Temple Beth El is committed to being a partner in
creating a world of shalom-peace, harmony, and balance-through Jewish worship,
study, and acts of kindness. Our mission statement reflects the Talmudic
wisdom that we are "shutafim b'ma'aseh bereshit," which translates as "partners
in creation." Our congregants are dedicated to working together to make
our world a better place.
We are committed to exploring the vitality of contemporary Jewish expression.
We have chosen to be an unaffiliated congregation in order to best serve the
spiritual needs of our diverse community. Our congregation embraces Jews
of many backgrounds and many interfaith families. In our worship services,
we celebrate the power of the Hebrew language and we use the prayer books
published by the Reconstructionist movement.
We have an active religious school program, and our youth regularly help lead
Shabbat and holiday worship. Our rabbi, Me'irah Iliinsky, provides bar and
bat mitzvah training; she has also developed an array of classes for adults
seeking to learn Hebrew and deepen their knowledge of Jewish principles and
practices.
Our energetic congregation continues to launch new social and
community-building activities. We sponsor a Jewish film festival annually,
and members have formed adult and youth Klezmer bands, a choir, and a book
club. We are developing a gift shop. We
welcome you to join us in exploring and celebrating our faith!
