Yom Kippur will soon be in the rearview mirror and the days are growing shorter, which means Sukkot is right around the corner. The holiday begins on the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 16, and ends a week later on Oct. 23.
This holiday, sometimes known in English as the Feast of Tabernacles or by the epithet “Z’man Simchateinu — Time of our Joy,” commemorates the Israelites’ journey through the desert, celebrates the harvest season and encourages us to welcome guests into our sukkahs and our homes.
To help you make the most of this holiday, we compiled a list of Sukkot events and activities in the Bay Area. We also included some for Simchat Torah, which celebrates the ending and restarting of the yearly cycle of Torah readings and kicks off Oct. 24.
San Francisco
Wednesday, October 16
Sukkah Decorating Party — Holiday kick-off party with snacks, arts and crafts and sukkah decorating. Part of USF’s annual Open Doors Sukkot program. At USF Campus, Welch Field between St. Ignatius Church and Kalmanovitz Hall. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free.
Guests on Indigenous Land — Rabbi Faryn Borella of Or Shalom Jewish Community discusses how Jews can be good guests on indigenous land and how the Jewish tradition beckons us to the work of solidarity with Indigenous peoples. With dinner. Part of USF’s annual Open Doors Sukkot program. At USF Campus, Welch Field between St. Ignatius Church and Kalmanovitz Hall. 6:30-8 p.m. Free.
Thursday, October 17
Israel’s Black Panthers — Israeli American journalist Asaf Elia-Shalev of JTA discusses his new book, which explores Israel’s Black Panther movement of the 1970s led by young and impoverished Moroccan Israeli Jews who challenged the country’s political status quo and rebelled against ethnic hierarchy. Part of USF’s annual Open Doors Sukkot program. At USF Campus, Welch Field between St. Ignatius Church and Kalmanovitz Hall. 6:30-8 p.m. Free.
Friday, October 18
Shabbat in the Sukkah — Or Shalom Jewish Community and the Swig Program in Jewish Studies and Social Justice present musical Shabbat services in the sukkah with Rabbi Faryn Borella and the Or Shalom Music Ensemble. Bring a potluck dish to share. Part of USF’s annual Open Doors Sukkot program. At USF Campus, Welch Field between St. Ignatius Church and Kalmanovitz Hall. Schmoozing and eating 5:30 p.m., service 6-7:30 p.m. Free.
Saturday, October 19
Musical Sukkot — Event for families featuring music, story time, play, movement and holiday snacks. Bring ushpizin (special guests) to welcome into the sukkah. Presented by Tkiya Music, Jewish Baby Network and The Kitchen. At Jewish Community High School, 1835 Ellis St., S.F. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free, registration required.
Sukkot and Fall Harvest Festival — JCCSF presents a Sukkot-centric stall at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market that includes a sukkah, art from local creators, lulav and etrog shaking, honey tastings and more. Co-sponsored by Foodwise, Marshall’s Honey, Foraged Art and Leslie Jonath. At Ferry Plaza, One Ferry Building, S.F. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free.
Sunday, October 20
Sukkot Street Festival Celebration — Chabad of Cole Valley presents community-wide holiday block party with live music, kid’s activities, a fire juggler, barbeque, moon bounce, rock climbing, balloon art, a sukkah and more. At 10th Ave. between Geary and Anza St., S.F. 4:30-8 p.m. Free, RSVP by Oct. 16.
Celebrate in the Sukkah — San Francisco Campus for Jewish Living presents a community Sukkot event with food, music, ritual and card-making. At SFCJL, 302 Silver Ave., S.F., 3-5 p.m. Free, registration required.
Monday, October 21
Nourishing Our Collective Power — Meal in the sukkah with conversation about collective power and how to act for our collective future. Part of USF’s annual Open Doors Sukkot program. At USF Campus, Welch Field between St. Ignatius Church and Kalmanovitz Hall. 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free.
Tuesday, October 22
Body, Soul, Gender and God: Trans and Nonbinary Identities and the Art of Being Human — Trans Jewish scholar Joy Ladin discusses her books, which highlight what living between and beyond gender categories can teach us about becoming, loving, losing, mourning and otherwise being human. Part of USF’s annual Open Doors Sukkot program. Online. 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free.
Wednesday, October 23
University Ministry Multifaith Sukkot Peace Service — Community prayer service in the sukkah for peace. Part of USF’s annual Open Doors Sukkot program. At USF Campus, Welch Field between St. Ignatius Church and Kalmanovitz Hall. 12-12:45 p.m. Free.
Thursday, October 24
Torah Meet and Greet — Three drop-in sessions to get up close and personal with an unrolled Torah scroll in celebration of Simchat Torah. At JCCSF, 3200 California St., S.F. 9-10 a.m., 12-1 p.m., 3-4 p.m.
Saturday, October 26
Tots Together in the Sukkah — Jewish Baby Network event with lulav shaking, snacking, crafting, singing, puppets, schmoozing and celebrating. At Congregation Am Tikvah, 625 Brotherhood Way, S.F. 10-11:30 a.m. Free.
North Bay
Wednesday, October 16
Soups in the Sukkah — Adult social in a sukkah. With soups, salads, desserts and warm drinks. At Chabad Jewish Center, 205 Keller St., #101, Petaluma. 6:30 p.m. Free.
Sunday, October 20
“Jams for Joy” — Sukkot concert featuring Alex Jordan, Mookie Siegel, Jordan Feinstein, Angeline Saris, Jeremy Hoenig and Rabbi Shalom Bochner. With Mediterranean food truck. At B’nai Israel Jewish Center, 740 Western Ave., Petaluma. 2-6 p.m. Free.
Cereal in the Sukkah — Sukkot celebration with cereal bar, pancake buffet, hot chocolate, lawn games, lulav shaking and edible sukkah. Presented by Chabad of Petaluma. Address given with reservation. 10 a.m. Free, RSVP required.
Sukkot Storytime — Chabad of Central Marin presents Sukkot story time with puppets, songs, holiday-themed snacks and sangria for adults. At Marin location provided with RSVP. 10:30 a.m. Free.
East Bay
Sunday, October 13
Tot Sukkot Celebration — Urban Adamah, Olamim and PJ Library present Sukkot celebration on the farm with singing in English, Spanish and Hebrew, storytelling and Latin-inspired Sukkah crafts. At Urban Adamah, 1151 Sixth St., Berkeley. 3:15-4:30 p.m. $18 per family.
Wednesday, October 16
16 Cubits Sukkot Community Dinner — Community dinner and sukkah decorating event to kick off the inaugural 16 Cubits competition, an architectural challenge where teams create innovative sukkah designs using biophilic materials. At Urban Adamah, 1151 Sixth St., Berkeley. 5-8 p.m.$10-$36, sliding scale.
Sunday, October 20
Sukkot Celebration — Jewish Baby Network event with lulav shaking, singing, schmoozing and celebrating. Bring a blanket. At Congregation Beth El, 1301 Oxford St., Berkeley. 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Free.
Sukkot Festival — Urban Adamah and the 16 Cubits sukkah building competition present Sukkot festival on the farm with workshops and community music jam with Sacred Music Fellowship. At Urban Adamah, 1151 Sixth St., Berkeley. 2-6:30 p.m. Free.
Family Sukkot Festival — Includes lulav and etrog shaking, wheat grinding, pickle making, multicultural sukkah decorations, Hebrew Sukkot games and more. For families with kids ages 2-8. Presented by JCC East Bay, Camp Tawonga, Eden Village West and Jewish Gateways. At JCC East Bay, 1414 Walnut St., Berkeley. 3-5 p.m. $36 per family.
Thursday, October 24
Tot Simchat Torah — Urban Adamah, Kehilla Community Synagogue and Chochmat Halev present half-hour Simchat Torah tot service singalongs with guitar, drums, puppets and dancing with scarves. At Urban Adamah, 1151 Sixth St., Berkeley. 5:30-6 p.m. $12-$36, sliding scale.
Simchat Torah Bash — Urban Adamah, Kehilla Community Synagogue and Chochmat HaLev team up for a multi-generational celebration with music from the Kehilla Klezmer band, puppet show and dancing. Co-sponsored by Aquarian Minyan and Beyt Tikkun. At Urban Adamah, 1151 Sixth St., Berkeley. 5-9:30 p.m. $10-$36, registration required.
South Bay / Peninsula
Friday, October 18
Fun Friday: Sukkot — PJ Library and Oshman Family JCC present holiday-themed story time, featuring “The Best Sukkot Pumpkin Ever” and paper plate pumpkin craft. At Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto. 4:15-5:15 p.m. Free.
Sukkot Shabbat Dinner — Joyful Shabbat dinner in the sukkah with music and dancing. In partnership with Camp Tawonga. At Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto. 5:30-7 p.m. $52 family of 4, $22 adults, $14 kids 2–18, free for kids under 2.
Sleepover in the Sukkah — Overnight program for Hebrew-speaking upper-elementary ages kids with Shabbat service, dinner, Sukkot activity, movie screening, sleeping in the sukkah and breakfast the next morning. At Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto. 6 p.m. Friday-9 a.m. Saturday. $60.
Saturday, October 19
Tot Shabbat in the Sukkah — Shabbat service with songs, games and food led by guest Jewish educator Mimi Greisman. At Congregation Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Road, Los Altos Hills. 9:30 a.m. Free, registration required.
Sunday, October 20
Party in the Sukkah — Jewish Baby Network event with lulav shaking, singing, snacking, crafts, fall-themed play, schmoozing and celebrating. Bring a blanket. At Congregation Beth Jacob, 1550 Alameda de las Pulgas, Redwood City. 3:30-5 p.m. Free.
Sukkot Fun — PJ Library and Wornick Jewish Day School present hands-on activities like cooking and art for families with kids ages 5 and under. At Wornick Jewish Day School, 800 Foster City Blvd., Foster City. 10-11:30 a.m. Free, RSVP by Oct. 17.