Welcome and Shalom!

Thank you for your interest in our Jewish community. Here is a snapshot of who we are and what we do (a PDF version of the information on this page is available here):

Temple Beth El was created in 1960 with the merger of Temple Beth Israel and Sinai Temple.  However, our history goes back more than one hundred years.  Our synagogue was built in 1968.  We are members of the Union for Reform Judaism (formerly UAHC).

Rabbi Bruce Kadden began his rabbinate at Temple Beth El on July 19, 2004.  He was preceded by Rabbi Mark Glickman, who was preceded by Rabbi Richard Rosenthal.

Services are held every Shabbat on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings.  Music is an important part of our worship.

The Temple Bulletin is published monthly, and lists all of our activities.

B'nai mitzvah are celebrated on Shabbat mornings. Our girls and boys mark this important event by participating in the Shabbat services of our congregation --the ongoing spiritual life of TBE.

We maintain a memorial wall of plaques commemorating our family members whose yahrzeits we remember. 

A memorial book is published annually for Yom Kippur that contains a commemorative list of relatives by their family members.  Please contact the Temple office at (253) 564-7101 for more information.

The Home of Peace Cemetery has served the Jewish community of the Pierce County area since 1891.

Social programs and other activities are held for our entire congregation, and meetings and get-togethers are also held for our seniors and youth.

Organizations include Sisterhood, Hadassah, the National Council of Jewish Women, tNFTY (National Federation of Temple Youth), the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO), and Temple Teens.  For a complete list of Temple groups and other affiliated Jewish groups, please download our "Get Involved" flier (PDF).

Tovah Ahdut, our director of religious education, plans & organizes all religious education programs.  Education programs are available for all ages:  toddlers through seniors.  Religious School is held on Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m., and Hebrew School is held on Wednesday afternoons at 4:00 p.m..  The Yad b'Yad program for high school students is held on Wednesday evenings.  The Gan preschool program is held on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings and Sunday mornings.  Adult education classes are usually held on Monday and Wednesday evenings, and Sunday mornings.  We have a library of books for adults and children.

Our active board of trustees meets monthly, and congregants are encouraged to get involved in committees.