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Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley celebrates Shabbat every Friday night with a joyous service at about 7 p.m. to about 8:15 p.m., led by Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan and Cantor Baruch Koritan, followed by a Oneg. Most prayers are in English so a worshiper with minimal Hebrew can participate actively. Friday Night Shabbat Services Watch Friday May 2nd Shabbat Service Watch previous Friday Evening Shabbat services on Temple Beth Shalom's YouTube channel. Join us via Zoom or sign up to attend services at the Temple by calling 623.977.3240. We celebrate Shabbat every Friday night with a joyous service at about 7 p.m. which runs to about 8:15 p.m., followed by an Oneg. Our Shabbat services are led by Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan and Cantor Baruch Koritan. Most of the prayers we read are in English so a worshiper with minimal Hebrew should be able to participate actively. Many of the prayers that are sung are in Hebrew and our prayer book provides transliterations of 100% of them. The services are snappy and upbeat. We want to pray to God with reverence and sincerity but we also want to mix in a little bit of levity and humor. We read the Torah every Friday night. Sometimes the rabbi reads a short excerpt and simultaneously translates it into English, while at other times he attempts to chant and summarizes the biblical story after finishing. We have a Torah processional preceding the reading and the rabbi likes to give one of our two smaller Torahs to children to carry around the sanctuary. The rabbi speaks extemporaneously from notes rather than reading from a prepared text. He likes to come down from the bimah to better communicate and interact with all of us in the pews. Sometimes he engages us extensively in discussion and other times he delivers remarks stressing a particular point about Judaism and connecting it to the contemporary world. We sing Debbie Friedman’s Misheberach song every Friday night as part of our regular prayers for healing. Some of us may believe God can heal us and others may believe that marshaling the combined spiritual power of many people can create miracles. Either way, we want to focus our thoughts and bring forth our emotions in a determined effort to bring healing and wholeness to our friends and family, our community and nation, and ourselves as well.

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley's weekly Friday Shabbat service using the Reform Mishkan T’filah prayer book is led by Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan and Cantor Baruch Koritan. One Saturday morning a month, a small group meet for an informal participatory Shabbat service lead by Rabbi Kaplan. Prayer Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley's weekly Friday Shabbat service using the Reform Mishkan T’filah prayer book provides our worshipers with an opportunity to set aside sacred time for engaging with God through prayer and reflection – spoken and sung – and the reading of the Torah. Led by Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan and Cantor Baruch Koritan, our members are afforded the opportunity to participate in the service through reading prayers, blessing the lighting of the Shabbat candles, reciting the blessings before and after the reading of the Torah, or carrying the Torah during the Torah service. Services begin at 7 p.m. throughout the year. One Saturday morning a month, a small group meets at a member’s home for an informal participatory Shabbat service lead by Rabbi Kaplan. A guitarist sometimes accompanies Rabbi Kaplan during services. The service includes an abbreviated Shabbat liturgy, readings, and singing, followed by a potluck brunch and socializing. Watch May 2nd Shabbat Service

The Shofar is Temple Beth Shalom' of the West Valley's monthly newsletter detailing important information on Temple events. Shofar Monthly Newsletters The Shofar is our monthly newsletter detailing important information on Temple events. Check out TBS happenings. Read archived Shofar issues . March 2025 April 2025 May 2025

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley, 12201 N. 101st Ave. in Sun City, Arizona is a caring Jewish Reform Synagogue led by Rabbi Dana Kaplan. We connect to people in a meaningful, generous and mature manner with as much warmth and kindness as possible. Welcome to Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley Come as you are. Discover who you are. We are a caring and compassionate Reform Jewish congregation. We connect to people in a meaningful, generous and mature manner with as much warmth and kindness as possible. We serve the entire West Valley, including all the Sun Cities, Avondale, Buckeye, El Mirage, Glendale, Peoria, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Surprise, Tolleson, Tonopah, Youngtown and Waddell. Watch Friday May 2nd Shabbat Service on YouTube Interfaith service commemorates Holocaust Remembrance Day Register for May course about resilence Explore Shabbat rituals in May course See how you can help with our Community campaigns Stand in Solidarity with Israel: How you can help PRAY WITH US Join us for Friday evening Shabbat services and monthly Saturday morning services. Read More EVENTS Come celebrate Jewish holidays with us and join the fun with special events like hoedowns. Read More EDUCATION Learn with us through our adult education, religious school and scholar-in-residence programs. Read More About Become a Member Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley invites EVERYONE — Individuals, couples, and families — to be a part of our congregation. Fill Out TBS New Member Application Learn More Donations Through our portal, you can make a donation in honor of a Yahrzeit, an anniversary, birthday or another special occasion. Your support is greatly appreciated. Donate Now

