Where Ancient Wisdom
Comes Alive
Ecstatic music, prayer, and dance — rooted in the integrity of Jewish tradition. A living community, gathering together in the East Bay.
A Community Too Special to Not Nurture
Torah of Awakening East Bay has been gathering since 2017 — a circle of seekers who found something rare together: a Jewish spiritual community that takes both the tradition and the inner life seriously. Led by Rabbi Brian Yosef Schachter-Brooks and the BRIAH ensemble, our gatherings are alive with music, prayer, and the kind of presence that transforms.
"This is not a synagogue. It is something older and more intimate — a kehillah, a circle of practice, a community of souls."
We gather for Shabbat, for the High Holy Days, and for the ordinary sacred moments in between. We are part of the national Torah of Awakening community, with access to daily meditation, teachings, and courses — and we are rooted here, in the East Bay, in person.
Shabbat Gatherings
Ten in-person Shabbat services per year in the East Bay — ecstatic music, communal prayer, and potluck.
High Holy Days
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services that draw the whole community into transformative prayer and fasting together.
Daily Meditation
Morning Jewish meditation and Torah learning on Zoom — a daily anchor available to all members, wherever you are.
Pastoral Care
Rabbinic guidance, lifecycle ritual leadership, and personal support from Rabbi Brian Yosef — available to all members.
Become a Member
Membership is how you become part of this community — not just a visitor, but a member of the circle. Choose the level that reflects your connection and capacity.
Nefesh
נֶפֶשׁ · Soul$90
per month · $1,080/yearFull membership — in-person Shabbat gatherings, High Holy Day access, daily meditation, and the complete online library.
Learn MoreRuakh
רוּחַ · Spirit$136
per month · $1,632/yearEverything in Nefesh, plus reserved High Holy Day seating and priority access to workshops and retreats.
Learn MoreNeshama
נְשָׁמָה · Higher Soul$180
per month · $2,160/yearThe deepest level of membership — all benefits plus a personal pastoral care session and recognition as a sustaining member.
Learn MoreSee full benefits, Founding Member details, and the ToA Angels major donor circle.
View Full Membership Details
The Music of BRIAH
Every Torah of Awakening gathering is carried by BRIAH — an ensemble of gifted musicians who bring the liturgy to life through original compositions, nigunim, and ecstatic prayer-song. Music is not background here; it is the vehicle.
What People Are Saying
Brian Yosef is one of the most gifted Jewish teachers and spiritual leaders of our time. His teachings are rooted in the deepest sources of Jewish mysticism and are expressed with clarity, wisdom, and heart.
— Rabbi Burt Jacobson, Founder, Kehilla Community Synagogue
Brian Yosef is a rare teacher — one who has integrated the outer forms of Jewish practice with the inner dimensions of the soul. His work is a gift to the Jewish people and to all who seek the living waters of the tradition.
— Rabbi David Zaslow, Author & Spiritual Leader
Support This Community
Torah of Awakening is sustained entirely by the generosity of our members and donors. Every gift — large or small — goes directly into the life of this community.