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Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley offers many educational opportunities for all ages, including adult education, Torah study, Bar and Bat Mitzvah, Confirmation, Religious School and Scholars-in-Residence. Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley offers many educational opportunities for all ages, including: Adult Education : We offer a variety of educational opportunities, such as a series about Judaism and humor. Torah Studies : During weekly Torah study sessions on Zoom, participants have a lively study of the weekly portion of the Torah. Religious School: We have a very small school which allows us to provide individual attention. Bar or Bat Mitzvah and Confirmation : We have a multi-year program for children to learn about Judaism, our prayers and basic Hebrew. Scholar-in Residence : Our Scholar-in-Residence have included Rabbi David Frankel from the Schechter Institute in Jerusalem. Jewish education is the teaching and transmission of the knowledge, ideas, practices, and character traits of the Jewish religion and has been valued since the birth of Judaism. In the Hebrew Bible, Abraham is lauded for instructing his offspring in God's ways. The act of study can serve as a transformative experience for us, changing the ways that we understand and interact with the world. On the third day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt, God descended in a cloud upon Mount Sinai in view of the entire Children of Israel. According to The Book of Exodus chapter 19, God began speaking directly to the people, uttering the first two of the Ten Commandments. This marked the beginning of God’s giving of the Torah to the Jewish people. The word “Torah” means the Five Books of Moses but in a broader sense it symbolizes all of the efforts of Jewish education. Torah is a framework and tradition that helps us make sense of our lives and build our own individual system of faith that can make our lives laden with spiritual significance. But for any of this to make sense and therefore provide personal as well as communal meaning, we need to study it in order to understand Torah and then be able to integrate it into our lives and absorb it into our very essence — our souls. Education

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 Dec. 2025 Nov. 2025 Oct. 2025 Sept. 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 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

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 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. New participants are always welcome to our free and lively study of the weekly portion of the Torah. Our discussions are led by Rabbi Kaplan as well as volunteers. Each week, we address essential questions from the Parsha and debate the opinions of Jewish interpreters throughout the ages. With each session we ask two basic questions: "What do es the Torah portion say about the controversial topic of the week?” and “What meaning can this portion have for us?” Please contact the TBS office to register for the discussions if you have not previously done so. Phone 623.977.3240 or email templebethshalomaz@gmail.com a nd a copy of the weekly text will be emailed to you.

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 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. 2025 Kavod Award Winners Congratulations to Meredith Weisman-Amaral and Gloria Bold, who both were honored with Kavod Awards in appreciation of their exemplary service to the congregation of Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley. They received their awards on March 7, 2025 during a special potluck dinner. Meredith volunteers to help the TBS Sisterhood in the kitchen for Oneg following Friday night services and during special events. “Volunteering at the Temple over the past 6 1/2 years has brought me joy and has provided a deep sense of connection to my faith. The Temple is a place of peace and helping people has always been of great importance to me whether I am fixing a phone app, preparing the challah for the oneg or making sure someone has a second cup of coffee just the way they like it,” she said. Gloria began volunteering at the Temple by helping with Onegs during summer months and assisting with the golf tournament. She currently is a TBS board member and chairs the Programs Committee. “My goal is to come up with several events throughout the year to increase member participation. The first Klezmer Band concert was held outdoors with a packed audience,” she said. She went from having two major events a year to having one event per month, with some programs being fundraisers and others just to socialize with other members. This year has had a higher participation rate than previously, including the Welcome Back Ice Cream Social, Fall Hoe-Down, Mahjong Tournament, Klezmer Concert, Hanukkah dinner, Nicole Pesce piano concert and the TBS Passover Seder. Recently, Gloria added the “Festival of Parties,” which kicked off in February with members taking turns hosting parties to raise money for the Temple. “I love to see people interact with one another and have fun while doing it,” Gloria said.

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley Brochure

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. Watch this video of F riday Evening Shabbat s ervices. Join us via Zoom or in-person at the Temple.

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley has a very small religious school, which allows us to provide individual attention. Our team of volunteer teachers from our community work with students under the guidance of the rabbi. Families of our religious school students are involved in the temple. Religious School Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley Religious School registration is now open Registration is open for Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley’s Religious School. Temple Beth Shalom reopened its religious school in 2023, as part of the congregation’s wish to create a multi-generational community. Students from the entire West Valley are welcome to join. There is no charge for kindergarten students. Temple Beth Shalom’s “Little Jewish Schoolhouse in the West Valley” provides both individualized and personalized instruction. There will be three grade levels: K-2, 3-6 and B’Nai Mitzvah through Confirmation held at the Temple. “We want to help each student to feel emotions related to the biblical stories and ritual acts they are learning about. Our educational experience is not just about learning facts but is centered on what those facts can and do mean for us as human beings,” said Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan. Volunteer teachers work with students under Rabbi Kaplan’s guidance. Parents will be encouraged to participate in learning with Rabbi Kaplan about the subject of the day at the same time the students are in class, creating an opportunity for family interactions regarding the material. “We provide an engaging and inspirational learning environment for our students,” said Sandra Sas, Religious School director. Families of religious school students are actively involved in the religious and social life of the Temple, including attending services on Friday nights. “Our Temple is committed to providing a warm and caring environment for all students to explore their spirituality. We hope to inspire each student to develop a love of Jewish learning and provide the opportunity for them to participate actively in Jewish ritual and holiday observances. Our curriculum also includes Jewish prayers, Hebrew, the Bible and contemporary Jewish life,”Rabbi Kaplan added. For further information, please contact the TBS office at 623.977.3240 or templebethshalomaz@gmail.com , or go to tbsaz.org .

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.

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 . October 2025 November 2025 December 2025

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 5786 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. 2025/5786 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 2025 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 . 2025 High Holy Days Services Schedule * Ending times are approximate Saturday, Sept. 13 Pre-Selichot Oneg and Discussion: 5 p.m. Service: 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22 Erev Rosh Hashanah: 7-9:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23 Rosh Hashanah Morning Service: 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26 Tashlich service in the TBS Biblical Gardens: 5 p.m. Potluck dinner: 5:30 p.m (Call the Temple at 623.977.3240 to register.) Shabbat service: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 1 Kol Nidre: 7-9:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2 Yom Kippur Morning Service: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Yizkor Service: 3:30-4:15 p.m. Yom Kippur Afternoon Service and Neilah (Concluding) Service: 4:30-6:15 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.

All women Temple Shalom of the West Valley members are invited to join the Sisterhood. First-year Temple members receive a complimentary membership to Sisterhood. TBS Sisterhood All women Temple members are invited to join the Sisterhood. First-year Temple members receive a complimentary membership to Sisterhood. WE:  Are a group of Jewish women supporting our Temple.  Are an active, friendly group offering many opportunities for women.  Share our many talents and interests.  Provide activities that enable caring and bonding experiences.  Maintain the Judaica Boutique .  Send Yahrzeit reminders.  Provide Bereavement “Meal of Consolation.”  Raise funds all year to benefit Temple Beth Shalom through our many activities.  Meet the third Monday of each month from October through May.  Sponsor the Oneg Shabbat after the Friday night service. Dues are $25 per year. For more information, contact the Temple at 623.977.3240 or email the Sisterhood at tbssisterhoodconnection@gmail.com .