Search Results

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 .

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley's Judaica Boutique stocks a lovely selection of cards, holiday items, candles, jewelry, mezuzahs, tallits, and other gift items. The boutique is open prior to Shabbat services on Friday evenings and by appointment during other times. Temple Beth Shalom Judaica Boutique About Us Located in Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley's main lobby, we stock a lovely selection of cards, holiday items, candles, jewelry, mezuzahs, tallits, and other gift ite ms. The Boutique is open prior to Shabbat services on Friday evenings. During the week the office staff will be happy to open the shop for your purchases. For more information, call the Temple at 623.977.3240.

On one Saturday morning of every month, a small group gathers for prayer, conversation, and good food. Sometimes we have a guitar player who leads the service with Rabbi Kaplan and we read together and sing enthusiastically. After about an hour, we make kiddush and we enjoy a potluck brunch. Saturday Morning Shabbat Service Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley has monthly informal Saturday Morning Shabbat service and discussion at 10:30 a.m. It is followed by a potluck Kiddush brunch. For more information, visit tbsaz.org.

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley's leadership includes officers and trustees. Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan Leadership Te mple Beth Shalom of the West Valley's leadership members for 2024-25 are: President: Steve Bold 1st Vice President: Warren Bentkover Vice President: Mariane Anderson Vice President: Carmen Berkowitz Vice President: Sara Jane Feldman Recording Secretary: Nan Rubin-Lieber Treasurer: Jonathan Green Financial Secretary: Rich Lieber Board Members: Bernie Arum Gloria Bold Bea Eisenberg Steve Hechler Pam Katz Russ Robbins Ellyn Ventura Sisterhood President: Roz Goldstein

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. 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.

The TBS Book Club meets by Zoom once a month. Most books are Jewish-related fiction and non-fiction. ​ TBS 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. As a special project in October 2022, the TBS Book Club had a “Golda-thon” where everyone participating discussed a book about or by Golda Meir. To join the book club, contact Pam Katz at pam@katzct.com .

Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley is hoping to start Havdalah Evening Get Togethers in the fall 2023 with a group of younger people to mark the end of Shabbat on Saturday evening with a Havdalah service. Havdalah Evening Get Togethers In the fall 2023, we started marking the end of Shabbat on Saturday evenings with a Havdalah service. We bless the multiwick candle, exotic spices and kosher French wine and then have a conversation and potluck dinner. Like the Saturday morning service, we bring together people who can bond over their shared interest in Judaism, food, music and friends. Children of all ages are welcome.

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. Shabbat Soul Temple Beth Shalom offers interfaith course about Shabbat rituals In a three-part course, Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan will cover mystical, philosophical and legal interpretations behind Sabbath practices and prayers. Persons of all faiths are invited to attend this popular interfaith series, which will be from 10-11:30 a.m. May 1, 8 and 15 at the Temple, 12202 N. 101st Ave. in Sun City. “Jews gather together every Friday night or Saturday morning to perform certain rituals and to pray and sing in honor of the Sabbath. We have heard that we receive an extra soul at the beginning of the Sabbath and return it to God after the Sabbath ends,” Kaplan said. “We sing about accompanying the Shabbat bride. And we know that the mystics went out into the fields of Sefat in order to welcome her. We see women cover their eyes and make circular hand motions before blessing the Shabbat candles.” Cost: $20 for TBS members and $35 for non-members.To register, call the Temple office at 623.977.3240 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday –Thursday. Deadline for registration and payment of course fee is noon April 29.

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. Shabbat Soul Temple Beth Shalom offers interfaith course about Shabbat rituals In a three-part course, Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan will cover mystical, philosophical and legal interpretations behind Sabbath practices and prayers. Persons of all faiths are invited to attend this popular interfaith series, which will be from 10-11:30 a.m. May 1, 8 and 15 at the Temple, 12202 N. 101st Ave. in Sun City. “Jews gather together every Friday night or Saturday morning to perform certain rituals and to pray and sing in honor of the Sabbath. We have heard that we receive an extra soul at the beginning of the Sabbath and return it to God after the Sabbath ends,” Kaplan said. “We sing about accompanying the Shabbat bride. And we know that the mystics went out into the fields of Sefat in order to welcome her. We see women cover their eyes and make circular hand motions before blessing the Shabbat candles.” Cost: $20 for TBS members and $35 for non-members.To register, call the Temple office at 623.977.3240 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday –Thursday. Deadline for registration and payment of course fee is noon April 29.

Helene Fox is synagogue administrator for Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley, a Reform Jewish congregation that provides compassionate services to Jews in Glendale, Peoria, Sun Cities, Goodyear, Buckeye, Tolleson, Litchfield Park, Surprise, El Mirage, Avondale and Waddell. Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley Staff Patti Weiner Patti Weiner is the Temple’s Office Administrator. She is a professional with extensive working knowledge of administration, human resources, marketing and accounting fields. Patti spent a majority of her life in Chicago but relocated to Arizona six years ago to be closer to family. Her husband, Jeff, and their daughter, Amanda, live in Peoria, and they love the warmer temperatures and sunshine all year-round. Patti is thrilled to be a part of the Temple family and looks forward to meeting everyone.

From canned goods to cereal, Temple Beth Shalom of the West Valley members make donations as part of the "Can Do" monthly campaign to benefit the Valley View Community Food Bank. Drop off your donations in the Temple lobby. 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. Temple members are also collecting pop tabs from aluminum cans for the Ronald McDonald House. Drop off your donations in the Temple lobby.