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Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley is a Reform Jewish congregation serving the West Valley, all the Sun Cities, and Avondale, Buckeye, El Mirage, Glendale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Peoria, Surprise and Tolleson, Tonopah, Waddell and Youngtown. Everyone is invited to join our congregation. 2026 Kavod Award Winners Two Temple Beth Shalom members receive Kavod awards Carmen Berkowitz and Jon Green were honored on May 1 with prestigious Kavod Awards in appreciation of their exemplary service to Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley in Sun City. The annual Kavod Award honors individuals whose service and dedication strengthen the Temple community. Berkowitz was selected for the Kavod Award because of her many years of volunteering on several committees and serving on the Board of Directors. She currently is a Board Vice President and has chaired the Membership Committee for many years. “As Membership Chair, I have had the opportunity to meet many people and inform them about our very friendly congregation, our very talented Cantor and our scholarly, friendly and, sometimes, humorous Rabbi,” Berkowitz said. Green is an essential part of the Temple’s leadership and currently serves as Board treasurer. He’s active in the Brotherhood and he plays a key role in overseeing the Temple’s Arizona and Homeland Security grants. “My goal is to help our congregation succeed in our mission of well-representing the Jewish population here in the West Valley,” he said.

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. High Holy Days 5787 PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE Join Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley for uplifting High Holy Days services Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley is welcoming non-members to participate in its beautiful High Holy Days services. Cost to attend all services will be $250 per person for non-members, and tickets are required for all events. Tickets will not be sold at the door. Partial service tickets will not be available. Reservations can be made by calling the Temple office at 623.977.3240 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Tickets can be purchased online by going to the Temple's Zeffy account . Call the Temple office to learn how to make an online purchase. High Holy Days services will be conducted by Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan and Cantor Baruch Koritan. Rosh Hashanah starts on Sept. 11 and commemorates the creation of the world and marks the beginning of the Days of Awe, a 10-day period of introspection and repentance that culminates on Sept. 21 in the Yom Kippur holiday, also known as the Day of Atonement. For security reasons, tickets must be presented for admittance to all services and are non-transferrable. Doors will be locked 15 minutes after services begin. 2026/5787 High Holy Day Services Schedule Join us for the uplifting and beautiful High Holy Days services conducted by Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan and Cantor Baruch Koritan at Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley, 12202 N. 101st Ave., Sun City. Tickets are required for all events. Available for Non-Member Guests Tickets for 2026 High Holy Day Services are available to non-members. Contact the Temple office at 623.977.3240 from 9:30 a.m.– 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday to arrange to purchase non-member tickets, which cost $250 per person. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Tickets will not be sold at the door and partial tickets are not available. Questions? Email the Temple office at templebethshalomaz@gmail.com . (Ending times are approximate) Saturday, Sept. 5 Selichot: 6 p.m. (Dinner followed by a discussion and service) Friday, Sept. 11 Erev Rosh Hashanah: 7-9:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12 Rosh Hashanah Morning Service: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18 Taschlich: 5:30 p.m. Potluck dinner at 5:45 p.m. and Friday Night Services at 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20 Kol Nidre: 7-9:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21 Yom Kippur Morning Service: 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Yizkor follows immediately after Morning Service Yom Kippur Afternoon Service: 4-5:30 p.m. Neilah (Concluding) Service follows immediately after Afternoon Service Sisterhood Break the Fast meal: Following the Neilah Service (Call the Temple office for tickets.) For security reasons, tickets must be presented for admittance to all services and are non-transferrable. Doors will be locked 15 minutes after services begin.

