A New Home for High Holidays!

For the past 15 years, we’ve had the privilege of hosting High Holiday services at the Jewish Community Center East Bay. What began in 2010 as a small gathering under a tent has grown into a thriving community. Last year, for the first time, we were invited to expand further by moving our services indoors at the JCC.

As our community continues to grow, we’re excited to share that this year we’re setting up a new home for our High Holiday services. With the JCC preparing to relocate to a new campus in Oakland, we wanted to ensure we could continue offering services in Berkeley, where so many of you feel connected. We also wanted to find a space that will support our growth, as we welcome many new faces for High Holidays each year. 

 If you’ve attended a recent Community Shabbat or participated in our Family Learning Programs, you already know Epworth United Methodist Church. For those who don’t, the Epworth team has been incredibly welcoming and supportive of Jewish Gateways. They are the perfect transition for us! As an added bonus, they’re just a 3-minute drive from the JCC East Bay.

What can you expect this year? Other than location, everything you know and love about our service offerings will remain the same. We will continue to hold Evening, Day, and Family services for both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, with options to join in person and on Zoom. Our commitment to being welcoming, inclusive and accessible will also move with us to our new space.

The one adjustment we do need to make is that we will not have an outdoor area for our services or for children’s activities. For those with health concerns, we fully support the use of masks and will have ample space for social distancing. For parents and children who need extra space to play, we will have a designated room (supervised by teachers) filled with games, crafts, books and other activities for all ages to enjoy! 

When should I register? This year, we encourage you to register as soon as possible. Early registration is a huge support for our planning team as we prepare resources and organizing needs. You can find all service dates, times, and details on our registration page.