Chochmat HaLev
Chochmat HaLev is a Berkeley-based Jewish Renewal congregation offering Shabbat services, meditation, Torah study, youth education, lifecycle programming, and retreats to 150+ member families and the broader Bay Area Jewish community, funded through tiered memberships, donations, and facility rentals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersBerkeley, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Chochmat HaLev does
Chochmat HaLev is a nonprofit Jewish Renewal congregation founded circa 1993 in Berkeley, California, providing spiritual, educational, and community programming to members of the Bay Area Jewish community. Its core offerings include weekly Shabbat services (Kabbalat Shabbat, Shabbat Morning Torah, and Contemplative Shabbat), daily meditation sessions, weekly Torah study, and structured adult learning through the year-long Go Deeper Cohort Journey. Youth and family programming spans Reishit HaLev (new parent support), Chavurat HaLev (families with children ages 4-8), Torat HaLev (Hebrew school grades 3-5, recently expanded to K-2), and the Mitzvat HaLev B'Mitzvah program. Complementary programming includes affinity groups, the Heart 2 Heart care initiative, HeartSpace gatherings, an annual retreat at Camp Newman (launched May 2026), and an OpenLev soulful coworking initiative currently on pause. The organization employs 11-50 staff, supported by an extended team of credentialed teachers, musicians, and spiritual leaders led by Rabbi Zvika Krieger.
Chochmat operates on a diversified nonprofit revenue model. The primary recurring stream is annual membership dues organized in three tiers — Supporters ($1,500-$2,000/year), Sustainers ($2,100-$2,800/year), and Builders ($3,500-$5,000/year) — with financial aid and sliding-scale options available. Secondary streams include donations (via credit card, Venmo, PayPal, stock, and car), tuition from educational programs and retreats (Go Deeper at $220-$320/module; B'Mitzvah at $2,500/year; retreats $450-$850/adult), and facility and office rentals of the campus at 2215 Prince Street. Sanctuary, Social Hall, Garden Room, and Courtyard rent for events; office spaces rent monthly ($700-$1,800). Total operating revenue is undisclosed but estimated in the low single-digit millions, with donations likely being the largest swing factor.
The technology stack is non-proprietary and standard for small religious nonprofits: ShulCloud for membership/CRM, Humanitix for event ticketing, Zoom for hybrid service delivery, Mailchimp for email, Google Workspace, WordPress, and Vimeo. There is no custom platform, no API, and no AI/ML capability. Go-to-market is community-led — growth is driven by word-of-mouth, affinity group participation, Community Circles, and direct member outreach by a Community Weaver — rather than traditional sales and marketing channels. Geographic scope is single-country and concentrated in the San Francisco Bay Area, with virtual participation extending reach modestly beyond the Berkeley campus.
Chochmat HaLev firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chochmat HaLev
- Legal name
- Chochmat HaLev
- Website
- https://chochmat.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Chochmat HaLev is a Berkeley-based Jewish Renewal congregation offering Shabbat services, meditation, Torah study, youth education, lifecycle programming, and retreats to 150+ member families and the broader Bay Area Jewish community, funded through tiered memberships, donations, and facility rentals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chochmat HaLev industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Religious and Spiritual Services
- NAICS
- Religious Organizations (8131)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)
Keywords
Where Chochmat HaLev is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berkeley
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Chochmat HaLev business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership fees at three tiers (Builders, Sustainers, Supporters) providing the primary recurring revenue stream. Membership includes High Holy Day tickets, discounts on programs, pastoral care, and Heart 2 Heart support.
- Facility Rentals: Rental income from Sanctuary, Social Hall, Courtyard, Garden Room, and office spaces to outside groups for events, meetings, and coworking.
- Educational Programs: Tuition fees for Go Deeper cohort journey modules, B'Mitzvah program, Hebrew school (Torat HaLev), and other educational offerings.
- Donations and Sponsorships: Voluntary donations through various channels including credit card, Venmo, PayPal, stock donations, and car donations. Also includes service sponsorships.
