This Week in Jewish SF: Simchat Torah Edition

The last lap of the holiday season, and it ends with dancing.

Sukkot rolls through the week with a street festival on 10th Ave, pizza, happy hours, and trivia in sukkahs across the city, and a cookbook launch you'll want to eat your way through. Then Friday night brings Shemini Atzeret, and Saturday night the Torahs come out of the ark for Simchat Torah. Chevra is throwing the party. Bring your dancing shoes and your appetite.

Candle lighting: Friday, October 2 at 6:32 PM (Erev Shemini Atzeret + Shabbat)
Candle lighting: Saturday, October 3 after 7:28 PM (Erev Simchat Torah, from an existing flame)
Havdalah: Sunday, October 4 at 7:27 PM
Parashat: No weekly portion this Shabbat. It's Shemini Atzeret, with the holiday reading from Deuteronomy 14:22–16:17. On Simchat Torah we finish V'Zot HaBracha and start right back at Bereshit.

Chabad SF fires up gourmet pizza right in the sukkah, with music and plenty of l'chaims. Free, with an optional donation.
🕢 7:30 PM
📍 Chabad SF, details with RSVP
🔗 RSVP

The whole SF Jewish community takes over 10th Avenue. BBQ, the Ferris Wheels band, the Sing Jam Band, a fire juggler, rock climbing, a bouncy house, balloon sculpting, and a sukkah with lulav and etrog on site. Food and kids' activities from 5, then live music and dancing at 7. Chevra is one of the sponsors, along with just about every shul in the Richmond. Free.
🕔 5:00–8:00 PM
📍 10th Ave between Geary & Anza (street closed for the event)
🔗 MORE INFO

For folks in their twenties through early forties. Drinks in the sukkah right after evening minyan.
🕕 6:00 PM
📍 Congregation Beth Sholom, 301 14th Ave
🔗 RSVP

The relaxed, welcoming weekly class at Anshey Sfard.|
🕗 8:00 PM
📍 Anshey Sfard, 1500 Clement St
🔗 MORE INFO

Chevra Thilim's weekly Wednesday Torah deep dive. Good prep for the week the whole Torah scroll gets rolled back to the beginning.
🕖 7:00–8:00 PM
📍 Chevra Thilim, 751 25th Ave
🔗 MORE INFO

The cookbook author launches The Dessert Table: 100 Joyful Jewish Sweets at Emanu-El, in conversation with Rabbi Sarah Parris, with a live demo and then tastings in the sukkah. Your ticket includes a copy of the book. Emanu-El says it'll sell out.
🕕 6:00–9:00 PM
📍 Congregation Emanu-El, 2 Lake St
🔗 GET TICKETS ($45 members, $55 non-members)

The Jewish Pride Fund starts on the Federation's rooftop sukkah with drinks and lulav shaking, then heads downstairs for a buffet dinner and a panel with psychologist Dr. Joshua Simmons and Keshet's Rabbi Eliana Kayelle. Free.

🕕 6:00–8:30 PM
📍 Jewish Federation Bay Area, 121 Steuart St
🔗 REGISTER

The Jewish Music Collective plays klezmer, Yiddish, Ladino, Israeli, jazz, and more at the Jewish Community Library. Free, with free garage parking at 1227 Pierce St.

🕖 7:00–8:30 PM
📍 Jewish Community Library, 1835 Ellis St
🔗 REGISTER

Emanu-El's young adults take over the sukkah with Mexican food, drinks, lulav and etrog, and Jewish trivia. Ages 21–39. Bring your smartest friend.

🕡 6:30–9:00 PM
📍 Congregation Emanu-El, 2 Lake St
🔗 GET TICKETS ($20, food and drinks included)

Last day of Sukkot. Candle lighting at 6:32 PM, and Shemini Atzeret and Shabbat begin together tonight.

Free bagels, coffee, and tea in the JCCSF sukkah, plus one last lulav shake before the holiday wraps.

🕤 9:30–11:00 AM
📍 JCCSF, 3200 California St
🔗 RSVP

Chevra brings in Shemini Atzeret and Shabbat together. No affiliation necessary.

