What Is the Southside Jewish Collaborative?

The Southside Jewish Collaborative is a unique partnership between three San Francisco congregations: Or Shalom (Reconstructionist), Ner Tamid (Conservative), and Am Tikvah (formed from the merger of B’nai Emunah and Beth Israel Judea). Together, we form a cross-denominational community rooted in shared Jewish values and a deep commitment to Tikkun Olam.

Since 2012, the Collaborative has brought our communities together for joint holiday celebrations, adult education, and hands-on social action. What began with a shared Shavuot gathering has grown into an enduring relationship that strengthens each of our congregations while building a more connected Jewish presence in San Francisco’s southern neighborhoods.

As profiled in J. The Jewish News of Northern California, our partnership has led to impactful initiatives like “The Year of Feeding the Hungry,” a yearlong effort that mobilized dozens of volunteers to prepare and distribute meals to unhoused and food-insecure neighbors. In a follow-up feature, J. highlighted our first Tikkun Olam Day—expanding our focus beyond hunger to include blanket drives, coastal cleanups, and support for local nonprofits.

For Or Shalom, being part of the Southside Jewish Collaborative reflects our values of connection, compassion, and action. Together, we are greater than the sum of our parts—amplifying our impact and modeling what it looks like when Jewish communities come together across difference to repair the world.