Events at a Glance
Coming Events:
June 28 9:45 a.m. Lay led Shabbat services followed by potluck lunch
July 2, Wednesday 10:30 – 11:30am Exercise Class
July 5, 9:45 a.m. Lay led Shabbat services followed by potluck lunch
Sing In Shabbat with Leah Gerber on Zoom Friday June 27 at 6:00 p.m. Join in a musical service to welcome Shabbat, and have your wine ready for Kiddush.
A weekly, in-person group exercise class for active, older adults will continue throughout the year every Wednesday at 10:30 am in the Social Hall. $5 donation per class.
40th Annual Sonoma County Pride Parade: click to see the photo of the week by the j Weekly, featuring Rabbi Koas and Beth Ami in the Santa Rosa parade.
Popular Blogs
(See more blogs here)
SERVICES AND EVENTS ARE A MIX OF IN-PERSON, ZOOM AND HYBRID
Our Shabbat and festival services are a true hybrid with active participants on Zoom. We have a NEW ZOOM ADDRESS. See this page for information and links.
On two Fridays a month Leah Gerber leads a short and very sweet musical Shabbat service at 6:00 pm, concluding with our communal Kiddush at about 6:30 pm. We hope that joining as a community in this way, will lift all of our spirits, with the beauty and holiness of Shabbat. Fourth Fridays will be led by congregants.
Saturday Torah Study 9:00 am, Shabbat morning services in person and on Zoom, 9:45 am, lead by Rabbi Ron Koas and congregants. There are hearing assistance devices for in-person attendees and captioning available on Zoom. Lunches after Shabbat morning services are prepared by the Kitchen Committee with potluck donations, see food guidelines and recipes here.
Siddur Chadash Shabbat Morning
Weekday: Sunday through Friday mornings to be determined
Weekday: evening services to be determined
weekday Shacharit SIDDUR SIM SHALOM
weekday afternoon SIDDUR SIM SHALOM
weekday maariv SIDDUR SIM SHALOM
A source for Torah and Haftarah is here Another source: https://www.sefaria.org/texts
Closed Captioning/ Live Transcript instructions Closed Caption Instructions for Beth Ami
Shavuot: 3 days to celebrate
Tikkun Leil Shavuot Celebration Sunday, June 1, 7 pm ~ ?
740 Western Avenue, Petaluma
Standing Together at Sinai, Again: Noshing, Schmoozing, Connecting and Learning with Rabbis Andi Berlin, Shalom Bochner, David Bush, Steven Finley, Ron Koas, Daniel Kohn and others!
Co-sponsored by Congregation Shomrei Torah, Congregation Beth Ami, and Congregation Shir Shalom
Hosted & Sponsored by the B’nai Israel Jewish Center www.bnaiisrael.net
Shavuot Morning Festival Services Monday June 2, 9:45 am
with Yizkor and the reading of Megillat Ruth. Followed by blintzes. Or at least cheesecake.
Shavuot on the farm Tuesday June 3, 2:30
We will be going to Steve Schwartz’s farm in the afternoon around 2:30 for a tour of the farm and a potluck.. RSVPs are needed. We will carpool from CBA unless you live in Sebastopol. Confirmation will be sent a few days prior..Bring a chair, sunscreen, a hat and veggie potluck item to share. No single-use plastics: let’s pack all trash out.
Rabbi Koas’ classes and events
- Every Shabbat morning when Rabbi is in town: Torah Study at 9 AM at CBA
- 2nd Sunday of the month at 9 AM Morning minyan services and Breakfast at CBA
- 2nd Sunday of the month at 10:30 AM Torah on Trails. Please RSVP to Rabbi Koas at 732-998-1029
- 2nd Wednesday of the month at noon to 1:30 p.m. Lunch and Learn at CBA Order a Veggie Wrap or Tuna Sandwich (box lunch, chips and a drink for $12). Please order through the office at 707-360-3000 by the Monday prior to class.
- 2nd Thursday of the month 6:30 PM Torah on Tap at CBA. We provide the drink. You provide the Nosh (Veggie only please follow potluck guidelines.)
- Introduction to Judaism / Bnai Mitzvah Class 2nd Mondays, 7:00 pm, starting January 13. How to be Jewish for beginners. A step-by-step guide to gaining an understanding of Judaism and Jewish life. Contact Rabbi Koas if you are interested rabbi@bethamisr.org.
- Havdalah at CBA on 2nd Saturday of the month: You provide the beverage. We’ll provide the Nosh. Followed by Karaoke, Game Night, or other activities. Future Havdalah nights ideas include a Painting night, Storytelling/Poetry Mic night/Movies. Send your ideas to office@bethamisr.org Put in the Subjject line Havdalah gatherings.
