
Sephardic Center of SF & Silicon Valley
Passing the Sephardic Heritage to the Next Generation in San Francisco, Silicon Valley and the Greater Bay Area
About the Sephardic Center of SF & Silicon Valley
We are building the Sephardic Center of San Francisco & Silicon Valley to make Congregation Anshey Sfard the heart of Sephardic life in the Bay Area.
Rooted in authentic Sephardic tradition and looking to the future, it’s a vibrant hub of heritage, culture, and community—open to all Jews, Sephardic and Ashkenazi alike.
Drawing on 2,000 years of Jewish life in the diaspora, we bring the Sephardic side of the Jewish journey to a shared spiritual and cultural home where the rich traditions of Sephardic and Mizrahi life are celebrated.
From the destruction of the Second Temple and the exile to Babylon—where the sages composed the Babylonian Talmud that shaped all of Jewish life—each community developed its own customs, melodies, and culture.
Now, after centuries of being scattered across the world, these diverse Jewish journeys meet again under one roof.
Our mission is to create a vibrant Sephardic center that gathers the Sephardic side of the Jewish journey—shaped through centuries of diaspora and diverse traditions—into a shared spiritual and cultural home for all Jews across San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and the greater Bay Area.
Our Foundational Project: Renovating Our Kitchen
“Los Manos Beneditos” Project (“The Blessed Hands” in Ladino)
Every Sephardic gathering begins in the kitchen.
Los Manos Beneditos is our foundational project—reviving the heart of our community space to host meals, celebrations, and moments of connection for generations to come.
Make an
impact today
Support our mission by contributing a monthly or one-time donation
to the “Los Manos Beneditos” Project (“The Blessed Hands” in Ladino)

Over 120 Shabbat & Holiday Meals Annually
Sephardic Flavors — Every Shabbat and Holiday.
We’re planning over 120 Shabbat and holiday meals a year, bringing together young adults, professionals, families, seniors, and children — creating a vibrant, intergenerational community.
Many have even found their future spouse around these tables. Baruch Hashem, several couples have already met through our First Friday and First Night Holiday dinners — and we’re just getting started.
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Why Support the Sephardic Heritage Project?
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Belonging
Your contribution nurtures a strong sense of belonging, providing a space for young people to connect with their roots and feel a part of something larger than themselves.
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Connection
This project fosters deep connections within the community, uniting families and individuals through shared history, meaningful relationships, and cultural experiences.
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Legacy
By supporting this project, you help preserve the rich Sephardic heritage, ensuring that the values, traditions, and wisdom of our ancestors are passed down to future generations.
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Tradition
Supporting this project means preserving ancient traditions, from Torah classes and religious services to holiday celebrations, ensuring they remain vibrant and relevant for the next generation.
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Education
Help us pass on not just knowledge, but the lived experience of Sephardic life—where learning and practice go hand in hand through real-time participation in community life.
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Continuity
Your gift ensures that the legacy of Sephardic culture and values will continue to flourish, providing a guiding light for generations to come.

Sephardic Cooking Sessions
Anyone Can (almost) Cook Like a Sephardic Grandmother.
We’re planning a series of hands-on Sephardic cooking sessions, where community members will learn directly from our Sephardic grandmothers how to make traditional cookies and dishes from across our rich and diverse heritage — including Morocco, Turkey, Afghanistan, India, Iraq, Egypt, Yemen, Persia (Iran), Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya.
Support the Sephardic Center of SF & Silicon Valley
“I do it all to help the synagogue. It’s great to see so many people coming together over my food.”
Shimon Barzilay, Our Former Resident Chef de Cuisine for the Synagogue Community
“…it immediately reminded me of my Tunisian grandmother’s cooking. You don’t come across that kind of food very often in San Francisco.”
Leya Aronoff, Our Former Community Marketing Coordinator
“If you feed them, they will come”
Isaac Shabtai, Our Community President
You can read more about the interview with our Community Marketing Coordinator, our Chef, and the President of the Community in The J - Jewish News of Northern California, in the article titled “Sephardic Shabbat Dinners are Drawing a Young Crowd to SF Synagogue”

Sephardic Cultural Events
Celebrating and preserving the sounds, stories, and soul of Sephardic heritage.
From ancient Piyutim (liturgical poem) to modern poems, from family stories to community customs — we gather to share the rich history, melodies, and Minhagim(custom or tradition) of Sephardic communities across the world. Through music, poetry, and memory, we keep our heritage alive and vibrant.
Support the Sephardic Center of SF & Silicon Valley
FAQs
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It’s our vision for a vibrant hub of Sephardic life — a place where tradition, community, and culture come together through Shabbat meals, holiday celebrations, learning, and creativity.
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Los Manos Beneditos (“The Blessed Hands” in Ladino) is our foundational project supporting the growth of the Sephardic Center through hands-on efforts — from cooking and hospitality to cultural preservation and community-building.
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Our events attract a diverse crowd from across the Bay Area — including San Francisco, the East Bay (like Oakland and Walnut Creek), and the South Bay (like San Jose and Palo Alto).
People travel in just to experience the unique Sephardic vibe, warmth, and tradition — something that feels refreshingly different within the Jewish community in the Bay Area.
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Our mission is to build a vibrant, intergenerational Sephardic home rooted in tradition, warmth, and community.
Our vision is to preserve and share the richness of Sephardic heritage — through meals, music, learning, and meaningful connection — for generations to come.
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It’s for everyone — Sephardic, Ashkenazi, and all Jews alike. The goal isn’t to create a separate Sephardic community, but to build a Sephardic center — a spiritual and cultural home where, after 2,000 years of exile, our diverse Jewish journeys can meet.
We invite people to experience the rich traditions of Sephardic and Mizrahi communities from around the world — where Jewish life evolved in harmony with local cultures, creating beautiful, authentic expressions of Jewish identity. Embracing that diversity is part of what makes our Jewish culture so unique.
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You can support in many ways — by donating, sponsoring meals (including for those in need), contributing products, or volunteering your time and talents.
Whatever you’re interested in, contact Angela at admin@ansheysfard.com and she’ll be happy to help you get involved.