History of the Jews in San Francisco

Jews in San Francisco
יהודים בסן פרנסיסקו
Bill Graham Menorah in Union Square c. 1975
Total population
350,000
Languages
American English, Hebrew, Yiddish, Russian
Religion
Reform Judaism, Conservative Judaism, Orthodox Judaism, Reconstructionist Judaism, irreligious

Jews compose approximately 4% of the San Francisco Bay Area population, making it the fourth largest Jewish population in the U.S. behind the New York area, southeast Florida and metropolitan Los Angeles.

The history of the Jews in San Francisco began with the California Gold Rush in the second half of the 19th century. Jewish San Franciscans played a significant role in the economic development of the city and have since had a significant impact on the culture of San Francisco.

In 2018, the largest Jewish denominations in the Bay Area were Reform and Conservative Judaism, with smaller Orthodox and Reconstructionist communities.