- And every Tuesday when Rabbi Koas is in town. Join him at the Taco Tuesday Ride For details call Rabbii Koas at 732-998-1029
Social Action, Civil Rights and Social Justice
Please join the members of the Beth Ami’s Advocates for Social Justice as we explore together:
• Have time together with your community at CBA to share experiences and perhaps some sensitive discussions.
• Explore racism and white privilege in the world today and how it has directly and indirectly been a part of our lives.
• Increase our understanding and learn how racism has molded our perceptions.
• Discover ways to be antiracist and support people of color.
• Gain tools and resources to initiate and build social justice in our community.
Social Action continues to provide food to The Palms. We are now serving hot food from crockpots in person. Social Action Committee meets periodically to plan the next Palms dinner. If you are interested in helping in any way, please contact Lyla.
We have resumed volunteering at the Redwood Empire Food Bank. You need to sign up online. We usually work the 10:00- 1:00 shift and then go out for a simple meal. This is a great activity with your children or grandkids over 13. Or for any friend.
To get more info, please call Lyla Nathan at 526-7438 or Elizabeth Jarlsberg at BA office 360-3000.
Beth Ami Israel Committee
The Israel Affairs Committee collects links and descriptions of national and international webinars and online viewing about Israel and antisemitism.
Shofar Newsletter
Check out our current newsletter: Shofar May June 2025 for essays, news, more events and details about the events listed above. Archived issues of the Shofar are also available online.
Ongoing activities
If you need to say Kaddish or memorialize a special event, contact the office at 360-3000 one week in advance, and we will do our best to secure a minyan.
In the Social Hall: Exercise for Older Adults 10 am Wednesdays
Israeli Folk Dancing is on a break: See the Israeli Dance blog.
Congregation Beth Ami is located in Northern California,in the heart of Wine Country in Sonoma County, about one hour north of San Francisco, and about one hour west of Napa.
Some Recent Blogs
A Special Chanukah Guest: Beth Hamon Returns! December 7, 8, and 9
Beth Hamon is a creative force whose songs straddle the fuzzy line between Jewish and secular themes of justice, hope, renewal and love. Based in Portland, Oregon, she tours as an artist- and educator-in-residence and cantorial soloist at synagogues, community centers...
Beth Ami Book Group
Submitted by Linda Emblen Now we are reading DANCING ARABS by Sayed Kashua (fiction, 227 pgs, Hebrew, 2002; English translation, 2004.) This semi-autobiographical account of Arab Israeli life recounts the story of a Palestinian boy who wins a prestigious scholarship...
In Response to a Tragic Situation
How tragic, that last Shabbat, Shemini Atzeret, a Holy Day that is termed “the season of our joy,” we were awakened to learn the shocking news of a major terrorist attack. Hamas, the terrorist organization controlling Gaza, had breached the security fence, and...
Libi B’Mizrach– our hearts turn to Israel
As the holiday season ended with Simchat Torah and with the horrific events in Israel, I wanted to let you know the Sonoma County Rabbis are planning an event for the county within the week in support of Israel. More information will be announced in the next few days....
Group Exercise Class for Older Adults
A weekly, in-person group exercise class for active, older adults will continue throughout the year. The class promotes functional strength, flexibility, balance and fall prevention combining physical and cognitive exercises. We will combine chair and standing...
CBA BOOK GROUP : WAKING LIONS
Now we're reading Israeli writer, Ayelet Gundar-Goshen's WAKING LIONS (Fiction, 352 pgs. Hebrew 2014; English translation, 2017.) We participate in the SF Jewish Community Library's Book Club in a Box program. I've been warned that this is not a pretty book, but very...
Food events for Congregation Beth Ami, and the Beth Ami Kitchen
The Kitchen Committee and volunteers are creating celebratory meals and snacks for the holiday season. Come nosh! On Selichot (September 9th), there will be drinks, snacks available to help us study. For Erev Rosh Hashanah (September 15th), toast in the new...
Dr. Ziv Rubinovitz, Israeli political science professor, speaks at Beth Ami
Tuesday September 5 at 7:45 pm, in person at Beth Ami "The Israeli judicial overhaul and the future of US-Israel relations" Presented by the Israel Affairs Committee Join us for this opportunity to learn first-hand about current events in Israel from the perspective...
Reverse Tashlich Sunday September 10
Reverse Tashlich: Join the Beth Ami Advocates for Social Justice Committee Tikkun HaYam and Jewish Communities all over the world in a pre-Rosh HaShana beach cleanup. When: Sunday, September 10 Noon to 3:00 Where: Doran Beach Regional Park How: Register with...
It’s the Everything Bagel of Rummage Sales!
Community Rummage Sale to be held Sunday August 20th from 10 am to 2 pm at Beth Ami, 4676 Mayette Avenue, across from Spring Lake Middle School. We are collecting items in very good or excellent condition like.... Household items, kitchen ware Barbecue and cooking...