Looking for Gather, Inc., Gather Trainings, or GatherBay?

đź‘‹ Welcome, and thank you for being here.

If you’ve found your way to this page, chances are you were looking for either Gather Trainings or GatherBay. We’re so glad you’ve been part of that journey with us—and in case you missed it, we made the decision to pause our national programs so we can fully focus on our home base: GatherDC, where it all began.

That said: this isn’t a goodbye. Whether you’re looking for resources from our trainings work or seeking connection in the Bay Area, we’ve gathered some next steps for you below.

I’m looking for Gather Trainings resources or materials...

Our relational trainings and workshops have equipped hundreds of individuals, teams, and organizations with skills and practices to build deeper relationships with the people they serve and expand strategic capacity to sustain relational work.

We are pleased to share our relationship-based engagement guides, tools, and resources with anyone interested in deepening their skills and practices. 

Let us know what you’re looking for!

Interested in collaborating with us on a training, workshop, or coaching around relational engagement? Fill out the form below and someone from the Gather team will reach out.

Contact us here!

I’m looking for local resources or connection points in the Bay Area...

Have updated contact information for one of the organizations/groups below? Drop us a line at info@gatherdc.org and we’ll get it updated.

  • The Peer Connectors is a network of engagement professionals from various Jewish organizations in San Francisco, the South Bay, and the East Bay to help young adult Jewish folks all across the Bay Area find meaning and connection in Jewish life and community. From their organizational home bases—ranging from an urban farm to a JCC to a synagogue without walls—Peer Connectors take 20s and 30s young adults out to coffee to learn about their interests, passions, and challenges, and connect them to resources, people, and programming both within their respective organizations and in the wider community. If you’re curious about one of their organizations, or just want to chat, reach out to them at their emails at their page on the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco — they would love to take you to coffee.