- Retreats: Revenue from overnight retreat programs including accommodation and meals at external venues like Camp Newman.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Builders: Premium tier with visioning exercise and leadership participation |
| Subscription | Annual | Sustainers: Core community support tier |
| Subscription | Annual | Supporters: Entry-level membership for those with limited budget |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sanctuary rental - large events |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Social Hall rental |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Garden Room rental |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Entire Facility rental |
| Subscription | Monthly | Prince St. Office |
| Subscription | Monthly | Garden Room office |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Go Deeper Cohort - Per Module (Members) |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Go Deeper Cohort - Per Module (Non-Members) |
| Subscription | Annual | B'Mitzvah Program (per year) |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Rosh Chodesh Women+ Wisdom Circle |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Retreat (May 2026) |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | OpenLev Soulful Coworking |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Chochmat HaLev product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chochmat HaLev is a Jewish Renewal spiritual community that delivers weekly Shabbat worship services, meditation programs, Torah study, lifecycle celebrations, and religious education (Hebrew school and B'Mitzvah programs). The organization operates a Berkeley campus with Sanctuary, Social Hall, Garden Room, and offices that are rented to outside groups, and it sustains itself through tiered membership dues, donations, educational tuition, retreat fees, and facility rental income.
Product overview
Chochmat HaLev is a Jewish Renewal spiritual community organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and services centered on contemplative Jewish practice. Core offerings include weekly Shabbat worship services (Kabbalat Shabbat, Morning Torah Services, and Contemplative Services), regular meditation programs (Monday Night Meditation, Meditation of Presence), and Torah study. Educational programming includes Torat HaLev Hebrew school for grades 3-5, the Mitzvat HaLev B'Mitzvah program for middle schoolers, Chavurat HaLev family gatherings, and Reishit HaLev new parent support. Community building through affinity groups, Heart 2 Heart care program, HeartSpace gatherings, and the annual retreat. The Go Deeper Cohort Journey provides structured year-long adult learning across four modules. Facility and office rentals generate revenue alongside the tiered membership program (Builders, Sustainers, Supporters). OpenLev soulful coworking connects professional life with spiritual community. All programs integrate virtual participation via Zoom and event registration through Humanitix.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- OpenLev: Soulful Coworking: A soulful coworking experience at Chochmat HaLev combining mindfulness and community during workdays (currently on pause).
- Heart 2 Heart
- HeartSpace
- Rosh Chodesh Women+ Wisdom Circle
- Chochmat HaLev Retreat
Products and services
- Shabbat Services Weekly Shabbat worship services including Kabbalat Shabbat (Friday evenings), Shabbat Morning Torah Services (second Saturdays), and Contemplative Shabbat Services (fourth Saturdays). Features embodied prayer, soulful singing, ecstatic dancing, guided meditation, and intergenerational community connection.
- Jewish Meditation Programs Regular meditation offerings including Monday Night Meditation and Meditation of Presence (Wednesdays). Programs teach Jewish meditation practices, mindfulness, and contemplative spiritual development.
- Torah Study
Companies that use Chochmat HaLev
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Chochmat HaLev technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Chochmat HaLev partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ALEPHcoreChochmat HaLev is part of an international community of ALEPH members. Founded in 1993, ALEPH envisions a contemporary Judaism that is joyous, creative, spiritually rich, socially progressive, and earth-aware. They bring spiritual vitality through programs that empower leadership, build communities, and generate powerful experiences. ALEPH has about 40 member communities in the US and abroad.
- Wilderness TorahcorePartnership for Rosh Hashanah services, combining Chochmat's contemplative practice with Wilderness Torah's earth-based Jewish programming.
- First Presbyterian ChurchminorVenue partner for High Holy Day services, providing larger sanctuary space than Chochmat's own facility. Located at 2407 Dana St, Berkeley, CA 94704.
