Congregation Beth Israel

Sisterhood's Hash It Out with Rabbi Foster
2018-11-29 18:00 - 19:00 UTC | The Margolis Gallery, 5600 North Braeswood Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77096, United States

MBJLC Chanukah Program
2018-12-02 09:30 - 12:00 | Levit Hall, 5600 North Braeswood Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77096, United States

Prophets Class with Rabbi Lyon Pt. 2
2018-12-04 19:00 - 20:30 | Finger Board Room, 5600 North Braeswood Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77096, United States

Shabbat Chanukah Service
2018-12-07 18:30 - 19:30 | Congregation Beth Israel, 5600 North Braeswood, Houston, TX, 77096, United States
Join us in the Sanctuary on Friday, December 7th at 6:30pm for our traditional Shabbat Chanukah Service. We welcome our Beth Israel family to come together as a community as we light the Maltz Menorah and celebrate this festive holiday. The night would not be complete without dreidel games, latkes, and delightful Chanukah music!
All MBJLC students are invited to join the MBJLC Jammers, the Shlenker STARs and CORE on the bimah!
Don’t miss this special opportunity for the students to perform the powerful, uplifting “mash-up,” L’dor Vador and Lean on Me, which they’ve been learning all year. We look forward to singing with you at this fun and engaging family-friendly service for the whole congregation!

Shabbat Shindig
2018-12-15 10:00 - 12:00
SHABBAT SHINDIG
Children ages 0-7 are invited to bring their parents, grandparents, and siblings to Congregation Beth Israel for a fun morning of song, food, and activities! Thank you to our hosts, Lauren and Marc Sancton! For more information and to RSVP, please contact Rebecca Ramsey, (713) 271-7369.

What is Shabbat Shindig?
One Saturday Morning a month, at 10:00am, infants through age seven and their families are invited to join us for a bagel breakfast, singing, and a combination of prayer and play. After the program, there are age-appropriate activities and playground time. We play outside on the preschool playground or, if it is cold and/or rainy, we’re indoors in Levit Hall. Come in your play clothes for a fun Saturday morning!
Click here to view our Family Programming page.

Shabbat Morning Service
2018-12-15 11:00 - 12:30 | Gordon Chapel, 5600 North Braeswood Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77096, United States

Family Matters
2018-12-16 10:15 - 11:30 | The Margolis Gallery, 5600 North Braeswood Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77096, United States
Engaging Discussions on Parenting Jewishly
Have you considered how Judaism and parenthood intersect? Join us over breakfast and coffee each month as we answer this very question.
Our clergy and esteemed guest speakers will spark dialogue among MBJLC parents through a dynamic series of guided discussions. Come be a part of this exciting, free adult education program, and learn how timeless Jewish values can positively impact your family today. Sessions take place Sunday mornings at 10:15am in the Margolis Gallery while MBJLC children learn right down the hall!

October 14th: “Unplugging to Recharge: Shabbat as a Family Lifeline” Dr. Miriam Heller Stern, Scholar-in-Residence
November 11th: “Living the Values of Modern Jewish Heroes” Mackenzie Haun, ISJL Fellow
December 16th: “Raising Jewish Teenagers” Rabbi David Lyon, Senior Rabbi
January 27th: “How to Talk to Your Children About Israel” Sarah Tuttle-Singer, Scholar-in-Residence

Gun Safety Vigil
2018-12-16 16:00 - 17:30 | Trinity United Methodist Church, 2600 Holman St, Houston, TX, 77004, United States
We invite you to join the community in marking the 6th anniversary of the Sandy Hook school shooting with a Gun Safety Vigil (4:00-5:30pm, Trinity United Methodist Church, 2600 Holman St). Police Chief Art Acevedo will speak, along with our clergy and other community leaders. This event is co-sponsored by The Metropolitan Organization (TMO), Trinity United Methodist Church and the Southwest Ministerial Association.
For more information, contact Lisa Stone.

Kids' Meals
2018-12-19 09:30 - 11:00 | The Margolis Gallery, 5600 North Braeswood Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77096, United States
Each month we partner with Kids’ Meals, an organization that delivers free, healthy meals to the doorsteps of Houston’s hungriest preschool children. One Wednesday per month, we gather in Wolff-Toomim Hall or Margolis Gallery at 9:30am to make sack lunches. Our volunteers average 1000+ lunches per session! For more information and to RSVP, contact Marsha Gilbert, (713) 771-6221 x336.

