friday | 16

Natan Sharansky. Israel’s minister of Jerusalem and diaspora affairs. Various times April 16-18 at U.C. Berkeley. www.caravanfordemocracy.org.

“Social Justice Shabbat.” Services followed by dinner and presentation with Ruth Messinger, president, American Jewish World Service. Sponsor: Hillel at Stanford. At Old Union Clubhouse, second floor ballroom, Stanford University. $25. 6:30 p.m. (650) 736-1199.

saturday | 17

“Yoga on Shabbat.” At Congregation Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Road, Los Altos Hills. 8:30 a.m. (650) 493-4661.

“Master Story of the Exodus.” Adriane Leveen of Stanford University. First of three Saturday sessions. At Congregation Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Road, Los Altos Hills. 1:30 p.m. (650) 493-4661.

sunday | 18

“Understanding the Settlements in the West Bank and Gaza.” David Meir-Levi, director of research and education, Israel Peace Initiative. At Congregation Rodef Sholom, 170 N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael. 9:30 a.m. (415) 479-3441.

“Discovery Seminar.” Presentation combining philosophy, psychology, history and computer science to explain the “why” of being Jewish. Proceeds go to Magen David Adom. At Hebrew Academy, 645 14th Ave., S.F. 3 p.m. $5-$8. (888) 883-4726.

monday | 19

“Generation to Generation: Documenting Our Lives.” Oral history skills, preservation, transcription and more. First of two Monday sessions. At Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut St., Berkeley. 7 p.m. $20-$25. (510) 848-0237, ext. 112.

“Jews, Immigrants and Voting Rights: A Good-Humored Look at the 2000 Elections and Repercussions for Today.” Filmmaker Aviva Kempner and civil rights attorney Robert Rubin. Screening of Kempner’s “Today I Vote for My Joey.” Sponsor: JERICO. At The Oakland Box, 1928 Telegraph Ave. 7 p.m. $5-$15. (510) 893-1063.

“Rainbow Families: LGBT Parents Celebrate Diversity.” At Parents Place Palo Alto, 410 Sherman Ave. 7 p.m. $20. Reservations: (650) 688-3040.

“Using Wills and Probate for Genealogical Research.” Marc Seidenfeld. Sponsor: San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society. At Congregation Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Road, Los Altos Hills. 7:30 p.m. Free. www.jewishgen/org/sfbajgs.

tuesday | 20

“Baby is a Blessing.” Romy Douglass and Rabbi Jane Litman. First of three Tuesday sessions. Congregation Beth El, 2301 Vine, Berkeley. 10 a.m. Free. Reservations: (510) 848-3988.

“The Muse in the Fortress: Music During the Shoah.” Sylvie Braitman, performer and Holocaust music scholar. At Contra Costa Jewish Community Center, 2071 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek. 10 a.m. $3-$5. (925) 938-7800.

Playtime for adoptive families. At Parents Place Marin, 600 Fifth Ave., San Rafael. 10:30 a.m. $6 per family. (415) 491-7959.

“Understanding Your School-Age Child: What is Normal and Expectable From Ages 6 to 10?” At Parents Place Marin, 600 Fifth Ave., San Rafael. 7 p.m. $25. Reservations: (415) 491-7959.

“Writing Memoirs with Tanya Shaffer.” At Bureau of Jewish Education’s Jewish Community Library, 1835 Ellis St., S.F. 7:30 p.m. (415) 567-3327, ext. 703.

wednesday | 21

“Hebrew Calligraphy and Illumination.” Alan Leon, artist. First of two Wednesday sessions. At Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut St., Berkeley. 10:30 a.m. $25-$30. Reservations: (510) 848-0237, ext. 112.

“An Order of Horseradish, Hold the Gefilte Fish: Stories About the Jews of Bulgaria.” Rachel Brodie, Jewish educator. For Holocaust survivors. At Jewish Family and Children’s Services Marin, 600 Fifth Ave., San Rafael. 2 p.m. Free. Reservations: (415) 491-7960.

“Healing From New Loss.” Grief support group. First of eight Wednesday sessions. At Jewish Family and Children’s Services Marin, 600 Fifth Ave., San Rafael. 5:30 p.m. Free. Reservations: [email protected].

