-members
Judaism 101 is an introduction to Judaism for people who are new or returning to Judaism and are looking for a starting point to dive into Jewish learning and/or Jewish practice.  Anyone from any background is welcome.  We will be covering everything from Torah to Israel, spirituality to ethics, through a queer-positive, progressive, inclusive Jewish lens with plenty of room for questions. Our learning will be interactive and communal; come ready to be in the learning with us. Cost is $149.  No one will be turned away for lack of funds.  This summer course will be taught by Maggid Eli Andrew Ramer. If you have any questions, please reach out to Eli. 
Abortion through Multiple Lenses
with New Lehrhaus
Wednesdays, June 8th- June 22nd, 7- 8:30pm
On Zoom Only
The abortion debate has been intense following the leak of the Supreme Court majority opinion suggesting the demise of Roe vs. Wade. If it is overturned, what other personal freedoms are already/will be in danger: transgender health services, gay marriage, contraception? We will examine the issue from multiple perspectives.
For the full course description offered by New Lehrhaus, click this link.
To join the course now, email a request (including the course title).
Nonbinary Minyan
Thursday, June 23, 10-10:30am on Zoom Only
Curious about a nonbinary way to pray? Join Rabbi Copeland in a short chanting service with 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.
Join the minyan: Register here
Shmita Immersive: Rest as Resistance
taught by Rabbi Elliot Kukla
Thursdays, July 7th and July 14th, 1-3pm
on Zoom only
In this immersive, we will learn about Shmita (literally “release”), the Biblical sabbath for the land. We will look at it as a liberatory spiritual practice, make time to mark grief and loss, equalize economic power, strengthen loving relationships, and create a more sustainable ecological future. We will discuss the racist and exploitative origins of the stigma surrounding the term “lazy.” We will explore sources on rest and dreaming from Disability Justice activists, the most recent neuroscience on how sleep can heal trauma, and insights from contemporary rest activists. We will uncover how to integrate rest into our own lives and spiritual practices.
To register, click here
Community: Let's Get Together
Register by July 1st
Beit Sefer/SZ Family Retreat
Friday, September 2nd at 4pm-Sunday, September 4th at 1pm, Point Bonita YMCA Conference Center in Marin Headlands 
During Labor Day weekend (excluding Monday), join congregation members and Beit Sefer families in student and family-oriented Friday night Kabbalat Shabbat, Saturday morning Shacharit, and Saturday evening Havdalah. There'll be activities such as smores, outdoor hikes, sports, crafts and so much more to do while you're there.
Point Bonita is ADA accessible, with all buildings and grounds being accessible for folks who use a wheelchair. There is even an option to reserve a beach wheelchair down at Rodeo Beach, less than a 5-minute drive from the campus.
For more information click here.
Recurring Gatherings and Meetings
Kaf-Lamed Monthly Check In 
Last Friday of the Month, June 24th
6-6:30pm
All young adults welcome! Kaf-Lameds is Sha'ar Zahav's 20-30s group. We meet on the last Friday of every month at 6pm-6:30pm, switching between meeting virtually and in person. This is a time to briefly check in on each other, plan ideas for events, and create belonging. For more information, please contact KL co-leader Emily Ornelas-Dorian.
Book Group Discussion:
Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist
by Judith Heumann (with Kristen Joiner)
Tuesday, June 28, 7:00 - 8:00 pm on Zoom
If Judith Heumann's name sounds familiar, it should! She was featured in the movie, "Crip Camp," and she spoke at a Zoom event sponsored by the SZ Disability and Accessibility Committee. Heumann, the daughter of Holocaust survivors who refused a doctor's recommendation to institutionalize her after she had polio, is one of the most influential activists in the disability rights movement. Read and come discuss! Contact Ami Zusman for more info.
Join the Meeting: Zoom Link
Social Action Committee
Monday, July 11
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 be focusing on the ballot initiative to create a vacancy tax and discussing get-out-the vote actions. We are also actively recruiting SZ members to join an accompaniment team to assist either an Afghan or Ukrainian refugee family. Want to join us? Come to our next meeting or contact Nancy Wecker or Geri Kahn.
Join the Meeting: Zoom link

Thanks to Kay Magilavy for creating the Immigration Journey Journal  in honor of Immigration Shabbat. These are the stories gathered from Pesach - Shavuout 5782.
Climate Action Committee
2nd Monday of the Month
5:00 - 6:30 pm on Zoom
If you missed our recent Earth Day Fair, you missed a busy and exciting morning! Thanks to the Climate Action Committee for putting on this event, and to all who participated!
Here is a link to resources provided, on a variety of interesting and important topics.
Contact Deborah Levy with any questions.
Join the Meeting: Zoom link
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
Art Group: Drop-in
Weekly on Thursdays
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Drop in for a joyful hour of free art-making and connection. Everyone is welcome! The group meets every Thursday. For more information, contact Paisha Rochlin, Barbara Cymrot or AJ Turpen Fried.
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
2nd Saturday of the month, 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!
Gabriel Gluck 6/15
Steve Wiesner 6/15
Sadie Rawlings-Fein 6/16
Alan Karras 6/16
Nancy Levin 6/16
Shayna Prochovnick 6/16
Wayne Bender 6/17
Pieter de Haan 6/17
Julie Mamet 6/17
Aruni Shah Grunwald 6/18
Susan Lubeck 6/18
Fredrica Lipsett 6/19
Allen Zachary Lipsett 6/19
Deborah Farkas 6/20
Janis Portal 6/20
Larry Wexler 6/20
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.
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.
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