Holidays in an Envelope™
Because connection heals…
This program provides holiday kits to Jewish patients in hospitals throughout the Bay Area three times a year: at the High Holy Days, Chanukah, and Passover.
Kits include envelopes decorated by children in local Jewish preschools, handmade cards by members of the community, prayers and reflections relevant to each holiday, and holiday-specific items to enable patients to celebrate even while hospitalized.
Holidays in an Envelope kits are assembled by volunteers and are distributed in partnership with hospital chaplains and social workers and the Northern California Board of Rabbis to share with Jewish patients.
If you would like to get involved in this project, use our Contact Form to learn how.
Holidays in an Envelope™ is a legacy project of Bay Area Jewish Healing Center.
Sample items from High Holy Days in an Envelope 2025
From one of the chaplains…
Just gave a RH envelope to a patient, she broke into HUGE smile, tremendous transformation and feeling of connection.
Over 200 High Holy Days in an Envelope packets were delivered to hospitals throughout the Bay Area in September 2025, including our special children’s packet coordinated with PJ Library and 30 kits were delivered to the San Francisco Sherrif’s Office for distribution by the Religious Services Coordinator. Delivery is facilitated with the help of Chaplain Jonathan Furst of the Northern California Board of Rabbis. Thank you Jonathan and all the chaplains and social workers who ensure that the kits are received by patients.
Bay Area Hospitals Served Include:
John Muir Health, Califorinia Pacific Medical Center, UCSF, St. Mary’s, St. Francis Memorial, Marin General Hospital, Zuckerberg San Francisco General, Kaiser Permanente (Santa Rosa, San Rafael, San Francisco, South San Francisco,) Laguna Honda, SF Veteran’s Administration, Novato Community, Sequoia, Mills-Peninsula, Seton Medical Center, El Camino, Stanford Medical Center, Petaluma Valley, Healdsburg District, Sonoma Specialty, and Santa Rosa Memorial.