Masks are not required but are highly recommended for all.
To keep our community healthy and avoid any service closures, we strongly recommend wearing a mask while at the temple.
High Holy Days
Erev Rosh HaShanah is coming up quickly on September 15. If you are not currently a member of TBE and haven't yet gotten your passes, please register here!
If you are a member of Temple Beth El, you should have received your pass in the mail—if you have not yet received the High Holy Day booklet containing your pass, please contact the office. If you have family members in town that would also like to attend services, or you are a member of another synagogue, please contact Olivia at olivia@tbetacoma.org for passes.
Friday: Erev Shabbat Service (Multi-access) Friday, September 8, 6:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to join us online or in person for an Erev Shabbat service led by Rabbi Gorban and Cantor Fine. Join us before the service for an oneg.
Live streaming services:
The Erev Shabbat Facebook event can be found here.
You can watch services on the TBE YouTube channel here.
The streaming player for online services can be found on our website here (click "play" and this feature will work after services begin).
Saturday: Torah Study and Shabbat Service (Multi-access) Saturday, September 9, 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
Our Saturday worship experience begins with Torah study from 9:00–9:45 a.m. This will be followed by services beginning at 10:00 a.m. (online and in person). All are invited! At the conclusion of the service, please join us in the social hall for a potluck lunch and bring a dish to share! Dishes can be pescatarian (dairy and fish allowed).
Saturday: S’lichot Program and Service (Multi-access) Saturday, September 9, 6:30 p.m. In order to do something important, we need preparation, practice, and focus. S’lichot provides an inspirational and aspirational way to begin the High Holy Day season and get us ready for Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. It gives us an opportunity to reflect, discuss, and reacquaint ourselves with the melodies and message of the Holy Days.
This year, our S'lichot program will be held on Saturday, September 9, at 6:30 p.m. As part of our program, we will view and discuss clips from the film TV show The Good Place (prior viewing not required), focusing on how we engage in the process of t’shuvah, repentance. Join us as we consider our ideas about life and death and explore how we can approach doing teshuvah. The S'lichot service will follow the discussion at approximately 7:15 p.m., and will conclude with changing our colorful Torah covers and decorations to their Holy Day whites.
Upcoming Events
Reverse Tashlich (In-person) Sunday, September 10, 9:00 a.m. Reverse Tashlich promotes a collective sense of environmental responsibility, encourages awareness of the detrimental effects of pollutions and inspires action to preserve and protect our natural resources. Incorporating Reverse Tashlich into our observance of the High Holy Days allows us to connect our spiritual and ethical values with environmental stewardship, fostering a deeper sense of interconnectedness with the world. Registration is required, and the location will be shared upon registration. Please register here. Questions? Email Madi at madi@tbetacoma.org.
Annual Home of Peace Cemetery Pilgrimage (In-person) Sunday, September 10, 11:00 a.m. The absence of our departed loved ones is particularly poignant during the High Holy Days, so Jewish tradition established a custom of visiting the graves of loved ones during this season to offer prayers of memory and love. In keeping with Jewish tradition, Rabbi Gorban and Cantor Fine will conduct a short service of remembrance at Home of Peace Cemetery on the Sunday prior to Rosh HaShanah. After the communal service, Rabbi Gorban and Cantor Fine will offer particular prayers at the graves of individual loved ones. Directions to the cemetery are available here. For questions, call the cemetery president, David Aqua, at (253) 753-3134.
Religious school Open House (In-person) Sunday, September 10, 4:00 p.m. Be our guest! Join us in preparation for Sunday school. Meet our dedicated teachers, madrichol, and explore your student’s learning spaces. Learn about new clubs and groups available for our students. Get the down low on what BBYO is and how you can become a part of it. Questions? Please contact Madi at madi@tbetacoma.org.
Save the Date
Mississippi Summer (Seattle Jewish Theater Company) Sunday, November 5, 2:00 p.m. Temple Beth El will be hosting a performance of Mississippi Summer. Written and directed by Art Feinglass, the historically based play is set in the summer of 1965 when hundreds of young volunteers traveled to Mississippi to work for civil rights. It focuses on three of those volunteers, two of them Jewish, on the outspoken local rabbi, and on a dynamic Black civil rights leader. The play will be performed by the Seattle Jewish Theater Company at Seattle and Tacoma venues, including Temple Beth El, in the fall.
Opportunities
Adult Education Registration for the fall semester of adult education here at TBE is now open! To view the course catalog and sign up for your favorite classes, please visit the adult education page of our website.
Religious School Registration Registration is now open for the 2023-2024 Religious Education Program. We're ready to embark on another year at Temple Beth El. With professionally developed curricula that dive deeply into key Jewish concepts, students will have fun learning through interactive activities, art, games, and more! Register today at https://bit.ly/3OxE5Qq.
2023-2024 Jewish Community Public Policy Priority Survey Your input and support guides their advocacy! Learn about what your Federation’s JCRC (Jewish Community Relations Council) achieved during the 2023 legislative session here. Please take a few minutes (a little more than 10) to complete this year’s survey. As you take the survey, prioritize issues on which you believe a Jewish communal voice is of paramount importance. Your answers will be critical in shaping our 2024 legislative agenda and will ensure your voice is heard in our state’s Capitol. All responses will be kept confidential, though you may choose to self-identify. If you have any questions before participating or need accommodations to participate, please contact us at jcrc@jewishinseattle.org or (206) 774-2225. Take the survey here. High Holy Day Food Drive Our annual High Holy Day Food Drive is coming up! Check out the August bulletin for full information on this year's campaign. Want to give us a head start? Kick off the food drive by making a donation to Emergency Food Network.
Our Temple Needs Your Help We are actively looking for volunteers to help greet the community during temple events and provide our first line of security at our front door. We are also looking for volunteers to help our staff prepare onegs on Friday nights or to help answer the phones during the week! Call the temple at (253) 564-7101 or email Olivia at olivia@tbetacoma.org to learn more.
If you attend Saturday services online and wish to purchase your own copy of the Mishkan T'filah (the prayer book used at our Shabbat services), the Judaica Shop has them in stock! Come and check out our new Pride items and sale table. New Year items are on sale—cards, gifts, and service items.
Submitting an event or announcement to Shabbat Shalom
If you have an item you would like included in this weekly bulletin, please email it to olivia@tbetacoma.orgby noon on Wednesday. Submissions must adhere to the guidelines, which may be found here.
For the URJ's transliteration guidelines,click here. Please note that submissions that do not follow these guidelines may not be accepted.
To have a copy of the guidelines emailed to you, simply reply to this email with a message to that effect.