Jewish-Muslim Christmas
2018-12-24 14:00 - 16:00 | Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism, 801 Bering Dr, Houston, TX, 77057, United States
Each Christmas Eve, the ABIDE Committee (Advocacy at Beth Israel for Diversity through Education) organizes a dialogue between the Jewish and Muslim communities. On Monday, December 24th, we will meet for a guided discussion entitled “Uniting Our Hearts in a Divided World” (2:00-4:00pm, Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism, 801 Bering Dr).
RSVP by Tuesday, December 18th to Lisa Stone.

Monthly Midrash Meet & Eat with David Scott, RJE
2019-01-10 11:30 - 13:00 | Lewis President’s Room
Go beyond the basics of Judaism with David Scott, RJE! Join him in the Lewis President’s Room over lunch to focus on a particular topic, including the deeper understandings of Creation, family conflicts and resolution, and discussions of slavery and redemption. Using ancient sources, we will come to a modern understanding of these timeless themes. We will use selections from our early rabbinic writings, known as midrash, and also explore other biblical texts in addition to the Torah. If you’ve always wanted to learn more about Judaism but didn’t know where to start, then this class is for you! Lunch will be provided. For information and to RSVP, please contact Dani Gardner, (713) 771-6221 x630.

Kids' Meals 5K
2019-01-12 11:00 - 13:30 | Wolff-Toomim Hall, 5600 North Braeswood Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77096, United States
KIDS’ MEALS 5K
Not a race, but a race to end hunger!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ONLINE!

Help us make 5,000 meals for Houston’s hungriest children!
DETAILS
DATE: Saturday, January 12th
SCHEDULE:

10:45am – Registration & Breakfast
11:00am-1:30pm – Program (intro, warm up, making 5K lunches!)

PARKING: Sanctuary lot (off of Mullins Dr.)
FEE: (includes t-shirt!)

Adults – $20
Children – $10
Family Sponsorship – $180

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS: Jordan Scheiner Photography, Shipley Do-Nuts, Power Crunch, and Ideal Party Decorators
Congregation Beth Israel’s love aﬀair with Kids’ Meals, Inc. began years ago. Kids’ Meals’ mission is to provide free, nutritious meals to preschool-aged children throughout Houston. They currently provide about 3,000 meals every day, and this great contribution still does not meet the full need of every neighborhood in the city. For the past decade, we have prepared meals every year on Mitzvah Day. One year ago, we began preparing meals monthly, and we quickly realized that we could do more. Now, on the fourth Wednesday of every month, we pack 1,000 lunch bags that get delivered to homes within 24 hours. We still want to do more!
This is why our Social Justice Committee invites you to come together on Saturday, January 12th from 11:00am to 1:30pm to combine the fun energy and momentum of a 5K race with an assembly-style extravaganza, with a goal of making 5,000 lunches!
You can register your whole family online (there are even volunteer roles for toddlers!), and you can join us as we bag 5,000 meals. When you arrive, you will check in, get a volunteer shirt, a bib with a number, and a delicious breakfast. After a short program, when the countdown is complete, you will join together with family and friends to make a positive impact on the lives of 5,000 underprivileged children and their families.
If you or your business are interested in sponsoring the event, please contact Rabbi Chase Foster by December 15th. All proceeds from the Kids’ Meals 5K will support our year-round sandwich making eﬀorts. Last year alone, we made 15,000 meals as a congregation, and we need your support to do more.
For more information, please contact Rabbi Chase Foster, Marsha Gilbert, or Dani Gardner at the Temple.

MLK Shabbat
2019-01-18 18:30 - 19:30 | Congregation Beth Israel, 5600 North Braeswood, Houston, TX, 77096, United States
Our rabbis and cantor invite you to a collaborative musical service of unity featuring members of International Voices Houston. This exceptional multicultural choir, directed by our own Mark Vogel, consists of members from over 35 countries who inspire, educate, and bring joy to audiences through world music. Through songs, prayers and readings we will express Martin Luther King Jr.’s values of courage, compassion, and unconditional love.
Special oneg to follow.
Contact to join our singers on the bimah – call (713) 771-6221 x604.
This event is being underwritten by Stanley and Diane Novy, Wayne Dorris and Jaqueline Hecht.