The Shofar is Temple Beth Shalom' of the West Valley's monthly newsletter detailing important information on Temple events. Archived Shofar Monthly Newsletters Here are archived issues of Shofar, Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley's monthly newsletter. 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 Feb. 2025 Jan. 2025 2024 Dec. 2024 Nov. 2024 Oct. 2024 Sept. 2024 Aug. 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 J anuary 2024 2023 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 2022 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022

At Temple Beth Shalom, we celebrate Jewish religious holidays like Passover with meaningful rituals. We also commemorate national holidays like Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Thanksgiving. On Christmas Eve, we sometimes go out to a Chinese restaurant in Jewish fashion. TEMPLE BETH SHALOM OF THE WEST VALLEY's INTERFAITH SERVICE COMMEMORATES HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY More than 175 people from different faiths joined in prayer during the Yom HaShoah Holocaust Remembrance Service at Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley on April 24 to commemorate the 6 million Jews and others who were murdered during the Holocaust in Nazi Germany. Six yahrzeit candles were lit in memory of those who perished. Keynote speaker and TBS member Nancy Urbach spoke about how her family in Nashville, Tennessee had rescued 200 family and friends from Nazi Germany in the late 1930s until the American Consulate had to shut down. TBS members Minia Kalish, Shirley Beaser and Monica Arum each spoke about their parents who had survived the Holocaust. Temple Beth Shalom Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan and Cantor Baruch Koritan led the interfaith service. Clergy from many faiths shared prayers and messages, including Senior Pastor Bill Bjork, Grace Bible Church in Sun City; Pastor Greg Emery, Faith Presbyterian Church in Sun City; Rabbi Jeff Lipschultz; Rev. Julie O'Brien, Peace Lutheran Church in Peoria; Father David Halm, St. John Vianney Church in Goodyear; Rabbi Mindie Snyder, Pastor James Rausch, First Presbyterian Church in Peoria and Bruce Scott, The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry Mobilization Director.

To be a devoted Reform Jew is to do many things. One of the most important is to work toward making the world a better place. Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley's Social Action Committee enables us to work together as a community to try to help the lives of at least a few people. Social Activities To be a devoted Reform Jew is to do many things. One of the most important is to work toward making th e world a better place. Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley offers many ways to make new friends, celebrate and support one another through good times and bad, and volunteer to help the Temple and the entire community. So cial Action Committee : We work together as a community to try to help the lives of at least a few people. For example, we have been supporters of the Valley View Community Food Bank in Sun City since it was founded in 2007. Brotherhood: Our Brotherhood was established in 1979 at Temple Beth Shalom to promote fellowship and service to the Temple. Toward that goal, the Brotherhood sponsors Temple fundraisers and social events. Sisterhood : All women Temple members are invited to join the Sisterhood. First-year Temple members receive a complimentary membership to Sisterhood. Chavurah: Temple Beth Shalom members with similar interests get together to share communal activities and Jewish learning. Community Projects : From canned goods to cereal, Temple members make donations as part of the "Can Do" monthly campaign to benefit the Valley View Community Food Bank. Caring Committee: Our Caring Committee specializes in building connections with our congregants and their immediate family members during times of health crisis and beyond. Book Club : The TBS Book Club meets by Zoom the third Wednesday of the month at 2 p.m. Most books are Jewish-related fiction and non-fiction, but not always. Grief Group : Are you experiencing grief or depression? The grief group meets monthly (except during the summer) at the Temple for all members and non-members. For more information, the Temple office at 623.977.3240. A Jewis h Community for a Better You and a Better Worl d

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley's service guide provides access to the music and teachings of our service. Our prayer book, Mishkan T’filah, can also be accessed by clicking the button on the web page. Service Guide Our service guide provides constant access to the music and teachings of our service. Our prayer book, Mishkan T’filah, can also be accessed by clicking the button. Follow the entire service or select individual parts of service by clicking on the links. View Our Shabbat Prayer Book Here Watch a Recent Shabbat Service

Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan, Cantor Baruch Koritan and Temple Beth Shalom proudly open their arms to all in the West Valley who may be interested in Jewish approaches to spirituality and community. We are a caring and compassionate Reform Jewish congregation. Rabbi Holocaust Torah This Czech Memorla Sifre Torah is on loan to Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley. Describe your image Holocaust Torah This Czech Memorla Sifre Torah is on loan to Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley. 1/14 Our Holocaust Torah Scroll Our Holocaust Torah is a “saved scroll”, recovered after World War II from a destroyed community in Europe. We have become shomrim (guardians) of this Torah and we are honored to have it in our congregation. It is housed inside our ark and is used during services and special celebrations. Our scroll comes from the Memorial Scrolls Trust, MST #1234, (the repository for saved scrolls) at the Westminster Synagogue in London, England. It was recorded by the Jewish Museum in Prague as having been collected from Caslav-Kolin. It is an Orphan scroll form an unknown town in Bhoemia and Moravia. For more information see “The Jewish Sights of Bohemia and Moravia” by Jiri Fiedler, published in 1991. The author notes the following: Caslav is a town in Bohemia, 70km ESE of Prague. Up to the mid-19th century only one Jewish family was allowed to reside in Caslav. When the Jews were granted civic equality under law in the mid-19th century, Jews from the neighboring villages started to move to Caslav. Temple Beth Shalom member Lee Shedroff visited the Synagogue in Caslav when it was restored in 2012. Lee was the caretaker of a small scroll, which he returned to the Memorial Scrolls Trust in London in 2024. The small scroll had been used during Temple Beth Shalom special events over the years. Czech Holocaust Celebratory 60-Year Commemoration Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image Describe your image 1/3 Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley members participated in the Czech Holocaust Torah Celebratory Commemoration in 2024 at the Culver Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center in downtown Phoenix. Temple Beth Shalom's Czech torah was part of the commemoration along with members of other synagogues and their Czech torahs. The Czech scrolls are survivors and silent witnesses. They represent not only the lost communities of Bohemia and Moravia but all those who perished in the Shoah. The commemoration marked 60 years since the torahs were rescued from a warehouse in Prague and sent to London's Westminster Synagogue. About the Memorial Scrolls Trust The Memorial Scrolls Trust is responsible for 1,564 Czech Torah scrolls worldwide. These torahs were gathered from synagogues throughout the region by Nazi officials. The scrolls were rescued from the Holocaust by the Prague Jewish community and were brought to Westminster Synagogue, London, in 1964. Today, thanks to the work of the Memorial Scrolls Trust, these scrolls have been allocated on permanent or long term loan to synagogues, and take a message of hope, continuity and resilience to every corner of the globe.The Trust is a global center for learning, remembrance, and community. For more information, visit www.memorialscrollstrust.org . View the Nazi Transport List of the Caslav Jewish population to Terezin. Click on the image below to view a slideshow with four pages of names. Caslav Transport List Pg. 1 This is a list of people who were transported from Kolin during the Holocaust. Caslav Transport List Page 2 This is a list of people who were transported from Kolin during the Holocaust. Caslav Transport List Pg. 4 This is a list of people who were transported from Kolin during the Holocaust. Caslav Transport List Pg. 1 This is a list of people who were transported from Kolin during the Holocaust. 1/4

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Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley's Hy Mandell Biblical Gardens has plants and trees noted in the Bible. Trees include fig trees, a large carob, almond, citron, henna, acacia, olive trees, Aleppo pines, pomegranate and frankincense. Plants include a rose garden, myrtle bushes and cassia bushes. Hy Mandell Biblical Garden Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley's Biblical Garden were created by member Hy Mandell. The Garden has trees and plants which are noted in the Bible. Trees include fig trees, a large carob, almond, citron, henna, acacia, olive trees, Aleppo pines, pomegranate and frankincense. Plants include a rose garden, myrtle bushes, cassia bushes, cedar, rosemary, agave and aloe. In addition, there is an arbor with rose bushes and a Jacob’s ladder. A slate path leads around the Garden with “stepping stones” covered with stain glass art work created by congregants. A highlight of the Garden is that each tree or plant also has a plaque labeling the plant plus the Biblical reference in English and Hebrew. A geniza vault was added by Hy to the Garden for the proper burial of older, unusable books and artifacts. Adjacent to the Garden is the Sukkah frame. Every Sukkot, the Brotherhood places palm fronds on the top of the Sukkah and the religious school students decorate it. The Garden was used by the religious school for gatherings. Their students added plants to the herb garden. Over the years, the Garden has been maintained by members of the congregation. Pam Katz is the Garden's “Guardian.” She helps with the tree trimming, raking and handiwork by fellow congregants.

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley's Bar and Bat Mitzvah program for children is a multi-year program based on a commitment by parents and the child to engage in worship and study resulting in a public demonstration of what the child has learned about Judaism, our prayers, and basic Hebrew. Bar/Bat Mitzvah Confirmation About While providing a course of study for a child to become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah after age 13 is a basic religious education program at TBS, like many other Reform congregations we also recognize that many of our adult members never had the opportunity to become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah as a child. Our program for children is a multi-year program based on a commitment by the parents and the child to engage in worship and study that results in a public demonstration to the congregation of what the child has learned about Judaism, our prayers, and basic Hebrew in order to become a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. However, the commitment does not end there: it extends for another two years of a different type of learning in order to prepare the youth for Confirmation. The adult B'nai Mitzvah program is a one-year program of concentrated study similar to that of the children, but with different texts and individual study. This one-year program culminates with a service at which time each adult who completes the program becomes a Bar or Bat Mitzvah.