About
A window into the work of Chabad of SF that is sometimes 'under the radar'
I am certainly ‘known’ in the Bay Area. Doris Ward, former city Assessor, once called me Rabbi Chanukah. To some I’m the morotcycle rabbi, or the Rally Rabbi for Jewish Heritage night at the Giants and Warriors. To some,I'm the ‘bobblehead” Rabbi thanks to a collectible giveaway from the San Francisco Giants team. To some I’m just Yosef. To Bill Graham I was always Joseph. I’m the downtown Mitzvah Cable Car Minyan Rabbi to others along with my son Rabbi Moshe Langer!
I’m proud to present some of our programs which we have planned, pioneered and executed successfuly for the last 40 years in SF Bay area:
- Holidays: (1975-Present) Chabad pioneered opening free holiday services in the Bay Area - first in Berkeley and then in 1985 hosting free downtown SF services for the unaffiliated.
Hundreds of Jewish singles and families are hosted at no charge for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Passover seders totaling thousands of participants. We choose venues where the unaffiliated feel comfortable, having a long-term favorable relationship with the Fairmont and other downtown hotels.
There is no better way to make sure the Jewish community continues to remain engaged than to host ongoing events across a range of ages and interests. Some of these events include:
- Purim Palooza: (2001-Present) Megillah reading followed by an authentic holiday celebration with live local music - 200 plus in attendance annually.
I, along with my beloved wife Hinda, took over the leadership of Chabad in the Bay Area in 1979 - we were the only Chabad couple north of Los Angeles. The large converted fraternity house in Berkeley was only the second Chabad House of its kind in the world!
Thousands of Jewish people from all backgrounds, besides students and professors, came for an authentic Chassidic Jewish experience. Jewish groups from Reform and Conservative synagogues, backpackers and Israeli soldiers touring America, Jews from Marin, SF and Contra Costa came who wanted a Shabbat experience with no synagogue affiliation or dues.
Jews who missed ‘the old country’, all descriptions of Jews flocked to this icon that opened up Shabbat with no strings attached to the Bay Area. Many of those people, and their children are now heads of large families and leaders all over the world bringing Jewish life to others.
We are looking forward to your partnership in this continuing saga of successful Jewish outreach. Please - we ask for your support in taking Jewish community in SF to its next level! Positively 6th Street is the vision Chabad has to transform a neighborhood with positive energy, breathing new life into the area and partnering with the local residents to achieve our shared vision.
Reach out, give what you can and help us in achieving our goal for 6th Street!
Respectfully, Rabbi Yosef Langer
