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!
Programming is open to all who are 21 or older.
Subscribe to the Young Adult Newsletter by logging into your MyEmanu-El portal and select My Settings from the drop-down menu at the top right corner where your name is listed.
Hebrew Free Loan Gala: A Night at the Museum
May 19
6:30 – 10:00 pm
Join us for the Hebrew Free Loan Gala at the California Academy of Sciences. Celebrate 122 years of helping members of the Northern California Jewish community overcome their challenges and pursue their dreams. This is Hebrew Free Loan’s largest celebration and fundraiser of the year. The gala helps make it possible for us to continue assisting members of Northern California’s Jewish community be financially self-sufficient, just as we have done for the last 122 years.
Hebrew Free Loan provides interest-free loans to Jewish residents of Northern California who need help to handle financial challenges or pursue life-long dreams. Loan categories include student, adoption and fertility, business, first-time home buyer, unemployment, emergency, debt consolidation, and more.
Loans are zero-cost and zero-interest. Always.
Since 1897, Hebrew Free Loan has provided vital assistance to more than 100,000 people. By offering loans rather than charity, Hebrew Free Loan helps people become, and remain, self-sufficient.
Apply online for an interest-free loan! Visit www.hflasf.org. Call (415) 546-9902 x110 or email info@hflasf.org with questions.
Sunday Brunches at G-House Volunteer Opportunity
May 26
June 23
12:30 – 3:30 pm
Join other young adults in the Emanu-El community, while we cook, eat, and socialize with residents of G-House, a transitional housing program of Larkin St Youth Services
Run by the Larkin Street Youth Services G-House, a 20-bed housing program for San Francisco homeless young adults (ages 18-24, transitioning from adolescence to adulthood), provides residents tools to remove the obstacles in their life which threaten a successful transition to independent living. Emanu-El has partnered with G-House to support the youth integrating into the community by bringing volunteers on Sunday evenings to cook, eat, and build meaningful relationships with the residents. On one Sunday per month, we will host a young-adult specific afternoon. Volunteers will have the opportunity to bring in a partially subsidized meal or cook dinner with G-House residents. Sign up as an individual or as a group!
Please note that participants will be asked to either buy food, cook food at home and bring it to G-House, or bring groceries and grill onsite at G-House. Emanu-El will provide a reimbursement of up to $100, or participants may choose to make a donation (in-kind donation receipts are available). More details will be provided closer to the volunteer date.
Can’t make a brunch? Check out our dinners sign up!
Koolulam
June 2
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Join hundreds of voices raised together in song, for a memorable afternoon of community and celebration. Direct from israel in its West Coast debut, Koolulam is an extraordinary experience designed to bring people together for one main purpose: TO SING!!!
You know you want to be there. No singing experience required. We will teach you. At the end, our shared efforts will be recroded for you and our community, to share online later.
Have a quick look of what is Koolulam:
Young Adult Community Sunday Night Volunteer Dinner at G-House
June 9
5:00 – 7:00 pm
Sponsor a Sunday night dinner for youth experiencing homelessness
Join other young adults in the Emanu-El community, and cook, eat, and socialize with residents of G-House, a transitional housing program of Larkin St Youth Services
Sunday Dinners at G-House – 1 Sunday per month, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Run by the Larkin Street Youth Services G-House, a 20-bed housing program for San Francisco homeless young adults (ages 18-24, transitioning from adolescence to adulthood), provides residents tools to remove the obstacles in their life which threaten a successful transition to independent living. Emanu-El has partnered with G-House to support the youth integrating into the community by bringing volunteers on Sunday evenings to cook, eat, and build meaningful relationships with the residents. On one Sunday per month, we will host a young-adult specific evening. Volunteers will have the opportunity to bring in a partially subsidized meal or cook dinner with G-House residents. Sign up as an individual or as a group!
Please note that participants will be asked to either buy food, cook food at home and bring it to G-House, or bring groceries and grill onsite at G-House. Emanu-El will provide a reimbursement of up to $100, or participants may choose to make a donation (in-kind donation receipts are available). More details will be provided closer to the volunteer date.
