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		                                    Welcome		                                </span>
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		                            <span class="slider_description">Etz Chayim is an independent congregation
located in the heart of Silicon Valley</span>
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		                            	Learn More		                            </a>

Happening at Etz

All Events
  • Sunday ,
    OctOctober  26 , 2025
     
     
    ETZ Talk - Forbidden: A 3,000-Year History of Jews and the Pig with Professor Jordan D. Rosenblum

    Sunday, Oct 26th 10:00a to 12:00p
    Jews do not eat pig. This (not always true) observation has been made by both Jews and non-Jews for three thousand years. Over time, the pig becomes a popular metaphor for Jewish/non-Jewish identity. This talk explores the historical development of this evolution. Starting in the Hebrew Bible, where the pig is tabooed but not necessarily singled out more than other food prohibitions, we see the emergence of the pig as a symbol of Jewish identity in the Second Temple period and beyond. From the Talmud to modern television shows, we follow the pig as it forages through Jewish history.

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  • Tuesday ,
    NovNovember  11 , 2025
     
     
    Communings of the Spirit with Alan Marcum (Online)

    Tuesday, Nov 11th 7:30p to 8:30p
    Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, one of the intellectual luminaries of 20th century Jewish thought, was a prolific diarist. Comprising 27 volumes, his journals spanned over 60 years, recording his thoughts and his observations on topics ranging from two World Wars to the nature of God, from his teaching at the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) to his sermons, from liturgy and ritual to Jewish peoplehood.

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  • Sunday ,
    DecDecember  7 , 2025
     
     
    Etz Talk - All Consuming: Germans, Jews, and the Meaning of Meat

    Sunday, Dec 7th 10:00a to 12:00p
    Meat is one of the most visible markers of Jewish distinctness and social separation. In this talk, John Efron argues that meat has played an especially important role in the formation of Jewish and Christian identities in Germany from the Middle Ages until today. To an extent not seen elsewhere in Europe, the importance of meat is reflected in many realms including the visual arts, literature, religion, politics, commerce, and home life. Studying the history of meat and its multiple meanings in Germany tells us much about the changing nature of German and German-Jewish identity, the links between religion, nationality, politics, and food. Above all, focusing on meat provides us with a singular window into the rich, fraught, and ultimately tragic history of German Jewry.

    MORE INFO

  • Tuesday ,
    DecDecember  9 , 2025
     
     
    Communings of the Spirit with Alan Marcum (Online)

    Tuesday, Dec 9th 7:30p to 8:30p
    Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, one of the intellectual luminaries of 20th century Jewish thought, was a prolific diarist. Comprising 27 volumes, his journals spanned over 60 years, recording his thoughts and his observations on topics ranging from two World Wars to the nature of God, from his teaching at the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) to his sermons, from liturgy and ritual to Jewish peoplehood.

    MORE INFO

 

Everyone is welcome!

We are Jews who were raised Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, Orthodox, or Secular. We are Jews who have or have not been Bar/Bat Mitzvah. We are Jews by choice or part of an interfaith family. Our common thread is that we are all interested in furthering our spiritual life, singing, Jewish education and community participation.  We invite you to come to a service or one of our activities.

קהילת "עץ חיים" הינה מקום מיוחד במינו. בית חם, פתוח ומקבל אשר אינו משתייך לזרם דתי כלשהו ומורכב מחילונים, מסורתיים, רפורמים וקונסרבטיבים, משפחות יהודיות ומעורבות, ישראלים ומקומיים המנהלים ביחד חיי קהילה יהודית עשירים

BECOME A MEMBER

About Us

Located in Palo Alto California, Congregation Etz Chayim is a vibrant Jewish community, participatory and egalitarian, independent and inclusive, which melds elements from Judaism’s different branches to create our own practices. Together with our spiritual leader, Rabbi Chaim Koritzinsky, our congregants are exploring what it means for each of us to identify as a Jew (or a part of a Jewish family).

 

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Learn More

If you seek a spiritual experience within a diverse Jewish community that emphasizes worship, singing, learning, service and community, Etz Chayim may be a good fit for you. If you want to talk to someone, simply stop by or phone or office at 650-813-9094.


CONTACT US

Experience Etz

Shabbat Services

Shabbat evening services are held every Friday at 7:30 p.m. and last about an hour. Shabbat morning services are held every Saturday at 10 a.m., and with Torah reading, last about two hours. Everyone is welcome to attend either service, including services that celebrate a Bar or Bat Mitzvah.

Adult Learning

At Congregation Etz Chayim, we view adult learning as a stepping stone to deeper knowledge and understanding of the rich Jewish tradition. We offer diverse intellectual, creative and spiritual programming to strengthen connections among congregants and help us integrate Judaism into our lives.

Teens

Are you a teenager looking for ways to broaden your involvement with Jewish life in the Bay Area or to make new friends or lend a hand in your community? Are you a parent thinking about the next steps of Jewish engagement for your teenager? There are many opportunities for teens, and we can help you identify the right one for you.

Youth & Family Education

We offer learning opportunities for families with children as young as two years old through high school. Building community is a cornerstone of our philosophy and mission, and our youth learning programs reflect that value.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah

We are exceptionally proud of our Bar/Bat Mitzvah program and how students and families experience the process of preparing for and celebrating this important life event. Our program is rigorous, meaningful and individualized, and serves to build community and connections among the students and families.

Community Responsibility

What inspires you to get up in the morning? What keeps you up at night? Could you answer these questions about the person you live with? Work with? Pray with? When we ask what we as a congregation wish to do in the area of Tikkun Olam, a first step is to have one-on-one conversations to strengthen relationships with one another.

Interest Groups

Etz social groups are member driven. We currently have groups who hike together, read together, sing together, and knit together, among many other activities. Have another interest? Members are always free to start their own groups.

Next Gen

Next Gen is a Jewish community of adults in their 20's and 30's affiliated with Congregation Etz Chayim. We participate in the life of the Etz Chayim community by holding member led events to explore our connections to Judaism and each other. Everyone is welcome. 

BECOME A MEMBER

Since 1995, our diverse Jewish community has gathered to worship, celebrate, learn, and share life’s joys and sorrows. We invite you to become part of this community.

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Thu, October 16 2025 24 Tishrei 5786