Young Adult Programming
You’re invited to our programs and events tailor-made for the Young Adult Community (20s & 30s) and our mid 30s & 40s group. Please check back often as we update this page with new events regularly.
Want to become a member of Congregation Emanu-El? Join or renew your Emanu-El membership at any time!
Questions about our Young Adult Community? Questions about our mid 30s & 40s community? Contact Monica Pevzner.
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Programming is open to all who are 21 or older.
Shake your Lulav
Saturday, September 29
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Spark Social SF, San Francisco
Join the Young Adult Community at Emanu-El at our 4th annual Shake your Lulav Sukkot program! We are changing locations this year and have booked a private space at Spark Social SF to celebrate together with unlimited s’mores. The event is free, and you will be able to purchase food and alcohol from the food trucks. Please register so we know to expect you!
What’s Love Got to Do With It?
Wednesday, October 3
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Congregation Emanu-El
The Emanu-El yentas may be on a break from their matchmaking, but there’s still love in the air! Join the Emanu-El Young Adult Community with guest Shalom Bayit for a workshop about building and maintaining healthy relationships.
Interested in developing a better understanding of yourself?
Deepening your current relationships?
Creating new relationships that are equitable, safe, and thriving?
Not sure if your current relationship is healthy, unhealthy, or abusive?
Want to learn how to set healthy boundaries?
Want to be a better communicator?
Whether you’re currently in a relationship or not, there is something in this workshop for you.
Do you love Late Shabbat?
Have you always wanted to get more involved in the young adult community?
We are introducing our new Late Shabbat Ambassador program* where you will be an integral part of the Late Shabbat experience. You’ll be behind the Oneg bar, hand out books before the service, and work alongside the Young Adult Leadership Committee to help improve our biggest young adult event each month!
If you are interested, please email us here with your contact information and we will reach out to you!
*We are looking to pilot this program, so if you are planning on attending Late Shabbat, and want to get involved, email us!
Pre-Late Shabbat Meditation Session
Friday, October 12
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Come relax into Shabbat with Congregation Emanu-El’s young adult meditation group from 7:30-8:30 pm right before Late Shabbat! Join us for a short guided meditation and a chance to connect and engage in a mindful discussion afterwards. We’ll meet in the chapel at Congregation Emanu-El and all head to Late Shabbat together at the conclusion of the meditation + discussion.
Desiree Matloob will lead the session, and has been meditating regularly since 2008. She has engaged in a variety of meditation practices, from 10-day silent Vipassana meditation retreats and 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) courses, to Jewish mindfulness retreats in Israel/the Bay Area and Zen meditation groups in the city. She’s excited to share the wisdom of meditation practice with the Young Adult Community at Congregation Emanu-El.
October Late Shabbat 
Friday, October 12
Welcome Reception, 8:00 pm
Late Shabbat Service, 8:30 pm
Late Shabbat is always on the second Friday of the month at Congregation Emanu-El
You are warmly invited to experience one of the most popular young Jewish events in the Bay Area. Come as you are, in casual attire, no registration necessary! Accompany hundreds of young adults for a contemporary Shabbat service led by members of our clergy! The Shababt service is followed by an oneg featuring schmoozing, snacks and spirits.
Come early to mingle and meet new people before the service for our intimate wine and cheese Welcome Reception at 8:00 pm.
RSVP on Facebook
Food Sorting Social in partnership with JFCS
Wednesday, October 17
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
2150 Post Street, San Francisco
Join JFCS and the Young Adult Community at Congregation Emanu-El, and help fill the JFCS Food Bank with food for our community! We are partnering for JFCS’s annual food sorting garage party where we sort and organize over 2,000 pounds of food collected in barrels during the High Holiday Food Drive.
Meet members of JFCS’s Young Professional Community Connection and Congregation Emanu-El’s community, make new friends, and give back to our community while enjoying food, beer, and great tunes! Beer, pizza and many laughs will be provided. Make sure to register in the link below by October 10!
Chuppah and Beyond
Maintaining Intimacy: Lessons from Successful Marriages
This program happens twice a year, stay tuned for our next dates
Six consecutive Wednesdays, 7:15 – 9:15 pm
Are you an engaged or newly married couple? Then this series is meant for you. The Chuppah and Beyond program will help you build and strengthen the foundational tools for a successful, happy lifelong relationship, while simultaneously building a community with other couples. Emanu-El clergy co-facilitate each class along with Sharon Epel, LMFT, a San Francisco-based psychotherapist and couples counselor. Topics covered include:
- Assessing the challenges of communication
- Managing conflict and staying connected
- Financial Planning and differing approaches to money
- Maintaining intimacy, friendship, and commitment
- Lessons from a successful marriage
Please email Monica Pevzner if you have any questions or join the waitlist here!
Front Porch: A Special Opportunity for Members of Emanu-El
Are you looking to take a deep dive and really build meaningful relationships with other young adults in our community? We invite you to join Front Porch.
Through this innovative program we are matching young adults in groups and providing short videos and discussion materials to guide the relationship building. We want the groups to get together for six home hosted sessions over the course of six months. We have a box of materials for each group with all of the supplies you will need—video links, session agendas, handouts and discussion questions. The six topics are: sacred space, sacred time, social justice, money, legacy, and community. Check out this video to learn more.
Want to join a group with other young adults? Fill out this interest form in our online portal.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Tribe for Men: Sukkot Steak + Wine Celebration in the Sukkah
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm | Kick off the New Year together with other Tribe…
Drinks, Dinner, and Music in the Sukkah
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm | Event Signup
Sukkot is Zman Simchatenu - Season of our Joy
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm | Join us for an Boomers/Empty Nester's/Men's Group dinner in…