“Anti-Semitism: New Perspectives on an Old Theme.” Rabbi Henry Shreibman moderates a discussion with Rabbi Lavey Derby and the Rev. Bruce Bramlett. First of three Wednesday sessions. At Congregation Kol Shofar, 215 Blackfield Drive, Tiburon. 7 p.m. Free. (415) 456-4354.

“Creative Cooking.” Bonnie Cummings, former chef to the mayor of New York. At Temple Beth Torah, 42000 Paseo Padre Parkway, Fremont. 7 p.m. $18. (510) 894-6310.

“Islam, Zionism and the Jews.” Khaleel Mohammed, assistant professor of religion, San Diego State University. Sponsor: Santa Cruz Hillel. At U.C. Santa Cruz, Colleges Nine and 10 multipurpose room. 7 p.m. (831) 426-3332.

“Chinese Jews on the Banks of the Yellow River: The Jews of Kaifeng.” Rena Krasno, author and former Shanghai resident. Sponsors: Congregation Beth David and Sharone Hadassah. At Beth David, 19700 Prospect Road, Saratoga. 7:30 p.m. (408) 366-9117.

“Imaging Zionism: Complicity and Criticality in Israeli Visual Culture.” Larry Abramson, artist. Sponsors: Consulate General of Israel, Israel Center of the S.F.-based federation and Congregation Emanu-El. At Emanu-El, 2 Lake St., S.F. 7:30 p.m. (415) 512-6203.

“The Magic of Mingling.” At Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut St., Berkeley. 7:30 p.m. $8-$10. (510) 848-0237, ext. 112.

National Young Adults Mission to Israel for Singles and Couples informational session. For ages 25 to 40. Sponsor: Young Adults Division of the S.F.-based federation. At private home. 7 p.m. Reservations and location: (877) YAD-1818.

thursday | 22

“Café by the Bay.” Lissa Schuman, coordinator of the Holocaust Center of Northern California, presents a talk for Holocaust survivors. At Jewish Family and Children’s Services, 2150 Post St., S.F. 2 p.m. Reservations: (415) 449-3843.

Art lecture. Rabbi Irvin D. Unger, president of the Arthur Szyk Society, presents a talk and slide show on Szyk’s work. At Belvedere Tiburon Library, 1501 Tiburon Blvd. 7:30 p.m. (415) 789-2665.

“Beyond the Torah, Matthew’s Gospel: A Jewish Reading.” Sponsor: Lehrhaus Judaica. Thursdays through June 17. At Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut St., Berkeley. 7:30 p.m. $100. Reservations: (510) 845-6420.

“Living a Life That Matters.” Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of “When All You’ve Ever Wanted Isn’t Enough.” Sponsor: South Bay Institute for Jewish Living and Learning. At Congregation Beth David, 19700 Prospect Road, Saratoga. 7:30 p.m. Free. (408) 358-5918.

friday | 23

“Song and Dance Hour.” For children ages 1 to 3 and their parents. At Parents Place Marin, 600 Fifth Ave., San Rafael. 10:30 a.m. $10 per family. Reservations: (415) 491-7959.

“Two Ancient Peoples: The Turks and the Jews.” Program featuring the documentary film “Desperate Hours.” Sponsor: Congregation Shir Shalom’s adult education committee. At Burlingame Hall, 252 W. Spain St., Sonoma. 7 p.m. $5. (707) 938-2981.

sunday | 25

“The Red Cross in Holocaust Research.” Sponsor: San Francisco Bay Area Jewish Genealogical Society. At Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut St., Berkeley. 12:30 p.m. Free. www.jewishgen.org/ sfbajgs.

“Israeli Archaeology.” Linda Levine discusses what happens on an archaeological dig. At Bureau of Jewish Education’s Jewish Community Library, 1835 Ellis St., S.F. 1 p.m. (415) 567-3327.

“To Honor Their Memory: A Community-Wide Day of Learning About the Holocaust for Teens and Their Families.” Sponsor: Holocaust Center of Northern California. At Jewish Community High School of the Bay, 1835 Ellis St., S.F. 1 p.m. Free. (415) 751-6041.

“A Fabulous French-Asian Dinner.” Joanne Donsky offers a cooking course in her Portola Valley kitchen. Sponsor: New Bridges. 5 p.m. $50-$60. Reservations: (650) 852-3505.