🕡 6:30 PM
📍 Chevra Thilim, 751 25th Ave
🔗 MORE INFO

Emanu-El celebrates Simchat Torah tonight: a short service with Rabbi Noah Westreich and Cantor Arik Luck, then hakafot, singing, and the entire Torah unrolled around the room. Sweet treats after.

🕕 6:00–7:00 PM
📍 Diller Hall, Congregation Emanu-El, 2 Lake St
🔗 MORE INFO

Friday night services continue across the city, and most shuls are welcoming Shemini Atzeret tonight alongside Shabbat. Chevra Thilim, Emanu-El, Sherith Israel, Beth Sholom, Sha'ar Zahav, Anshey Sfard, and Chabad all hold Kabbalat Shabbat. Find one near you and walk in.

Yizkor is said this morning, so plan to be in shul. Simchat Torah begins tonight after 7:28 PM.

The big one. Chevra closes out the holiday season the way it should end: every Torah out of the ark, hakafot, and dancing that spills out of the sanctuary, followed by a full holiday dinner. Kids are welcome and the energy is real. No affiliation necessary, and the RSVP is free, with an optional holiday donation. RSVP so they cook enough.

🕡 6:30 PM
📍 Chevra Thilim, 751 25th Ave
🔗 RSVP

Beth Sholom and Kol Shofar's third annual party: dinner at 6:30, dancing and a tisch at 7:30. Want to learn to lift the Torah first? Hagbah training runs at 5:30 with Mincha.

🕡 6:30 PM dinner, 7:30 PM dancing
📍 Congregation Beth Sholom, 301 14th Ave
🔗 GET TICKETS

Tonight the Torahs come out all over the city. Chabad SF brings its usual open-door energy with hakafot, l'chaims, and dancing that goes late. Anshey Sfard, Adath Israel, RTC Chabad, and the Chabads of Cole Valley, Noe Valley, and the Neighborhood all dance tonight and again Sunday morning. Reform congregations like Emanu-El and Sha'ar Zahav fold Simchat Torah into Shemini Atzeret, so they celebrate on Friday night instead. Pick a shul, grab a Torah or a kid on your shoulders, and dance. You'll be sore Monday. Worth it.

The Torah ends and begins again today. The holiday ends at 7:27 PM.

Round two. Morning services at 9:30 with more hakafot, the final words of Deuteronomy, and the first words of Genesis read back to back. Everyone gets called up. Festive lunch at noon.

🕤 9:30 AM, 12:00 PM
📍 Chevra Thilim, 751 25th Ave
🔗 MORE INFO

Rabbi Madeline Budman walks through the painted Torah scroll hanging in Emanu-El's Ulam, with artist Michal Meron joining live from her studio in Venice.

🕙 10:00–11:00 AM
📍 Emanu-El Ulam, 2 Lake St
🔗 REGISTER

RSVP for Simchat Torah. It's free, and it helps the kitchen plan.

Last call for the food drives. The JCCSF's lobby collection for the JFCS food bank ends Wednesday, September 30, and Sherith Israel is collecting nonperishables through Friday, October 2.

Leverage Israel (Wednesday, October 7): A flagship tech conference for 1,000 people, co-hosted with a16z. Speakers come from Anthropic, OpenAI, Index Ventures, Palantir, Google DeepMind, Nvidia, Greylock, Bain Capital, Box, and more. Scoop readers get 50% off with code JEWISHSCOOP at checkout (only 10 codes exist, so move fast). Prices go up Tuesday, September 29 at 12 PM PT. GET TICKETS

SF Commemoration of October 7 (Tuesday, October 6, 6:30 PM): Three years later, the community gathers to hear Nova festival survivor Rom El-Hai, light candles, and say memorial prayers. Co-sponsored by Chevra, Beth Sholom, Adath Israel, and dozens of organizations. Government ID required, location sent the night before, and approval may be slow over the holidays, so register now. RSVP

A Night with Chef Bae (Thursday, October 8): Malka Productions in the Mission. 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

Thats a wrap!

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