The BCA Technology and Outreach Committee (TOSC) is launching a new monthly webinar series beginning June 22 called “Grow Your Sangha,” created to help local temples grow membership and engagement across the BCA. Many temples are searching for new ways to welcome families, reconnect with former members, engage younger generations and build stronger communities. At the same time, several temples have found creative and successful approaches that are already making a meaningful impact. The...

In July 1956, the renowned Bay Area poet, writer and playwright Hiroshi Kashiwagi’s play “Kisa Gotami,” was performed by the Berkeley YBA Choir at the Berkeley Buddhist Temple — and featured a UC Berkeley student named George Takei. Kashiwagi’s play was a retelling of the Buddhist Jataka tale, “The Parable of the Mustard Seed.” It was requested by Jane Imamura, who provided the music. The cast included Mary Tagumi, Janet Shohara, Richard Arakawa, Takako Shinoda, Thomas Okamura — and Takei. ...

BCA Sangha Members Are Among Those Participating in Landmark Community Gathering Sangha members from the BCA will be among the participants in a landmark community gathering called “Gila River Connections: A Celebration of Shared History,” on Feb. 19-22, 2026, in Chandler, Arizona. The event will bring together Japanese American World War II camp survivors, their descendants, members of the Gila River Indian Community (GRIC), students and allies to honor the intertwined histories of the two...