Temple Offices Closed
2019-01-21, 2019-02-18

Shabbat Dinner with Sarah Tuttle-Singer, Scholar-in-Residence
2019-01-25 19:30 - 21:00 | Congregation Beth Israel, 5600 North Braeswood, Houston, TX, 77096, United States
At 6:30pm in our Sanctuary, Sarah Tuttle-Singer will join us for Shabbat and present “Jerusalem: A Love Story,” a discussion on her background and experiences as a Jewish American living in Israel.
Following services, we welcome the community to enjoy a free and delicious Shabbat dinner in Levit Hall, where Sarah will continue her discussion. RSVP below!
This event is being underwritten by the AIPAC Southwest Region and the Joan and Stanford Alexander Israel Programming Fund.
To RSVP for the Friday evening dinner, please fill out the following form:

Using DNA in Genealogical Research
2019-01-29 19:00 - 20:30 | Schachtel Library, 5600 North Braeswood Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77096, United States

Brotherhood Whiskey Tasting & Steak Dinner
2019-01-30 18:30 - 20:30
On Wednesday, January 30th from 6:30-8:30pm, Brotherhood’s very successful and popular “Whiskey Tasting” event returns…this year, with steaks! Jay Freedman has graciously volunteered to host the party and allow the group to sample his private reserve. He is also opening up his outdoor kitchen, where we will be sampling the whiskey and grilling the steaks.
Because this event will be taking place in Jay’s home, we have decided to cap the event at 20 people and limit it to only Brotherhood members.
Don’t wait…sign up NOW! Click here!
Total cost for the event is $15.

Sisterhood's 6th Annual Mahj Mania
2019-01-31 18:00 - 22:00 | Wolff-Toomim Hall, 5600 North Braeswood Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77096, United States
Click here to download your registration form!

The Gathering Place
2019-02-05 10:00 - 13:00 | Wolff-Toomim Hall, 5600 North Braeswood Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77096, United States
The Gathering Place will meet on Tuesday, 2/5 (10:00am, Wolﬀ -Toomim Hall). This month’s theme is “Love is in the Air.” Entertainment, games, and more!
RSVP to Cherrell Woolley at cwoolley@beth-israel.org or (713) 771-6221 x329.

Shabbat Shindig
2019-02-09 10:00 - 12:00 | Congregation Beth Israel, 5600 North Braeswood, Houston, TX, 77096, United States
Click the flyer above to RSVP!

"The White House and the Middle East" with Stuart Eizenstat & Douglas Brinkley
2019-02-11 19:00 - 20:30 | Sanctuary, 5600 N Braeswood Blvd, Houston, TX, 77096-2908, United States
The White House and the Middle East
A Moderated Conversation with Stuart Eizenstat and Douglas Brinkley on Eizenstat’s book President Carter: The White House Years
RSVP using the form below.

Stuart Eizenstat is an American diplomat and attorney, most famously known as Former United States Ambassador to the European Union and Former United States Deputy Secretary of the Treasury. Eizenstat will draw on his unique, firsthand experience working in three presidential administrations to discusss his book President Carter: The White House Years.
Douglas Brinkley, CNN Presidential Historian and Katherine Tsanoff Brown Professor in Humanities at Rice University, will join Eizenstat for an insightful discussion on Eizenstat’s book, which Brinkley calls an “epic biography,” focusing on the Middle East peace process.
Please address questions to Dani Gardner at dgardner@beth-israel.org or (713) 771-6221 x630.
This program has been underwritten by a grant from the Wolff-Toomim Education Fund of the Beth Israel Endowment Fund.

Prophets Class with Rabbi Lyon
2019-02-19 19:00 - 20:30 | Finger Board Room, 5600 North Braeswood Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77096, United States
Back by popular demand, Rabbi David Lyon offers another session on the Hebrew prophets!
Join him as he brings to life the timeless messages of the major Hebrew prophets with insightful study of their prophecies. We’ll consider their context, passion, and meaning. The Hebrew prophets spoke to their time and place and shaped Jewish life and thought forgenerations down to our own. What do they continue to say to us about our relationship to the Covenant and to our times? What is the relationship between the Hebrew prophets and the history of Reform Judaism? No prior knowledge is required; materials will be provided, or bring a copy of your own TaNaKh, Hebrew Bible.
Two Ways to RSVP:
1. RSVP online using the form below, or
2. Click here to email Dani Gardner, or contact her by phone at (713) 771-6221 x630.

