LABA BAY AREA is a laboratory for Jewish culture and a program of the Firehouse.

It is part of an international collective of LABAs, all of which use classic Jewish texts to inspire the creation of art, culture, conversation, and community. The program began in 2007 at the 14th Street Y in New York City, and now has hubs in Buenos Aires, Berlin, Barcelona and Paris in addition to the Bay Area.

LABA presents Judaism’s rich literary and intellectual tradition in a free and creative setting, so that these fertile stories and ideas spark new thought and creative work. The output from our laboratory hubs push the boundaries of what Jewish culture can be and what Jewish texts can teach.