- Camp NewmanminorRetreat venue partner located in Santa Rosa, CA for Chochmat's first overnight retreat (May 8-10, 2026).
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Chochmat HaLev competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Congregation Emanu-El: Historic, large Reform synagogue in San Francisco serving a similar progressive-Jewish professional demographic across the Bay. Operates at much greater scale with broader programming.
- Jewish Community Center of the East Bay: JCC serving the same East Bay Jewish families with programming (education, fitness, cultural events). Adjacent rather than competing directly, but overlaps for family programming dollars and time.
Direct peers
- Romemu: New York-based Jewish Renewal community with progressive, embodied, mystical prayer. Operates within the same ALEPH orbit and competes for spiritually progressive, meditation-inclined Jewish seekers using an almost identical programming model (Shabbat, meditation, adult learning).
- Urban Adamah: Bay Area Jewish community farm and fellowship program; Operations Manager Sam Lyons is an Urban Adamah fellow. Engages progressive, earth-based Jewish seekers in the same Berkeley ecosystem with overlapping programming and member crossover.
- Congregation Netivot Shalom: Progressive Jewish congregation also based in Berkeley, mentioned in Chochmat's own data (Rabbi Amanda Nube previously served there). Closest peer: same city, same progressive/egalitarian ethos, overlap in educators, and shared member pool.
- Wilderness Torah: Earth-based Jewish organization partnered with Chochmat for Rosh Hashanah services. Operates adjacent B'naiture youth programs and retreats, targeting the same progressive, nature-oriented Jewish demographic in the Bay Area.
Regional players
- Congregation Beth El: Large Reform Jewish congregation in Berkeley. Competes for overlapping progressive-Jewish families in the East Bay with broader programming scale and facilities.
Others
- Camp Newman: Jewish summer camp and retreat venue in Santa Rosa that hosts Chochmat's first overnight retreat. Functions as a venue and ecosystem peer in Jewish experiential programming across the Bay Area.
- ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal: Umbrella organization of ~40 Jewish Renewal communities including Chochmat. Not a competitor but the ecosystem-level affiliation that defines the movement in which Chochmat operates.
Emerging players
- Kohenet Institute: Rabbinical training program within the Jewish Renewal movement that ordains clergy (e.g., Kohenet Amanda Nube) serving these congregations. Functions as a feeder/talent pipeline for ALEPH-network synagogues including Chochmat.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Chochmat HaLev social profiles
Digital presenceChochmat HaLev financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chochmat HaLev leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Chochmat HaLev funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chochmat HaLev M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chochmat HaLev
What does Chochmat HaLev do?
Chochmat HaLev is a Jewish Renewal spiritual community that delivers weekly Shabbat worship services, meditation programs, Torah study, lifecycle celebrations, and religious education (Hebrew school and B'Mitzvah programs). The organization operates a Berkeley campus with Sanctuary, Social Hall, Garden Room, and offices that are rented to outside groups, and it sustains itself through tiered membership dues, donations, educational tuition, retreat fees, and facility rental income.
Is Chochmat HaLev a public or private company?
Chochmat HaLev is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Chochmat HaLev founded?
Chochmat HaLev was founded in 1995. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Chochmat HaLev based?
Chochmat HaLev is headquartered in Berkeley, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chochmat HaLev make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are facility Rentals, educational Programs, donations and Sponsorships and retreats.
Who are Chochmat HaLev's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Congregation Emanu-El and Jewish Community Center of the East Bay. Direct peers are Romemu, Urban Adamah, Congregation Netivot Shalom and Wilderness Torah. Congregation Beth El is listed as a regional player. Others are Camp Newman and ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal. Kohenet Institute is listed as an emerging player.
Does Chochmat HaLev have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chochmat HaLev.
What industry is Chochmat HaLev in?
Chochmat HaLev's product category is Religious and Spiritual Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAA, Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues), with a secondary code of BPAGAJAG, Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling). Its NAICS code is 8131 and its SIC code is 8600.