  • Home to Rabbi Frankie Sandmel and Elaina Marshalek, Base Bay  is on the Berkeley-Oakland border in Rockridge. Join them for a variety of gatherings from Shabbat dinner to weekly Torah study to holiday celebrations. Lots of folks in their 20s and 30s hang out here! Most programs are in the evenings with some daytime/weekend gatherings. Contact: rabbi.frankie@moishehouse.org 
  • Honeymoon Israel provides immersive trips to Israel for cohorts of young couples that have at least one Jewish partner. HMI offers opportunities for personal exploration and for building a lifelong local community. They’ve got a whole slew of East Bay-specific events so make sure to explore those listings. Read their eligibility criteria for more details on who their trips are for and when they happen. Contact: Randi.reed@honeymoonisrael.org
  • Jewish Studio Project cultivates creativity as a Jewish practice for spiritual connection and social transformation. JSP hosts a lot of rad virtual programs for people of all ages (including lots of young adults!), as well as in-person High Holiday services in the East Bay. They’ve also got a beautiful studio in West Berkeley. Contact: Candace Goodwin at
    cgoodwin@jewishstudioproject.org
  • The JCC East Bay creates healthy communities inspired by Jewish values, culture, and tradition. Some events happen at their Walnut Street location in North Berkeley. They’re in the process of opening a new campus in Rockridge in the next 3-5 years. Yay! Contact: Sarah Wolfman-Robichaud at sarahwr@jcceastbay.org
  • Jewtina y Co. is a Jewish and Latin organization on a mission to nurture Latin-Jewish community, identity, leadership and resiliency, while celebrating Latin-Jewish heritage and multiculturalism. Many of their events are virtual but some have been in person in the East Bay. Stay tuned as they grow.
  • JIMENA’s mission is to achieve universal recognition for the heritage and history of the 850,000 indigenous Jewish refugees from the Middle East and North Africa. Their programs aim to ensure that the accurate history of Mizrahi and Sephardic Jews is incorporated into mainstream Jewish and Middle Eastern narratives in order to create balance in attitudes, narratives, and discourse about Middle Eastern refugees and the modern Jewish experience. A lot of their programs are virtual but they also have a substantial community in the Bay Area. Contact: Sapir Taib at sapir@jimena.org
  • J Leaders inspires Jewish young adults to grow their leadership capacity, connect with like-minded peers, and make a positive difference in the world by providing impactful leadership skill development illuminated by Jewish wisdom. Their programs run the gambit, ranging like their flagship 6-month Leadership Academy, 1:1 Mentorship, Jewish Leadership Forums featuring prominent business and Jewish leaders, and one-off community-building events such as Shabbat dinners and fun outings with partner organizations. Contact: team@jleaders.org
  • LABA is a laboratory for Jewish culture and a program of the Firehouse, located in San Francisco. LABA presents Judaism’s rich literary and intellectual tradition in a free and creative setting, so that these fertile stories and ideas spark new thought and creative work. They open applications to artists and creatives to join their fellowship just once a year (in the fall) but they also host public events. Contact: Elissa Strauss, labafirehouse@gmail.com
  • The LUNAR Collective cultivates connection, belonging and visibility for Asian American Jews through intersectional community programming and authentic digital storytelling. They have lots of virtual opportunities to connect plus in-person programming throughout the Bay Area! Several of their staff and volunteers are also based in the Bay. Contact:
    hello@weareasianjews.org
  • The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, is a museum and research center at the University of California, Berkeley. It is one of the world’s preeminent Jewish museums. The Magnes connects people of all backgrounds with the history, vibrancy, and diversity of Jewish life around the world through its collections-based exhibitions and programs. The Magnes is free and open to the public Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 11-4 and Thursdays 11-7 during the academic year. They are easy to get to in downtown Berkeley and also have a lot of cool programs! Contact: magnes@berkeley.edu
  • Minyan Dafna is an independent traditional egalitarian minyan in Berkeley that comes together two to three times a month for Friday night (Kabbalat Shabbat) and Shabbat morning davening. At this point, services are mostly two Saturday mornings a month but their mailing list is the best way to stay in the know. This is a volunteer-run project so signing up to help is a great way to get involved. Contact: info@minyandafna.org
