Welcome to Temple Beth-El
Building a Healthy Community
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Temple Beth-El is proud to announce the addition of
a blog, which will be known as "Temple Talk" to our host of communication services.
Please come to the blog, read and share. Click on the link below for a direct route to the blog.
http://tbe-sb.org/blog
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Welcome to Temple Beth-El! I am delighted that you are interested in our congregation and its activities.  As the congregation’s rabbi I look forward to engaging with you about your potential involvement in our community. We love when our building is filled with the many wonderful occasions we enjoy – from ritual observances to life cycle celebrations to social gatherings, and especially when someone expresses an interest in joining our community. You can be part of the great joy of Temple! Now is a great time to become part of the Temple Beth-El family: for your child’s Jewish education; for your own personal fulfillment through community involvement; for finding Jewish friends in the neighborhood – Temple Beth-El can help you reach these goals. Consider yourself warmly invited to join us at one of our many upcoming activities. I hope to continue building the special relationship that I cherish with so many members of the congregation. We hope to hear from you soon. For more information about Temple Beth-El, please call, write or drop on by!
Most sincerely-
B’shalom,
Rabbi Eric J. Siroka
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September 2010
Rosh Hashana Morning Family Service
Rosh Hashana Morning Service followed by Kiddush luncheon
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by Ed Nickow Temple Chai, Long Grove, ILEv'ryone is there Standing before Adonai Covenant is made But it's not just them Future generations, too Will be bound to G-d...
by Rabbi Marla FeldmanDirector of Development, URJ Several months ago, I received a panicked email from our contact at the International Medical Corps, one of the URJ's grant recipients from...
by dcc I was recently asked by someone I very much respect to address "the" question. So I started to write the answer in a post...about five times without any luck....
by Arlene ChernowOutreach Specialist, Union for Reform Judaism Ah, the memories! The smells, the food, the cookies, the craft projects, the family decorating together, the company coming over to celebrate,...
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Jewish tradition prompts us to be mindful of time (think back a couple years ago when I said “Judaism is a clock”). That’s why holidays, anniversaries, seasons, birthdays and even Shabbat are so vital to us. This month of July, we find two significant dates to consider. On one hand, we are reminded of one of the saddest times in our history. Tisha B’av, the traditional fast day commemorating the destruction of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, falls on July 20th this year. Throughout the years, Jews have mourned this loss as well as other severe persecutions that have been perpetrated against us. The seven weeks that stretch between Tisha B’av and Rosh HaShanah are a time of renewal. We are encouraged to find comfort for the sorrows of the past, to be reassured that life is good and filled with blessing.
On the other hand, the second date I pose to you is certainly much less well-known: this coming July 17th will be somewhat of an "anniversary" for Reform Judaism. It was on this date that Israel Jacobson "organized the first Reform temple" in Seesen, Germany (and yes, this is fascinating to those of us who maintain an intense interest in Reform history). OK – so maybe this isn’t something that will come up as a question in Trivial Pursuit or on Jeopardy! Yet as modern liberal Jews, we owe it to ourselves to be aware of our own beginnings. The Reform movement has provided many gifts to Judaism through its willingness to re-create and innovate, including modernization of worship; equal opportunities for men and women in the areas of study, leadership, and involvement; and the particular focus on social justice, through which we fulfill the mitzvah of tikkun olam b’malchut shaddai, repairing the world as agents of the Divine. These are no less than the great hallmarks of our progressive understanding of Jewish tradition. And if we appreciate our origins, we can we hope to bring blessings in the days ahead. As one of our own Temple mottos states: Remember the Past, Live the Present, Trust the Future.
May this summer season be one in which you are able to make times to remember!
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