William Danforth III with survivor Abram Geldman at last year’s commemoration photo/rebecca meyer

Holocaust remembrance

In honor of Yom HaShoah, “The Power of the Written Word: Diaries and Memoirs from the Holocaust” will be held at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. The Holocaust Remembrance Day commemoration will include a reading of names by high school students, as well as readings of Holocaust teen diaries and candlelighting ceremonies. The event is co-sponsored by the JFCS Holocaust Center, Lehraus Judaica, Jewish Community Relations Council and Bay Area schools and synagogues. For more Yom HaShoah listings, see Spiritual & Holidays.

4:30 p.m. Sunday, April 22 at the Forum,Yerba Buena Center for the Arts 701 Mission St., S.F. Free. www.jfcs.org

friday/20

Community dinner. Vegetarian Shabbat meal for families. At JCC East Bay, 1414 Walnut St., Berkeley. 6 p.m. $7-$13. www.jcceastbay.org.

Yom HaAtzmaut celebration. Potluck, Shabbat services and celebration of Israel. At Temple Isaiah, 3800 Mount Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. 6 p.m. Free. RSVP to www.temple-isaiah.org.

saturday/21

Mimouna. North African celebration to mark end of Passover. With food, henna tattoos and jamming. Bring an instrument. At Hillel at Stanford, Koret Pavilion, 564 Lane A, Stanford. Free. (415) 626-5062.

sunday/22

Berkeley Holocaust Remembrance. Honoring East Bay survivors, with performances by cellist Isaac Pastor Chernak and a cappella group Kol Hadov. At Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley. 12 p.m. Free. www.magnes.org.

“Yes We Sang!” Three Bay Area choruses perform pre-Holocaust songs together. At JCC East Bay, 1414 Walnut St., Berkeley. 4 p.m. $10. www.nigunim.org/Yes-we-sang.jpg.

“Choosing to Act: Stories of Rescue.” Memorial candlelighting with remembrances of rescue, including a former hidden child’s homage to those who saved him. At Temple Beth Hillel, 801 Park Central, Richmond. 10:30 a.m. Free. (510) 223-2560.

“Treasuring the Stories We’ve Inherited.” Featuring storyteller Joel ben Izzy. At Temple Beth Torah, 42000 Paseo Padre Parkway, Fremont. 7:30 p.m. Free. www.cwcbay.org/blog.

Yom HaShoah commemoration. Sonoma County event focuses on three communities before and after the Holocaust. At Friedman Center, 4676 Mayette Ave., Santa Rosa. 2 p.m. Free. www.jccsoco.org.

wednesday/25

Yom HaZikaron gathering. Readings, singing and sharing of memories in observance of Israel’s Memorial Day. At Jewish Community Federation, 121 Steuart St., S.F. 9 a.m. Free. www.jewishfed.org.

thursday/26

“Happy 64th Birthday Israel!” Sonoma County celebration with music, Israeli dancing, film “Israel Inside.” At Congregation Beth Ami, 4676 Mayette Ave., Santa Rosa. 7 p.m. Free. www.bethamisr.org.

Yom HaAtzmaut celebration. Performance by folk-rock singer Micha Biton, Israeli dancing, arts and crafts. At Peninsula JCC, 800 Foster City Blvd., Foster City. 5 p.m. Free. www.pjcc.org.

Yom HaAtzmaut celebration. Israeli food, ceremony, fashion show, dancing. At Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto. 4:30 p.m. Free. www.paloaltojcc.org.

Yom HaAtzmaut celebration. Music and Israeli folk dance lessons with Alan King and the Nigunim Folk Chorus. At Congregation Beth El, 1301 Oxford St., Berkeley. 5:30 p.m. Free. www.bethelberkeley.org.

Yom HaAtzmaut seder. To commemorate 70 years of history in Israel. At Congregation Emanu-El, 2 Lake St., S.F. 6 p.m. $5-$10. www.emanuelsf.org. (See story, 4)

“Celebrate Israel at 64.” Israeli comedian Benji Lovitt performs. At Congregation Beth Emek, 3400 Nevada Court, Pleasanton. 7:30 p.m. $10. For 18 and older. www.bethemek.org.

friday/27

Shabbat-O-Rama. Celebration with live music, workshops, book group, board games. At Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit St., Oakland. Starts 5:30 p.m. Friday with Shabbat dinner and ends 7 p.m. Saturday with post-Havdallah vegetarian potluck. Free. www.oaklandsinai.org.

sunday/29

Israel in Marin. Festival for all ages with food, art, live Israeli music and Hump-free the camel. At Marin JCC, 200 N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael. 9:30 a.m. Free. www.marinjcc.org. (See story, 12)