  • Mission Minyan is a vibrant, lay-led, non-denominational Jewish community centered in San Francisco’s Mission District. They gather for spirited, liturgically complete davening (prayer), as well as study and social events. Their practice is guided by traditional halacha (Jewish law), gender equity, and respect for variations in personal observance. Mission Minyan hosts Friday night services every week, a Tisch (community meal) about every other month, as well as Saturday morning services roughly every other week. They generally meet at the Women’s Building in the Mission District of San Francisco. Contact: info@missionminyan.org
  • Moishe House residents host a wide range of programs, all created by and for Jewish adults in their 20s and early 30s. Check out the two houses in the East Bay: Lake Merritt, Rockridge and the four houses in San Francisco: Dolores Park, the Castro, Nob Hill, and San Francisco Russian Speaking Jewish House. Each house has a different flavor and set of programs, based on the interests and skills of the residents. Check their specific calendars and Facebook pages/groups for more intel.
  • Retreatology is the premier training in the art of Jewish Retreat-Making. Participants (or “Retreatologists”) learn how to create a Jewish gathering for their friends and community from start to finish. From goal-setting to venue selection to experience design, we cover it all. We are looking for community builders, creatives, and people who dream big! Retreatologists are eligible for a grant of up to $5,500 to plan and execute the Jewish learning retreat they have always dreamed of creating. Whether it’s creative writing, Jewish mindfulness, Jewish food or Torah yoga, Retreatology and Moishe House are here to make it possible. Contact: retreatology@moishehouse.org
  • New Lehrhaus is the Bay Area’s non-denominational lifelong Jewish learning institution dedicated to academic excellence, open inquiry, contemporary relevance and cultural and religious pluralism. Most classes are on Zoom, with lots of options for learning Biblical and Modern Hebrew, Talmud, and much more. Contact: programs@newlehrhaus.org
  • Nigun Collective gathers to sing nigunim—soulful, wordless melodies from new and old Jewish tradition—in community. Held at a rotation of locations, including Base Bay, Moishe House Rockridge, and Urban Adamah. Add yourself to their Google Group to get more intel. Listen to past collectives and learn tunes here. Contact: Atid Kimmelman at atid.b.k@gmail.com
  • Olamim is a Latin Jewish learning community for families and individuals. They offer culturally-responsive programs grounded in community-based research on Latin Jewish families. Through education, research, and cross-community partnerships, Olamim generates greater access to heritage language and culture, bridge diverse communities, and create a foundation for Latin inclusion and belonging in Jewish communal life. Their community programs include a year-round Olamim Family School, seasonal Spanish-language programs that center nature and the arts, and community-wide holiday festivals that center Latin Jewish cultural expressions. Although many of their experiences focus on families, they encourage everyone to check them out! Contact: Ariela Ronay-Jinich at olamiminfo@gmail.com 
  • Inspired by ancient Jewish wisdom, OneTable is a national non-profit that empowers folks (21-39ish) to find, share, and enjoy Shabbat dinners, making the most of their Friday nights. Check the Bay Area page to find a dinner or host your own! Contact: Zoe Stricker at zoestricker@onetable.org
  • Onward Israel focuses on personally and professionally uplifting young people, allowing them an authentic taste of modern day Israel while gaining experience and knowledge through an internship opportunity. Onward offers several young adult focused programs, from a Bay Area summer program to Career Passport (a WorkCation program in Tel Aviv) to the Tel Aviv Pro program. Inquire with them directly for the status of these programs, which do vary throughout the year. Contact: Jason Steckler at jasonst@onwardisrael.org
  • Shevet: Jewish Mindfulness Collective is a volunteer-run group that meditates every Wednesday evening at 6.30pm, with time for check-ins and sharing. Join this WhatsApp group and look at their spreadsheet (linked in the group chat) to see upcoming sits. A good way to get involved is to host or facilitate one evening.
  • Urban Adamah is an educational farm and community center in West Berkeley that integrates the practices of Jewish tradition, mindfulness, sustainable agriculture, and social action to build loving, just, and sustainable communities. UA has tons of in-person and virtual events for a wide range of interests and ages so be sure to check their calendar. For folks 21-30 years old, explore their residential, multi-month fellowship where you live on the farm! Contact: Info@urbanadamah.org
  • Wilderness Torah awakens and celebrates earth-based Jewish traditions through inclusive and intergenerational village-building. WT mostly offers multi-day in-person festivals as well as some online classes. Tons of young adults show up here, and we recommend going with a friend if you can. Contact: info@wildernesstorah.org