Family Matters
2019-02-24 10:15 - 11:15 | Finger Board Room, 5600 North Braeswood Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77096, United States
Engaging Discussions on Parenting Jewishly
Have you considered how Judaism and parenthood intersect? Join us over breakfast and coffee each month as we answer this very question.
Our clergy and esteemed guest speakers will spark dialogue among MBJLC parents through a dynamic series of guided discussions. Come be a part of this exciting, free adult education program, and learn how timeless Jewish values can positively impact your family today. Sessions take place Sunday mornings at 10:15am in the Margolis Gallery or Finger Board Room while MBJLC children learn right down the hall!
Our last two sessions of the year are coming up…

February 24th: “Mindfulness, Meditation, and Jewish Parenting” Rabbi Ariel Sholklapper (in the Finger Board Room)
March 3rd: “Making Judaism Relevant for Our Children-In Israel and Beyond” David Barak-Gorodetsky, 4th Year Israeli Rabbinical School student at HUC-JIR in Jerusalem (in the Finger Board Room)

Click here to RSVP to Rebecca Ramsey, or call her at (713) 271-7369.

Rabbi Rachel Sabath Beith-Halachmi, Ph.D. — Scholar-in-Residence
2019-03-01 18:30 - 2019-03-02 10:45 | Congregation Beth Israel, 5600 North Braeswood, Houston, TX, 77096, United States
• Evening Shabbat Services | Friday, March 1 | 6:30pm | Gordon Chapel

• Torah Study | Saturday, March 2 | 9:45am | Finger Board Room

2nd Annual Rock & Roll Bingo
2019-03-03 17:00 - 20:00 | Wolff-Toomim Hall, 5600 North Braeswood Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77096, United States
GET YOUR GAME ON at our 2nd annual Rock & Roll Bingo night! It’s musical trivia with a Bingo twist! Come play, sing along and test your musical memory — from disco and blues to country, pop and rock. It’s Bingo like you’ve never HEARD! Bring your family and friends — fun for all ages! Awesome prizes, too!
Adults: $15 | Children (4-12 years): $8 | Kids 3 & under: FREE (Prices includes dinner & bingo cards!)
Please enter through the Sanctuary doors.
Sponsored by Beth Israel’s Membership Committee
RSVP by 2/26! Two Ways to RSVP:
1. RSVP online using the form below, or
2. Click here to email Sara Kaiser, or contact her by phone at (713) 771-6221 x301. Please include how many adults/children will attend.

The Gathering Place
2019-03-05 10:00 - 12:30 | Wolff-Toomim Hall, 5600 North Braeswood Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77096, United States

Shabbat Dinner with Rabbi David Ellenson, Ph.D. & Dr. Arnold Eisen
2019-03-15 19:30 - 21:30 | Wolff-Toomim Hall, 5600 North Braeswood Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77096, United States
Rabbi David Ellenson, Ph.D. & Dr. Arnold Eisen Visit Congregation Beth Israel

On Friday, March 15th at 6:30pm, Rabbi David Ellenson, PhD, Interim President of Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, and Dr. Arnold Eisen, Chancellor of The Jewish Theological Seminary, will join us in our Sanctuary to discuss the future of the American Jewish community.
Following services, there will be a free dinner, during which Rabbi Ellenson and Dr. Eisen will continue their discussion.
Funds for this program have been provided by a grant from the Wolﬀ-Toomim Education Fund of the Beth Israel Endowment Fund.
Questions? Contact Dani Gardner, (713) 771-6221 x630.

Light the Flame: Historic Torch Collection
2019-03-19 18:00 - 20:00 | The Margolis Gallery, 5600 North Braeswood Boulevard, Houston, TX, 77096, United States

Purim Megillah Reading & Shpiel, Dinner, & Trivia
2019-03-20 17:00 - 19:30
To RSVP for Purim: On Air, please fill out the form at the bottom of this page.

To RSVP for Purim: On Air, please fill out the following form:
