Humanist-oriented congregation serving unaffiliated Bay Area Jews looking for a community with a secular, nontheistic, human-oriented approach to Jewish identity, history and culture. The name Kol Hadash means “new voice.” Services are relaxed and lay-led, and include monthly Shabbats, major Jewish holidays and festivals. There are special presentations for Yom HaShoah, Yom HaAtzmaut and Tu B’Shevat. In addition, each month’s bagel brunch-and-speaker series (often with video) addresses various topics relating to Jewish culture.

Members participate in chavurot (friendship circles) and several interest groups such as book/film, study/discussion, video lecture series, lunch gatherings and social issues. The diverse membership includes couples, families, singles, people of mixed religious and ethnic backgrounds, and Holocaust survivors.  Affiliated with the Society for Humanistic Judaism (SHJ) of Farmington Hills, Michigan.  Most of the events are held at the Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin Ave., near I-80/580, in the East Bay.