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Jewish life in Palo Alto is spread across several small campuses within a few miles of each other. Most congregations sit in south Palo Alto, near Alma Street, Middlefield Road and Louis Road. One large Reform synagogue is in the foothills of Los Altos Hills. Stanford has its own Hillel and Chabad. The Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life on Fabian Way, opened in 2009, ties much of it together.
This page lists congregations and centers we could confirm with a current website showing 2026 activity. It describes each as it describes itself and does not compare them. Service times are as published in fall 2026. Many communities post weekly times that shift with sunset, so always check the calendar on the community's own site. For other traditions, see our places of worship guide.
At a glance
| Community | How it describes itself | Address | Shabbat times listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Congregation Kol Emeth | Egalitarian Jewish community | 4175 Manuela Ave., Palo Alto | Fri 6 p.m., Sat 9:30 a.m. |
| Congregation Etz Chayim | Egalitarian, inclusive and independent | 4161 Alma St., Palo Alto | Fri 7:30 p.m., Sat 10:15 a.m. |
| Congregation Beth Am | Reform, founded 1955 | 26790 Arastradero Rd., Los Altos Hills | Fri 6:15 p.m., Sat 10:30 a.m. |
| Congregation Emek Beracha | Orthodox | 4102 El Camino Real, Palo Alto | Fri 20 minutes before sunset |
| Chabad Palo Alto | Chabad center and shul | 3070 Louis Rd., Palo Alto | Sat morning 10 a.m. (summer listing) |
Congregation Kol Emeth
Kol Emeth is at 4175 Manuela Avenue, near the Alma Street end of south Palo Alto. It describes itself as an egalitarian Jewish community. Its services page lists:
- Friday evening: 6 p.m., at various locations or on Zoom depending on the week. Once or twice a month the rabbi's family hosts a Shabbat potluck that is open to all.
- Saturday morning: 9:30 a.m.
- Daily minyan: mornings Sunday to Friday at 7:15 a.m. and evenings Sunday to Thursday at 7:45 p.m., mostly virtual. Thursday mornings meet in person and on Zoom.
The page says visitors are welcome at any service. It offers "Learn the Service" resources and a first-time visitor form. Call 650-948-7498 and dial 0, or email the office, with questions. Its November 2026 calendar included a Shabbat study session on November 7 and a range of member groups.
Congregation Etz Chayim
Etz Chayim is at 4161 Alma Street and calls itself egalitarian, inclusive and independent. Its Shabbat page lists Kabbalat Shabbat on Friday at 7:30 p.m., lasting about an hour. Saturday morning services begin at 10:15 a.m. that run about two hours, or a little longer with a bar or bat mitzvah. Torah study meets Saturdays from 9 to 10 a.m. before services and needs no preparation.
The congregation says members and nonmembers are welcome. It posts prayer book PDFs and audio guides for both services, livestreams them and serves a kiddush after each one. A separate play space is available for young children. The page notes that late arrivals and early departures are fine. The office number is 650-813-9094.
Congregation Beth Am, Los Altos Hills
Beth Am is a Reform congregation founded in 1955. Its campus is at 26790 Arastradero Road in Los Altos Hills, a few minutes past Palo Alto's southwest edge. Its worship page lists:
- Erev Shabbat: Fridays at 6:15 p.m., usually ending by 7:30 p.m., with snacks and conversation from 6 p.m.
- Shabbat morning: 10:30 a.m., either a bar or bat mitzvah service in the sanctuary or a Torah Minyan in the Beit Kehillah.
- Thursday morning minyan: 8 a.m. on Zoom, with registration.
- Tot Shabbat: for ages 0 to 5 on selected Fridays and Saturdays.
Beth Am describes its services as musical, participatory and informal. Services are livestreamed. Entering the worship spaces counts as consent to being recorded. Some events, such as the November 13, 2026 Shabbat celebrating the installation of Senior Rabbi Heath Watenmaker, ask guests to register in advance. Call 650-493-4661 with accessibility questions. The congregation runs an inclusion program called INCLUDE Beth Am.
Congregation Emek Beracha
Emek Beracha is an Orthodox congregation led by Rabbi Yitzchok Feldman. Its contact page lists a physical address of 4102 El Camino Real and a phone number of 650-857-1800. Its website posts daily prayer times. On Fridays Mincha begins 20 minutes before sunset. In winter the community prays Mincha and Maariv together around sundown every day.
