Beth Israel Center is a warm, inclusive, traditional, and egalitarian community that is affiliated with the Conservative movement. At Beth Israel Center, community is a core value. Congregants lead services, read from the Torah, and participate actively in all aspects of Jewish life. All are welcome to join us for Shabbat services every or any week, Fridays at 5:45 pm, preceded by schmoozing beginning at 5:00 pm, and Saturdays starting at 9:15 am, always followed by a kiddush lunch. We offer age-appropriate Shabbat programming for children, ages 0 to 13 during the academic year and on select Shabbatot during school vacation times.
Beth Israel Center is a joyful and intellectually stimulating community, offering a wide array of learning opportunities for adults of all knowledge levels with the goal of challenging the mind and soul while helping people feel comfortable in prayer and study. Over the years, many have enjoyed our programs: the women’s Seder, yoga, and study groups – reading Hebrew, speaking Yiddish, exploring Talmud, and learning more about the Amidah and how we understand who is a Jew. Our Tikkun Leil Shavuot brings together members of Beth Israel Center, the University, and the Jewish community to discuss everything from Shavuot menu choices to objective morality, and our visiting lecturers have included professors, philosophers, and musicians. We set our Adult Education schedule in September, so contact the Beth Israel Center office at (608) 256-7763 or office@bethisraelcenter.org or go to our website, www.bethisraelcenter.org, to see what we have planned.
We understand that the education of our children is a primary mission of our Kehila Kedosha, holy congregation, and we have a wonderful Talmud Torah for kindergarten through grade 7. Our eighth graders and high schoolers have a number of options, from our youth groups Kadima and MOUSY to the community-based Midrasha (which we house for one semester each year), to learning along with adults. We especially encourage our young adults to return to the bimah after b’nei mitzvah, and our Jake Heifetz award recognizes those post-b’nai mitzvah students who are active in learning and davening. We are committed to working for the betterment of the world and have a wide variety of social action projects. There are many social opportunities at Beth Israel Center as well, from lectures and dinners (like the fabulous Supper Quiz) to our joyous communal celebration of the Jewish Festivals.
The Beth Israel Center Talmud Torah teaches Hebrew and Jewish Studies to students in grades K through 7. Grades 3-7 meet three times per week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and grades K-2 attend school two days per week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Age-appropriate services are also offered every Saturday morning during the school year for all children up to age 13 - Talmud Torah students, visitors, and pre-schoolers. For more information about Talmud Torah, please contact education@bethisraelcenter.org.
The Women’s League of Beth Israel Center contributes to food pantries and various neighborhood centers and supports the synagogue youth groups, congregation, and library.
Beth Israel Center provides volunteers for Meals on Wheels and Porchlight. The Social Action Committee is involved in a variety of programs, working with local and national organizations.
Beth Israel Center’s AJ and Celia Rosenberg Library is open to the public and has a substantial collection of fiction, non-fiction, children’s, and reference books. The library also has liturgical learning audio tapes, audiobooks, music CDs, and a large collection of videos of Jewish interest. The library also holds an extensive collection of videos of Jewish content. For more information, contact the librarian at (608) 256-7763 ext. 15 or library@bethisraelcenter.org.
Beth Israel has kosher kitchen facilities, including separate workspaces, ranges, and ovens for meat and dairy preparation. Anyone who wishes to host a kosher function may arrange for the rental and use of the kitchen under supervision. Beth Israel Center maintains a list (available from the office, (608) 256-7763) of caterers currently active and allowed to work in the kitchens without supervision. Anyone else may work in the Beth Israel Center kitchen, so long as a mashgiach attends to oversee compliance with kashrut. (Conservative: meat and dairy.)
Please give us a call; we would love to help you get to know Beth Israel Center better.