Building Bridges, Strengthening Jewish Community
Our Mission and Values
Just as Northern California’s landscape stretches from vibrant cities to quiet valleys, our rabbinic community reflects the beautiful diversity of every neighborhood we call home. Rabbis from Reform to Orthodox, Conservative to Reconstructionist to Renewal, we gather under one welcoming tent—united not by uniformity, but by our shared commitment to nurturing Jewish life.
We are educators, pulpit rabbis, organizational leaders, chaplains, communal professionals, and spiritual directors. We are rabbis just starting our careers and rabbis retired from a lifetime of service, and still giving back.
At our heart lies a simple yet profound truth: when we strengthen our rabbis, we strengthen our entire community. We create sacred space for spiritual leaders to find their own renewal, knowing that inspired rabbis kindle the flames that light up synagogues, homes, and hearts across our region.
Picture rabbis from Humboldt County to the Central Valley joining together each month—some gathered around a table, others connecting through screens—sharing wisdom, wrestling with challenges, and discovering new pathways for growth. Our annual Elul Gathering becomes a retreat where souls are restored and vision is renewed.
But we don’t stop at our own doors. When moral questions challenge our communities, we step forward with a collective voice of conscience. When complex issues demand thoughtful response, we partner with organizations across the region, ensuring Jewish values and rabbinic wisdom help shape the conversation.
From supporting Jewish chaplains who bring comfort behind prison walls to standing alongside our neighbors on issues that matter most, we transform the ancient Jewish principle of tikkun olam—repairing the world—into living, breathing action.
Who We Are
Board of Directors
Our Board includes rabbis from diverse branches of Judaism and our leadership is committed to diversity and inclusion. We are an exemplar of pluralism and create a climate where cooperation, respect and collegiality prevail.
Executive Director
Rabbi Jill Berkson Zimmerman has been the Executive Director of the NCBOR since the Fall of 2021. She is a proven leader and innovator in the Jewish community.