The Bay Area Community Talmud Circle groups will return this fall for their third annual installment, with planned expansions into Contra Costa County and the South Bay. The groups, 13 in all, meet for their first sessions on various dates in October.

A collaboration of Lehrhaus Judaica, the Aleph Society, and Kevah, the Community Talmud Circle aims to create communities of knowledgeable adult Talmud students. Participants use the Steinsaltz English edition of the Koren Talmud Bavli/Berakhot. Each group is led by one of five different instructors.

This year, organizers added first-year programs at Temple Isaiah in Lafayette and the Addison-Penzak JCC in Los Gatos. Last year, approximately 175 students participated.

In addition to Lafayette and Los Gatos, locations include JCCs in Berkeley, San Rafael, Foster City, Palo Alto and San Francisco; a downtown San Francisco law firm; and Lehrhaus Judaica in Berkeley, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2014.

Registration is $230, including a $35 materials fee. There is an early registration discount until Monday, Sept. 16. Talmud must be purchased independently. For information, visit www.lehrhaus.org or call (510) 845-6420.