This Week in Jewish SF

The holidays are behind us. Friday night is not taking a break.

Welcome to Cheshvan, the one month on the calendar with zero holidays. So we make our own plans: Israeli dancing with birthday cake on Wednesday, two young adult Shabbat dinners on Friday, and a flood story on Saturday morning. Lock in your Friday by Wednesday night and save yourself $14.

Candle lighting: Friday, October 16 at 6:12 PM
Havdalah: Saturday, October 17 at 7:08 PM
Parashat: Noach

The relaxed, welcoming weekly class at Anshey Sfard. A good way to ease back into a normal week.

🕗 8:00 PM
📍 Anshey Sfard, 1500 Clement St
🔗 MORE INFO

Two rabbis take on the hard stuff: how to make decisions when your values compete, and how to build coalitions with people you strongly disagree with. Light reception at 6:30, conversation at 7:00. Free, registration required.

🕡 6:30–8:30 PM
📍 Congregation Sherith Israel, 2266 California St
🔗 REGISTER

The monthly Israeli dance night for ages 18–40 doubles as Jason's birthday, so there's cake and arak. Social hour at 7:00, basic steps at 7:30, teaching until 8:45, then open dancing with circles, lines, and partners. No experience needed. Sponsored by Moishe House Marina. $18, or $30 for you and a friend.

🕖 7:00–10:00 PM
📍 San Francisco, location with RSVP
🔗 RSVP

Chevra Thilim's weekly Wednesday Torah deep dive. This week is Noach: the ark, the rainbow, and the Tower of Babel. Plenty to argue about.

🕖 7:00–8:00 PM
📍 Chevra Thilim, 751 25th Ave
🔗 MORE INFO

The bestselling author of So You've Been Publicly Shamed brings his strange, darkly funny one-man show about modern masculinity to the JCCSF.

🕢 7:30–9:00 PM
📍 JCCSF, 3200 California St
🔗 GET TICKETS ($20–$42)

Never played? This is the night. Learn the tiles, meet your table, and find out why everyone's suddenly obsessed.

🕡 6:30–9:30 PM
📍 JCCSF, 3200 California St
🔗 REGISTER (from $36)

An open, agenda-free conversation about death and dying over tea and cake at Manny's, led by death doula Yael Galinson. Not a support group, just an honest talk most of us never have. Free.

🕡 6:30–8:00 PM
📍 Manny's, 3092 16th St
🔗 MORE INFO

Heads up: CYP Shabbat Dinner tickets jump from $36 to $50 at midnight tonight (wednesday). Details under Friday.

Lunch with the Soviet-born, SF-raised author of Until the Last Pickle: A Memoir in 18 Recipes, on how food and family recipes keep Jewish identity alive. Free.

🕧 12:30–2:00 PM
📍 Congregation Sherith Israel, 2266 California St
🔗 MORE INFO

Last call for Beth Sholom's Youngish Shabbat. Registration closes today, and it may close sooner if the room fills. Details under Friday.

Candle lighting at 6:12 PM.

Chevra's young professionals are back at the table. Delicious food, great people, and the kind of Friday night that runs late because nobody wants to leave. $36 until midnight Wednesday, October 14, then $50.

🕖 7:00 PM
📍 Chevra Thilim, 751 25th Ave
🔗 RSVP

Services in the chapel, then a kosher dinner with a welcoming room of people in their mid-20s to early 40s. No experience needed and no Shabbat knowledge required. Just show up and eat. Free for Beth Sholom members, $10 for guests. Register by Thursday, October 15.

🕕 6:00 PM services, 7:00 PM dinner
📍 Congregation Beth Sholom, 301 14th Ave
🔗 REGISTER

First full week of regular life, first regular Shabbat to go with it. Chevra Thilim, Chabad, Emanu-El, Sherith Israel, Beth Sholom, Sha'ar Zahav, and Anshey Sfard all hold their usual Kabbalat Shabbat services.

Start with a class at 9:30, daven at 10:00, and stay for kiddush. Come for the Torah, stay for the cholent and the people. No membership needed, just walk in.

🕤 9:30 AM class, 10:00 AM services, kiddush to follow 📍
Chevra Thilim, 751 25th Ave
🔗 MORE INFO

Noach builds the ark, the animals board two by two, and the rainbow shows up at the end. Hear it read from the scroll, then stay for the food. Chevra Thilim, Beth Sholom, Anshey Sfard, Adath Israel, and Chabad all put out a kiddush after davening.

J Street launches its Gallanter–Winograd Policy Center with an afternoon on the future of US foreign policy. Speakers include Jeremy Ben-Ami, Ilan Goldenberg, Colin Kahl, Jennifer Gavito, and Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. Brunch at 1:15, program at 2:15.

🕐 1:00–4:00 PM
📍 JCCSF, 3200 California St
🔗 REGISTER

Tea & Thinking with Eli Amsellem (Monday, October 19, 7:30 PM): The monthly young professionals class with Moroccan tea, cookies, and a real conversation. This month: "What's My Mission?" Drinks at 7:30, class at 8:00, then everyone heads out for a drink after. Free, RSVP recommended. RSVP

Men's Banya Night (Tuesday, October 20, 3:00–7:00 PM): The Schneerson Center takes the guys to Archimedes Banya. Schvitz until 5:45, then beer and taranka, then more schvitz. $65 at the front desk covers two towels, a robe, and slippers, so just bring a bathing suit. Stay until 10 for $7 more.

The Lunch Club with Repair the World (Tuesday, October 20, 6:30–8:30 PM): The monthly JCCSF night where you make sandwiches for neighbors in need and meet good people while you do it. Free. REGISTER

benny blanco: F*ck Failure (Tuesday, October 20, 7:00 PM): The hitmaking producer talks about his career and why getting it wrong might be the point. At the JCCSF, tickets from $45. GET TICKETS

No Easy Answers: An Evening with Haviv Rettig Gur (Wednesday, October 21): One of the sharpest Israeli journalists working today, live at Emanu-El. This will fill up. MORE INFO

Standing Together: America, Israel, and the Fight for Western Values (Monday, November 9th): GET TICKETS

Club Viva Presents: After Dark (Saturday, October 31, 11:00 PM): Halloween night, costumes required, packed dance floor. $10 cover. 2209 Polk St. RSVP

That's a wrap!

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