  • The Anti-Defamation League is an international Jewish non-governmental organization based in the United States that specializes in civil rights law and combats antisemitism and extremism. Each year, the ADL offers the Glass Leadership Institute (GLI), specifically for young adults, a multi-month leadership development program that empowers participants to fight hatred in their communities. They usually open applications in the fall. Contact: Alystar Sacks, Assistant Regional Director, Central Pacific Region at ASacks@adl.org
  • The Bay Area Chapter of Bend the Arc: Jewish Action is a movement of progressive Jews across America who are building a country that lives up to our values of justice and equality for all. The best way to get involved is to volunteer! Ask about the locations of their chapters as there are a few in the Bay Area.
  • Hebrew Free Loan is a non-profit which offers interest-free loans to the Jewish residents of Northern California and to all employees of Jewish organizations (regardless of religious background). Loans are available for education, fertility, debt consolidation, small business, Covid relief, and more. Most loans are up to $20,000 (business loans are up to $50,000) and can be turned around within days. Assistance is available for individuals, families, and small business owners. Contact: Valerie Rocklin, Loan Operations Manager valerie@hflasf.org
  • IPF Atid was created in July 2017 as Israel Policy Forum’s young professional-led community to engage and empower the next generation of leaders to build a resilient community, elevate discourse, and advance a two-state vision in Israel. They host a number of young adult events,  including Shabbat dinners, and lectures, as well as fellowships, summits, delegations, and other programs, that are both virtual and in-person. Contact: Max Webb mwebb@ipforum.org
  • J Street organizes pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy Americans to promote US policies that embody our deeply held Jewish and democratic values and that help secure the State of Israel as a democratic homeland for the Jewish people. We believe that only a negotiated resolution agreed to by Israelis and Palestinians can meet the legitimate needs and national aspirations of both peoples. J Street’s Young Leaders Network is a national organizing cohort whose members work on the political, legislative and communal fronts to advance diplomacy and progressive Israel-related policies and principles.
  • JFCS East Bay is a community-based, direct social and human services organization that serves and supports Alameda and Contra Costa County residents of all ages, races, and religions. Guided by Jewish values and in collaboration with the diverse communities we serve, JFCS East Bay contributes to the resilience of communities, families, and individuals through advocacy and comprehensive support services at every stage of life. Check out all the ways to Get Involved through a variety of volunteer opportunities that support Holocaust survivors, older adults, folks with disabilities, and immigrants and refugees. Whether you’re looking for a one-time opportunity to give back or become a regular volunteer, JFCS East Bay has meaningful ways to support and engage with your community! Contact: volunteers@jfcs-eastbay.org
  • JFCS is a lifeline for children, families, and older adults facing personal crises or challenges. For residents of San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties, JFCS provides over 40 programs, including home care for seniors, therapy for children, youth volunteer programs, services for people with disabilities, and much more. Check out their Young Adult Community Connection program, which has monthly volunteer opportunities for professionals in their 20s and 30s who are looking for a way to contribute, learn, and connect through service and volunteering. They also run a leadership fellowship! Contact: Tamar Zaken tamarz@jfcs.org
  • Jews of Color Initiative (JOCI) works to build a truly multiracial, anti-racist Jewish community in which Jews of Color can experience joy and reach their full potential and belonging as leaders and community members. Founded in the Bay Area, JOCI mostly hosts virtual programs and offers grant opportunities. Sign up for Galim, their incredible newsletter, as they sometimes host in-person meet-ups for Jews of Color and presentations for the wider community.
  • Jews On Ohlone Land activates our Jewish communities in solidarity with Indigenous sovereignty. There are lots of ways to support their work, including becoming a member, paying the Shuumi land tax, sharing their newsletter, and more.
  • The New Israel Fund (NIF) helps Israel live up to its founders’ vision of a society that ensures complete equality to all its inhabitants. Our aim is to advance liberal democracy, including freedom of speech and minority rights, and to fight the inequality, injustice and extremism that diminish Israel. New Generations is NIF’s is their community of young professionals, social activists, community leaders, and students in their 20s and 30s who are committed to the work of NIF. They have a San Francisco chapter, which hosts webinars, movie screenings, giving circles, fellowships, book clubs, and Shabbat dinners where you can break bread and learn about social justice. New Gen provides an opportunity to learn about and engage with the most important issues facing Israel today by building relationships with activists on the ground.
  • Repair the World mobilizes Jews and their communities to take action to pursue a just world, igniting a lifelong commitment to service. A group of young adults cooks soup every Wednesday, and there are other recurring and one-off events as well. Contact: Celena Ritchey at celena.ritchey@werepair.org
  • Shalom Bayit is Northern California’s first and only Jewish agency dedicated solely to ending domestic violence in the Jewish community, Shalom Bayit fosters the social change and community response necessary to eradicate domestic violence in the Jewish community. They provide programs and services to over 2,000 individuals throughout the Bay Area each year. There are lots of ways to get involved with the work Shalom Bayit does including community organizing, office support, outreach, event planning, and public speaking. Call them at 510-845-SAFE or Contact Leo Thomason at leo@shalom-bayit.org