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. High Holy Days 5787 Preparing Our Heads and Hearts for the High Holy Days Message from Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan, Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley, Sun City, Arizona As the days of Elul draw us closer to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we enter a sacred time of reflection, renewal, and return. The High Holy Days are not simply holidays marked on a calendar — they are opportunities to pause, to listen inwardly, and to realign our lives with our deepest values. The High Holy Days give us an opportunity to reconnect with Judaism. Our Temple is devoted to helping people to do the thinking and feeling work that we need to do to make ourselves more thoughtful and more in touch with their emotions. While we may be located in Sun City, we reach out to the entire West Valley, an area with possibly as many as 20,000 people of Jewish origin, almost all of whom are unaffiliated. We do our best to meet the spiritual needs of people of all ages as well as all backgrounds. Rosh Hashanah, the birthday of the world, invites us to begin again. It is a time to ask: Who have I been this past year? Whom have I hurt? Where have I grown? We offer courses based on positive psychology which are designed to help us to reach our full human potential. We sound the shofar not only to wake ourselves from spiritual slumber, but to remind ourselves that change is possible — even now, even for us. While acquiring material objects has its place in life, Judaism teaches us that there is much more. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, offers us the courage to face our mistakes with honesty and compassion. It is not about pointless guilt but about meaningful emotional growth. Teshuvah — returning to the person we are meant to be — is the work of the season. It requires humility, accountability, forgiveness and/or Letting Go, both from ourselves and from others. Many of us have walked long paths in life, and yet the High Holy Days remind us that renewal is always within reach. No matter our age or stage, our souls are still unfolding. Let us approach these days with open hearts, with sincerity in prayer, and with a readiness to heal relationships — with family, with community, and with God. May this season uplift us, inspire us, and guide us toward a sweeter, more compassionate new year. Shanah Tovah U’Metukah — a good and sweet year to you all. 2026/5787 High Holy Day Services Schedule Join us for the uplifting and beautiful High Holy Days services conducted by Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan and Cantor Baruch Koritan at Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley, 12202 N. 101st Ave., Sun City. Tickets are required for all events. Available for Non-Member Guests Tickets for 2026 High Holy Day Services are available to non-members. Contact the Temple office at 623.977.3240 from 9:30 a.m.– 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday to arrange to purchase non-member tickets, which cost $250 per person. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Tickets will not be sold at the door. Questions? Email the Temple office at templebethshalomaz@gmail.com . * Ending times are approximate Friday, Sept. 11 Erev Rosh Hashanah: 7-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12 Rosh Hashanah Morning Service: 10 a.m.-Noon Sunday, Sept. 20 Kol Nidre: 7-9 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21 Yom Kippur Morning Service: 10 a.m.-Noon Yizkor Service: 1-1:45 p.m. Yom Kippur Afternoon Service: 4-5:15 p.m. Neilah (Concluding) Service: 5:15-6:30 p.m. For security reasons, tickets must be presented for admittance to all services and are non-transferrable. Doors will be locked 15 minutes after services begin.

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley offers something for everyone, including the weekly study of Torah with Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan, a four-week class on Kabbalah, or an interfaith study open to Jewish and non-Jewish members of the West Valley, or a Scholar-in-residence speaker on the Holocaust. Ancient Biblical Interpretation “Ancient Biblical Interpretation” is a new weekly study group which will be led by Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan meeting weekly from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays beginning Sept. 3. Using James Kugel’s “The Bible As it Was” as a text, the participants will discuss how the earliest interpreters of the scriptures radically transformed the Torah and made it into the document that has come down to us today. The course is designed for persons willing to make an on-going commitment to study. Using biblical stories we know well, we will ask how and why the writers of this formative age of interpretation – roughly 200 B.C.E. to 150 C.E. – assumed such a significant role. Mining their writings – including the Dead Sea Scrolls, works of Philo and Josephus and letters of the Apostle Paul, and writing of the Apostolic Fathers and the rabbinic Sages – we will read short selections from the actual texts that uncover this crucial interpretive process. Going over every detail in the Torah’s stories, prophecies, and laws, these interpreters let their own theological and imaginative inclinations radically transform the Bible’s very nature. Their sometimes surprising interpretations soon became the generally accepted meaning. These interpretations, and not the mere words of the text, became the Torah. New participants may join any time. Participants will need to provide a personal copy of Kugel’s book – “The Bible as it Was” and a copy of the Bible. The cost for the course is $20 per person per month for Temple members and $35 for non-members, or one coupon per month. Payment is required at the beginning of each month. Contact the Temple Office at 623.977.3240 or templebethshalomaz@gmail.com t o sign up for the course, purchase coupon books (if desired) and make payment before Sept. 3.