Camp Nai Nai Nai Community Dinner + Late Shabbat
June 14
6:30 – 8:00 pm
The Young Adult Community at Congregation Emanu-El invite you to a special Camp Nai Nai Nai Community Dinner + Late Shabbat! This summer the Young Adult Community at Congregation Emanu-El has partnered with Moishe house to bring you Camp Nai Nai Nai: the ultimate Jewish summer camp for adults. We want to invite all Jewish young adults from around the Bay Area to come together for intimate dinners – between 10 and 12 people – at some of the best restaurants in the Inner Richmond. This will be an opportunity to learn more about Camp Nai Nai Nai, and meet other friends who might be going a well.
Following dinner, we will head over to Congregation Emanu-El for Late Shabbat service. The service will be followed by a lively Oneg with food, drinks, and the opportunity to meet people from other dinners and make more friends who will be coming to camp this summer!!
Register at the link above by June 12th to save your seat at a dinner! We will email you about your reservation the week of the dinner.
To learn more about camp check out it here: https://www.facebook.com/events/297929027593041/
Pre-Late Shabbat Meditation
June 14
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 afterward. 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.
June Late Shabbat
June 14
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
You are warmly invited to experience one of the most popular young Jewish events in the Bay Area. Come as you are, in casual or dressy attire, no registration necessary! Come early and mingle and meet new people before the service for our intimate Welcome Reception at 8:00 pm. Accompany hundreds of young adults for a contemporary Shabbat service led by members of our clergy! The Shabbat service is followed by an Oneg featuring schmoozing, snacks and spirits. OR come relax into Shabbat with Congregation Emanu-El’s young adult meditation group from 7:30-8:30 right before Late Shabbat. Join us for a guided meditation and chance to connect and engage in a mindful discussion afterwards. We’ll meet in the chapel and Congregation Emanu-El and all head to Late Shabbat together at the conclusion of the meditation.
Sunday Ferry to Hike on to Angel Island
June 23
9:15 – 3:10 PM
Join the young adult crew on the morning ferry and experience breathtaking views of Golden Gate Bridge, SF City, Bay Bridge and Berkeley as we hike Angel Island. Depending on the agility level of the group, we will either attempt Perimeter Road route or Mt. Livermore peak via the North Ridge Trail to Fire road!
Meet at Pier 41 at 9:15am. Receive your boxed Subway lunch (6inch SubClub, Italian, or Veggie Options- including cookie and chips) and ticket to the Ferry to ride with your other hikers. Arriving at Angel Island around 10:15am. Just over a 6 mile hike, around 3-4 hours, mid-to difficult level and we will be planning to return on the 2:20pm Ferry back to the city to arrive at Pier 41 by 3:10pm. Bring plenty of water, and a jacket is advised for the ferry and potential bay winds! This event is maxed at 15 people.
Camp Nai Nai Nai
August 23-25
Camp Nai Nai Nai – the ultimate Jewish summer camp for young adults – is coming BACK to the West Coast! Partnering again with with Congregation Emanu-El, join us August 23-25 for an incredible weekend of adventures. Give your city-worn spirit a break and embrace the opportunity to be YOUish! From bubble soccer to aerial skills to DIY flower crown making, there is always something that’s right for you at camp. Want to see some highlights from last year’s camp? Watch our highlight reel here!
WHERE: Kennolyn Camps in Soquel, CA
Registration is OPEN! Use code “Emanuel” at checkout to take $25 off of registration. Learn more and register today at campnainainai.org
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.
Emanu-El 30s/40s Group: A group for adults in their 30s and 40s, we regularly come together in meaningful ways to have fun, develop meaningful relationships, and deepen our Jewish identity through spiritual, educational, social, and service oriented programming. Most events are open to congregants and non-congregants, but certain events are congregant-only. For more information on events in this group contact Terry Kraus
To stay up to date on all of our Young Adult events,
sign-up for our Young Adult newsletter by contacting Shelby David.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Mazel Tots (MMR)
9:30 am - 11:00 am |
Celebrate Lag Ba'Omer at Terrapin Crossroads!
5:30 pm - 8:00 pm | Join Rabbis Ryan Bauer, Jonathan and Beth Singer, and…
Celebrate Lag BaOmer at Terrapin Crossroads!
5:30 pm - 8:00 pm | Join Rabbis Bauer, Jonathan and Beth Singer, and Cantor…