Melita Silberstein and Doug Chermak celebrate Wilderness Torah’s Shavuot on the Mountain in 2011.

Torah, Torah, Torah

The joyous festival of Shavuot, coming up May 26-27, commemorates the day God gave the Israelites the Torah on Mount Sinai. The Torah’s “birthday” will be celebrated around the Bay Area with Tikkun Leil Shavuot, or all-night Torah study sessions. Several community events are listed below.

San Francisco. Congregation Sherith Israel, 2266 California St., S.F. 5 to 10:15 p.m. $10. www.sherithisrael.org
East Bay. JCC East Bay, 1414 Walnut St., Berkeley. 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Free. www.jcceastbay.org; Wilderness Torah’s Shavuot on the Mountain, Anthony Chabot Regional Park, Oakland. May 25-28. $140-$275. www.wildernesstorah.org
North Bay. Congregation Kol Shofar, 215 Blackfield Drive, Tiburon. 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. Free. www.kolshofar.org or http://bit.ly/KQasT4
South Bay/Peninsula. Congregation Sinai, 1532 Willowbrae Ave., San Jose. 10  p.m. to 5 a.m. Free. www.sinai-sj.org; Congregation Beth David, 19700 Prospect Road, Saratoga. 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. [email protected]


saturday/19

Bonfire. Yeashore community presents Havdallah service followed by songs and stories. At Emeryville Marina, 3300 Powell St., Emeryville. 6 p.m. Free. www.yeashore.org.

sunday/20

Young adults’ afternoon with special-needs kids. Hang out and play games with children from Friendship Circle, which supports special-needs kids and their families. At Congregation Emanu-El, 2 Lake St., S.F. 3 p.m. Free. RSVP to www.friendshipcircle.eventbrite.com.

East Bay Mitzvah Day. Volunteer for community service projects throughout East Bay. Opening ceremony at Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit St., Oakland. 9 a.m. www.jcceastbay.org.

monday/21

“Mesibah! Fun Day.” Party for children ages 2-10 and their parents. At Addison-Penzak JCC, 14855 Oka Road, Los Gatos. 3 p.m. Free. www.svjcc.org.

friday/25

Young adults’ potluck Shabbat. Bring a vegetarian dish to share for dinner. At a private residence in Fremont. 7 p.m. RSVP to www.cbdyag.wordpress.com.

thursday/31

Shalom Bayit 20th anniversary. “Creating Hope” dinner honors Jewish agency that works to prevent and end domestic violence. At JCC of San Francisco, 3200 California St., S.F. 6:15 p.m. $118. www.shalom-bayit.org.

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