On Nov 13, 2026, exactly 60 years after the first Zenefit fundraiser for Tassajara, San Francisco Zen Center will host another magical evening of song, poetry, visual art, remembrances, and community in honor of our monastery Tassajjara Zen Mountain Center. As we prepare for this wonderful event, let’s take a look back at what happened at the original Zenefit that took place at Avalon Ballroom on November 13, 1966.
“On November 13, 1966, to raise money to buy Tassajara, we organized a “Zenefit” held in the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco. The concert featured performances by the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Big Brother and the Holding Company, and Janis Joplin—artists who have since become legendary.
I didn’t usually go to the Haight-Ashbury district because it wasn’t my scene, but I went to the Zenefit. The auditorium was full. Light effects emanated from strobe lights and lasers mounted throughout the theater. Pungent odors filled the air. People were dressed—or undressed—in an amazing variety of regalia. And the huge sounds of 1960s rock boomed from the stage.
Katagiri Sensei had been in the United States for only two years at the time. He was reserved, quiet, and a very gentle presence. I remember seeing him standing anxiously in the shadows, half-hidden, and looking quite out of sorts and unsettled in that crazy environment. He looked as if he wanted to run away. I’m sure he did.
Suzuki was older and had been doing resiliency practice for years and years. He sat in the front row of the theater, with lights flashing on him from all directions. What a memorable sight. Surrounded by utter chaos, he was completely relaxed and seemed totally in his element. He was looking around, smiling, taking it all in—I think he was grooving on the whole thing.
Finally, the last performer, the amazing blues singer Janis Joplin, took the stage. She gave it her all—talk about shedding the fear body. In front of a thousand people, she bared her heart and soul in a classic Janis performance.
Then it was time for Suzuki to say something to the crowd. The auditorium grew silent as he crossed to the microphone. When he spoke, his voice was calm and warm. “At first,” he said, “I think your way very different from ours. But now I see, not so different! Not so different!” The crowd roared.”
This story is recounted by Tim Burkett in his book Nothing Holy About It.
For more information about that evening and our early fundraising efforts, see these links from David Chadwick’s Cuke.com website:
- Cuke.com page: Posters & Brochures for Fundraisers for Zen Mountain Center – 1966-67
- Original Flyer
- ZMC fundraiser brochure
- ZMC fundraiser brochure II Front Back
- WindBell devoted to ZMC fundraising
- Zen in American fundraiser brochure
Were you at the Avalon that evening in 1966? Please let us know what you remember on our Facebook and Instagram posts and we’ll share them here.
