Or Shalom Jewish Community offers a diversity of online and in-person classes and discussion groups, exploring Jewish texts and traditions, contemporary issues, and more through writing, discussion, prayer, and study. Email the office at admin@orshalomsf.org with any questions about getting involved!
The Lay Leader Empowerment Institute
Is intended to empower Or Shalom and potential lay leaders to feel more confident not only engaging in Jewish practice, but facilitating it. We will bring in educators with different specialties to help round out our community’s learning.
The School of Jewish-Living Arts (SJLA)
Offers hands-on, fun classes that are open to members & non-members, adults and those younger than adults.
Affinity Groups
Considering God Salon (Quarterly) For over 12 years, member-led discussions intimately explore our range of views about God, including secularism/atheism, spirituality, meaningful prayer, language and metaphor, the role of women in Judaism, beliefs about the “soul,” Jewish heretics, death, and more. Our Salons deepen our connection to Judaism and to each other. Co-chairs are Betsy Strausberg and Robin Roth.
Book Group Our Book Group meets monthly over dinner to discuss books of Jewish interest.
Nosh & Learn (Monthly) A project of the Southside Jewish Collaborative (3 collaborating synagogues: Am Tikvah, Or Shalom, and Ner Tamid), 3rd Thursday of every month, designed for people with flexible schedules who would like to come to the synagogue for a bite to eat, learn, and volunteer.
Thursday Torah Study Zoominyan (Every Thursday at 10:00 am) Our weekly Zoomminyan is a place for anyone interested in studying Torah to pray, share gratitude, and examine the weekly Parsha in an open, warm, and encouraging online community. We welcome all levels of knowledge and people of all ages and backgrounds. This weekly Torah Study is lay-led and includes the Healing prayer and Mourner's Kaddish. Join us every Thursday morning at 10:00 am via this Zoom link (Passcode: THURSDAY). You can find our online siddur by clicking here.
Kvetch and Kvell (2nd/4th Mondays, 4:00 pm) Or Shalom’s Kvetch and Kvell is a craft and chat group that meets on Zoom. Participants bring some kind of hand work, such as quilting, knitting, sewing, costume design, mending, collage, etc and we spend an hour working on our projects and chatting. It is a very welcoming group and aims to provide a pleasant, easy atmosphere where people can get to know each other. The name Kvetch and Kvell was intended to imply that anyone is welcome to share troubles and frustrations, or to share positives from their and their families’ lives (i.e. bragging about children or grandchildren or friends). Join via this Zoom link (Passcode: KVETCH)
News Minyan (Semi-Annually) What have we taken in from the world in the last week? What has left an impression? What are we wrestling with? Structure, silence, and focused listening allow words to have weight. News Minyan discussions utilize the wisdom of Jewish texts to review contemporary issues and events.
Mahjong and Munchies (3rd Wednesdays at 7:00 pm) Play Mahjong and enjoy some snacks at our home in Bernal Heights! Check out our calendar to register.
Chavurah (for members only)
GenX-ish
Wise Women Aging (70+)
2nd Generation Holocaust Survivors/Refugees
Residents of Pacifica
Empty Nesters
Upcoming Classes
