Rituals That Hold Us, Rituals We Hold - Annual Day of Learning

Join us Sunday, May 31, 2026, from 10:00 AM–3:00 PM at Sinai Memorial in San Francisco for a thoughtful and nourishing Annual Day of Learning.

This in‑person gathering brings together experienced teachers, clergy, and caregivers to explore Jewish rituals that support us through end‑of‑life, death, mourning, and remembrance. Through a mix of workshops, teachings, and conversation, we’ll examine rituals that help us show up for ourselves and others during life’s most tender transitions.

Whether you are grieving, supporting someone who is, working in care or clergy, or simply curious about Jewish wisdom around loss and meaning, this day is designed to meet you where you are. Expect an atmosphere that is grounded, compassionate, and welcoming—one that invites reflection, learning, and connection.

This event is free to attend, and lunch will be provided with registration.

We look forward to learning together in community.

Info: While the program begins at 10am, the doors will be open at 9:30am for Breakfast Bites & Informal Gathering

Info: Drawing on her work as a grief ritualist, movement artist, and national speaker—including her presentation at the EndWell Conference—Myra Sack invites us to explore ritual as a living, embodied response to loss. Rooted in values that resonate deeply with Jewish approaches to mourning and community, this keynote reflects on how movement, creativity, and intentional ritual help us hold grief with care rather than urgency. Through story, reflection, and gentle somatic awareness, Myra reminds us that grief is not something to “get through,” but something to hold—together, in community, and within our bodies. This keynote sets the spiritual and emotional tone for the day.

Info: Workshop #1: Grave Measuring & Soul Candles with alix lutnick, End of Life Doula
Workshop #2: Ritual, Memory, and Making the Invisible Visible with Jennifer Kaufman, Artist
Workshop #3: Ethical Wills: Leaving What Matters Most with Holly Blue Hawkins, Natural Deathcare Advocate
Workshop #4: Shiva: Text, Practice, and Holding Community with Rabbi Dan Goldblatt & Zoë Goldblatt, End of Life Doula

Info: Nourishing, unstructured community time

Info: This panel brings together clergy from different Jewish movements and life experiences to reflect on how ritual holds individuals and communities through end‑of‑life, death, and grief. Drawing from Renewal, Reform, and other pluralistic Jewish traditions, each panelist offers a distinct lens on how ritual practice responds to loss, creates meaning, and sustains communal care.
Through conversation and shared wisdom, the panel will explore questions of tradition and innovation, pastoral presence, and how Jewish ritual continues to evolve to meet the spiritual and emotional needs of our time. This session invites attendees to hear multiple voices in dialogue—modeling the diversity of Jewish approaches to grief, mourning, and sacred responsibility.

Info: Communal reflection, gratitude, and final words

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

San Francisco – Sinai Memorial Chapel, 1501 Divisadero Street, San Francisco, United States

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