Strength in Community Benefit Show
An Evening of Laughter, Art & Community
Join us for a meaningful, joyful evening to celebrate Strength in Community.
We’re thrilled to welcome W. Kamau Bell, Emmy Award-winning comedian, director, and activist, born and raised right here in the Bay Area. Kamau has a rare and beautiful gift: he makes us laugh, think, and feel all at once. His work holds up a mirror to the political and human realities of our time with wit, warmth, and unflinching honesty.
The evening will also feature a curated gallery of Bay Area artists rooted in social justice, a community auction filled with experiences and items donated by the people who make Kehilla what it is, hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and plenty of time to be with the people you love.
This is our community, & this night is for all of us!
About W. Kamau Bell
W. Kamau Bell is a stand-up comedian, filmmaker, husband, and dad – and one of the Bay Area’s own. For seven seasons he hosted and executive produced United Shades of America, the five-time Emmy Award-winning CNN docuseries. His 2023 HBO documentary 1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed earned him a personal Emmy, and his Showtime docu-series We Need to Talk About Cosby won a Peabody Award. His latest comedy special, Private School Negro, is on Netflix.
Kamau is the co-author of the New York Times bestselling Do the Work: An Antiracist Activity Book, the ACLU’s Artist Ambassador for Racial Justice, and sits on the boards of DonorsChoose and Live Free, a nonprofit dedicated to ending gun violence, mass incarceration, and mass criminalization. He and his wife Melissa co-founded Who Knows Best Productions, based right here in Oakland.
More Details
Date | Saturday, June 6th, 2026 |
Time | 5:45–6:15 PM: Gallery Fundraiser, hors d’oeuvres & drinks 6:15-8:15: Programming 8:15-9:30 PM: Schmoozing |
Location | Multi-Access |
Tickets | In Person: Virtual: No one turned away for lack of funds |
Attire | Whatever makes you feel celebratory |
Accessibility | Wheelchair accessible | Strong masks required in the main performance hall (except for those medically unable to mask), masking optional in the gallery and the rest of the building | Please arrive fragrance free | More info about fragrance free |
Get Involved
There are many ways to be part of making this evening possible. Consider Becoming a Sponsor to help sustain Kehilla’s programs and ensure no one is turned away for lack of funds. If you’d like to contribute to our community auction, we welcome Donated Items of all kinds – experiences, services, gift baskets, and more. Local artists whose work connects to social justice are invited to Submit Artwork for our curated gallery. And if you’d like to help on the night itself, we’d love to have you Volunteer. Every contribution, at every level, makes this community what it is.
For questions about the event, please contact info@kehillasynagogue.org