  • Beyt Tikkun: A Synagogue Without Walls is a Jewish community that integrates spirituality, social justice, direct action, and Judaism beyond Zionism. Hybrid services and events are offered online and in the East Bay, often in Rabbi Cat Zavis’ home in Oakland. Beyt Tikkun is very involved in Palestinian solidarity work, with services that include creative translations that connect to both personal and collective liberation. They are growing their local, in-person community, particularly for young adults (20s-40s), which will include Havdalah gatherings, Kabbalat Shabbat, and other events. They welcome you wherever you are on your spiritual and religious journey. Contact Marissa Munn, Program and Outreach Manager at marissa@beyttikkun.org
  • Chochmat HaLev is a Jewish Renewal congregation that is a source of fresh, relevant, and inspiring pathways into Jewish practice. Check out HeartSpace, a group for open-hearted, spiritual folks in their 30s(ish) to meet new friends and build community. They meet about monthly—join their WhatsApp group for details. They hold a mix of online and in-person programs!
  • Congregation Emanu-El is a Reform synagogue in the Richmond district of San Francisco. They are dedicated to connecting members with their Judaism and history at the highest level and bringing Jewish values to life in meaningful and inspiring ways. There are tons of offerings for young adults, including their famous Late Shabbat (every second Friday), plus holiday gatherings, a leadership committee, and more. Contact Sarah Squarsino Overton at soverton@emanuelsf.org
  • Netivot Shalom began in 1989 and grew out of their founding members’ collective commitment to creating an egalitarian spiritual home for Conservative/Masorti Jews. They have a young adults group that meets about once a quarter for Shabbat dinners and holiday celebrations—ask about their WhatsApp group. Contact Elana Congress at elana.congress@gmail.com
  • Kehilla Community Synagogue is a Jewish spiritual home for politically progressive people by Lake Merritt in Oakland. There are lots of queer and trans folks on the bimah and in the community, as well as specific programs for POC/Jews of Color. A mix of in-person and virtual services, learning, B*mitzvah programs, conversions, and more. Glitter Kehilla is a community space for 20- and 30-somethings that hosts Shabbat potlucks! Contact Rabbi SAM at rabbisam@kehillasynagogue.org
  • The Kitchen is a synagogue that meets at various locations in San Francisco. In their words, they are “one part Shabbat + justice + torah community, one part San Francisco experiment and one part tool kit for Jewish life at home.” If you’re feeling iffy about attending Shabbat services by yourself, or just want to meet other young and definitely social adults, then Kitchen Social Club is for you. Contact Kayla Pollack at kayla@thekitchen.org
  • The Orchard is a sacred community within Beth Am, a progressive Reform synagogue in Silicon Valley. Located in Los Altos, The Orchard is led by one of the Beth Am rabbis, Jonathan Prosnit. This group is specifically for young adults and young families! Lots of beautiful, in-person events. Contact Emily McCrone at emily_mccrone@betham.org
  • Temple Sinai is a Reform synagogue located in uptown Oakland, not far from Lake Merritt. They are a diverse community of individuals of all ages who come together for prayer, learning, community, social justice, and more. Temple Sinai is primarily comprised of families with young children, including those who join for the preschool or religious school (called Kesher), as well as empty-nesters, older adults, and Jews by choice. Sinai offers many classes per year, including an Introduction to Judaism course in partnership with Beth El in Berkeley. Twice a month, they hold musical services including their well-attended First Friday musical service in the round featuring an all-volunteer band. Contact Rabbi Julie Bressler at rabbibressler@oaklandsinai.org

The views and opinions expressed by the organizations featured on this guide and on this website are solely those of the original organizations. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the organization GatherDC, the GatherDC staff, the GatherDC board, and/or any/all contributors to this site.