The visitors page is practical. The hospitality committee helps arrange Shabbat and holiday meals but says it cannot host everyone, gives priority to people visiting for medical or business reasons and asks for about five days' notice. The site also links to information on the local eruv and kosher food. Our kosher food guide lists local kosher restaurants.
Chabad Palo Alto and Chabad at Stanford
Chabad Palo Alto is at 3070 Louis Road. Its shul page, updated in June 2026, listed weekday Shacharit at 7:45 a.m. Sunday to Friday and Shabbat morning prayers at 10 a.m. Afternoon and evening prayers follow sunset, so check the current week. Chabad also hosts Friday night dinners, Shabbat lunch, a preschool, after-school programs and Torah classes. Its website suggests texting 650-424-9800 to get in touch.
Chabad of Palo Alto has held a public menorah lighting in front of City Hall each Hanukkah for about four decades. Hanukkah 2026 runs from the evening of December 4 to December 12. Our Hanukkah guide has the details.
Chabad at Stanford serves students and visiting families. Its website has pages for Shabbat, holidays, kosher food and visitors, including notes on hotels and the Palo Alto eruv.
Hillel at Stanford
Hillel at Stanford is at 565 Mayfield Avenue on campus and is led by Rabbi Jessica Kirschner. It runs Shabbat and holiday programs, kosher dining and Jewish learning for students, with programs for families and alumni. The phone is 650-723-1602. Stanford's Office for Religious and Spiritual Life also keeps a Jewish holiday calendar. See our religious life at Stanford page.
Oshman Family JCC
The Oshman Family JCC is at 3921 Fabian Way on the Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life. It is a community center rather than a synagogue and is open to everyone. It offers a gym and pools, the Leslie Family Preschool, a Hebrew school, camps, teen and senior programs and groups for Russian speakers. Its fall 2026 calendar includes an Israel gap-year fair on November 3 and concerts by the Maccabeats on December 13. Our cultural centers guide describes the campus.
Two Jewish schools also have campuses on or near Fabian Way. See our pages on Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School and The Kehillah School.
Visiting a synagogue
Good to know
- Visitors are welcome at regular Shabbat services at each congregation listed here. Contacting the office before your first visit is a courtesy and can help with building security.
- High Holy Day services usually need tickets or advance registration. Ask in late summer.
- Kippot are usually available at the door. Traditions vary on head coverings for women and on prayer shawls, so follow local practice.
- In Orthodox and Chabad settings, phones and photography are not used on Shabbat. Many other congregations also ask you to silence and put away phones.
- Beth Am and Etz Chayim livestream services, so you may appear on camera.
We could not confirm a 2026 schedule for a Reconstructionist congregation in the area. If you are looking for one, ask the congregations above, which often know about smaller groups and havurot.
Frequently asked questions
What synagogues are in Palo Alto?
Inside the city are Congregation Kol Emeth at 4175 Manuela Avenue, Congregation Etz Chayim at 4161 Alma Street, the Orthodox Congregation Emek Beracha at 4102 El Camino Real and Chabad Palo Alto at 3070 Louis Road. Congregation Beth Am, a Reform synagogue, is just over the line in Los Altos Hills.
What time are Shabbat services in Palo Alto?
As published in fall 2026: Kol Emeth lists Friday evening at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Etz Chayim lists Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 10:15 a.m. Beth Am lists Friday at 6:15 p.m. and Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Times can change, so check each calendar.
Is there an Orthodox synagogue in Palo Alto?
Yes. Congregation Emek Beracha is an Orthodox congregation led by Rabbi Yitzchok Feldman, with a listed address of 4102 El Camino Real. Chabad Palo Alto also holds daily and Shabbat prayers. Both publish times on their websites.
Can visitors get a Shabbat meal in Palo Alto?
Often, with notice. Emek Beracha has a hospitality committee that asks for about five days' notice and gives priority to people in town for medical or business reasons. Chabad Palo Alto hosts Friday night dinners and Shabbat lunch. Students should contact Stanford Hillel or Chabad at Stanford.
Is the Oshman Family JCC a synagogue?
No. The Oshman Family JCC at 3921 Fabian Way is a Jewish community center with a gym, pools, a preschool, camps and cultural programs. It is open to the whole community and many members are not Jewish. It holds holiday events but not regular prayer services.