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley's Social Action Committee provides members with a vehicle for working together as a community to try to help the lives of others. It is a very important Mitzvah that we should all participate in. To be a devoted Reform Jew is to make the world a better place. Social Action For over 150 years, Reform Judaism in America has placed emphasis on social justice, based on our ancient mandate of tzedek, tzedek tirdof - “justice, justice shall you pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:20). Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley's Social Action Committee provides us with a vehicle for working together as a community to try to help the lives of at least a few people. Therefore, it is a very important Mitzvah that we should all participate in. We have been supporters of the Valley View Community Food Bank (VVCFB) in Sun City since it was founded in 2007. While donating food is always a necessity for the growing number of residents of the West Valley who are food insecure, we support the VVCFB in other ways as well. For a full year during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, in each week of the month, a quarter of our members pledged to financially support the VVCFB due to the exceptionally higher demand for services from this invaluable social service agency. In 2022 and 2023, we have featured the “Item of the Month” program. Our members are asked to bring a specific item to Friday Shabbat services that changes every month. We bring canned fruit, pasta and rice, canned meats, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and – lest we forget that almost everyone needs a pet – we also bring pet food one month.

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley is a Reform Jewish congregation serving the West Valley, all the Sun Cities, and Avondale, Buckeye, El Mirage, Glendale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Peoria, Surprise and Tolleson, Tonopah, Waddell and Youngtown. Everyone is invited to join our congregation. Become a Member Fill Out TBS New Member Application We invite EVERYONE – Individuals, couples, and families – to be a part of our congregation. At Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley, we celebrate Shabbat together, study Torah together, volunteer for social action projects together, and connect to Israel through food, wine, and folklore. We are a Reform Jewish congregation serving the entire West Valley, all the Sun Cities, and Avondale, Buckeye, El Mirage, Glendale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Peoria, Surprise and Tolleson, Tonopah, Waddell and Youngtown. Whether you are single or partnered, were born Jewish, are a Jew-by-Choice, in an interfaith family or are thinking about or interested in Judaism … there is a place for you to join our temple family. Worship with our rabbi and our cantor as we celebrate Shabbat with inspiring Friday night services at 7 p.m. Following services, we flock to the social hall for an Oneg. Join us for our monthly Saturday morning informal Shabbat with guitar service and a potluck brunch in a member’s home. With great joy we celebrate the holidays of the Jewish calendar from Sukkot to Chanukah and Purim to Passover. Come and visit … and stay! We’d love to hear from you! There’s a place here that only you can fill. Join Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan and Temple volunteers for the weekly Torah Study on Zoom. Contact the Temple office at 623.977.3240 for more information. Watch videos of F riday Evening Shabbat s ervices on Temple Beth Shalom's YouTube channel .

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. Thanksgiving Interfaith Service Please fill out RSVP Form Read Rabbi Kaplan's blog, "An Interfaith Thanksgiving of Gratitude" Join us for Thanksgiving interfaith service on Nov. 21 Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley is hosting a Thanksgiving interfaith service at 7 p.m. Nov. 21 at the Temple, 12202 N. 101st Ave. in Sun City. Temple Beth Shalom’s Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan and Cantor Baruch Koritan will be joined by clergy from Sun City churches who will be sharing Thanksgiving messages. They include Rev. Ann Utke, interim minister of First Presbyterian Church; Rev. Mark J. Makowski, associate pastor of The Church of the Palms; Pastor Greg Emery, Faith Presbyterian Church; and Rev. John Maroni of Shepherd, Desert Lutheran Church. For security reasons, no purses or bags will be allowed unless they are clear and baggies will be provided for wallets, cellphones and keys.

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley hosts scholars-in-residence, including Rabbi David Frankel from the Schechter Institute in Jerusalem and Helen Schwartz, who has lectured and written about stolen French art by the Nazis during World War II. Scholar-In-Residence Professor Rabbi David Frankel from the Schechter Institute in Jerusalem was Temple Beth Shalom's Scholar-in-Residence in November 2022. He spoke about "How Can We Cope with Evil and Suffering?" He is an internationally known scholar, and teaches M.A. and rabbinical students at the Schechter Institute. He is the author of "The Murmuring Stories of the Priestly School" and "Land of Canaan and the Destiny of Israel." Helen Schwartz , who has lectured and written about stolen French art by the Nazis during World War II, spoke at Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley in April 2023. Helen, a retired Indiana University English professor, has written several books, including her historical thriller, “Thieves of Paris.” She has lectured at universities, community centers, synagogues and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley's Torah discussions are held every Wednesday on Zoom. Known as the "people of the book", Jews value education, and the value of education is strongly embedded in Jewish culture. Our discussions are led by Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan as well as volunteers. Torah Discussion on Zoom Torah discussions are held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Wednesday on Zoom. Known as the "people of the book", Jews value education, and the value of education is strongly embedded in Jewish culture. Join Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan for a stimulating weekly exploration of the Torah, the foundational text of Judaism and one of the most influential books in human history. This study group is intended for beginners with no previous background and is conducted online through Zoom. You can join from anywhere with a WiFi connection. Everyone has the opportunity to speak and people from all backgrounds are welcome to join. Our beloved Steve Siegel is the devoted coordinator. Each session focuses on the weekly Torah portion (parashat ha-shavua), combining close reading of the biblical text with insights from classical Jewish commentators and once in a while from modern scholarship. Together, we will examine the enduring questions that the Torah raises about God, morality, community, justice, and the purpose of human life. Whether you are a longtime student of Judaism or opening the Torah for the first time, this class offers an engaging and accessible opportunity to deepen your understanding of the Jewish tradition. Our discussions are thoughtful, interactive and intellectually rich, showing how ancient teachings continue to speak powerfully to contemporary concerns. Participants will gain a greater appreciation for the wisdom of the Torah and discover new ways to connect its timeless messages to their own lives. Please contact the TBS office at 623.977.3240 to register for the discussions if you have not previously done so.

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley is a Reform congregation serving the entire West Valley, all the Sun Cities, and Avondale, Buckeye, El Mirage, Glendale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Peoria, Surprise and Tolleson, Tonopah, Waddell and Youngtown. Everyone is invited to join our congregation. Become a Member Fill Out TBS New Member Application We invite EVERYONE – Individuals, couples, and families – to be a part of our congregation. At Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley, we celebrate Shabbat together, study Torah together, volunteer for social action projects together, and connect to Israel through food, wine, and folklore. We are a Reform congregation serving the entire West Valley, all the Sun Cities, and Avondale, Buckeye, El Mirage, Glendale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Peoria, Surprise and Tolleson, Tonopah, Waddell and Youngtown. Whether you are single or partnered, were born Jewish, are a Jew-by-Choice, in an interfaith family or are thinking about or interested in Judaism … there is a place for you to join our temple family. Worship with our rabbi and our cantor as we celebrate Shabbat with inspiring Friday night services at 7 p.m. Following services, we flock to the social hall for an Oneg. Join us for our monthly Saturday morning informal Shabbat with guitar service and a potluck brunch in a member’s home. With great joy we celebrate the holidays of the Jewish calendar from Sukkot to Chanukah and Purim to Passover. Come and visit … and stay! We’d love to hear from you! There’s a place here that only you can fill. Join Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan and Temple volunteers for the weekly Torah Study on Zoom. Contact the Temple office at 623.977.3240 for more information. View live streaming of Shabbat services and past services on Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley's YouTube channel View live streaming of Shabbat services and past services on Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley's YouTube channel

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley offers something for everyone, including the weekly study of Torah with Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan, a four-week class on Kabbalah, or an interfaith study open to Jewish and non-Jewish members of the West Valley, or a Scholar-in-residence speaker on the Holocaust. Adult Education Lifelong learning is a cornerstone of Reform Judaism. At Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley, we provide a variety of opportunities to assist our members in finding educational offerings that meet the varying needs of our members. Whether it be the weekly study of Torah with Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan, a four-week class on Kabbalah, a participative program to enable learners to identify the meaning of God on a personal level, or an interfaith study of “Rabbi Jesus” open to Jewish and non-Jewish members of the West Valley, or a scholar-in-residence who spoke on the theft of art from the Jews of France during the Holocaust, we offer something for everyone. The Adult Education Committee and Rabbi Kaplan develop course offerings For most months, there will be two courses on Monday mornings and Thursday afternoons, and there will be a few "extras" added here and there. We will also be introducing a new weekly study group for the serious learner which will focus on God. All our courses are open to TBS members and non-members, whether the non-member is Jewish or a member of another religion.

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.