Adult Education

The Adult Education Committee of the Miriam Browning Jewish Learning Center provides adult education on Jewish topics to stimulate, invigorate, and enrich our Jewish experience and understanding. Many classes, events and programs are offered throughout the year on a wide variety of topics and are taught by our clergy, Director of Lifelong Learning, and expert Scholars-in-Residence.  For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


Art

Friends of Margolis Gallery provides enrichment to Congregation Beth Israel and to the entire community through high quality art exhibitions, educational programs, and distinguished art acquisitions which enhance our building and enrich our lives. We also offer musical programs and special art tours and trips.  For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


Brotherhood

Brotherhood is the organization of Beth Israel men that supports the congregation and the larger Jewish Community through its many activities. These include providing ushers for all of our religious services, sponsoring Boy Scout Troop 806 and Cub Scout Pack 806, providing Kiddush Cups for our B’nai Mitzvah, Confirmand Awards, Blood Drives, Annual Plant Sale, Annual JCC Book Fair, the Jewish Chautauqua Society, and much more. Volunteers are always welcome and needed! For more information, please contact our staff liaison, Mike Mason.


Building, Grounds, and Maintenance

Our Committee evaluates and advises the Temple and Beth Israel Board of Trustees on technical questions involving the building, grounds, and maintenance issues.  For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


Cemetery

Our Cemetery Committee oversees the administration of our two cemeteries at 1207 W. Dallas and 1101 Antoine. This includes handling plot sales and providing burial information and resources for our members.  For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


College

Our Committee finds ways to keep our college students connected and up-to-date with what’s happening at home at Beth Israel. At appropriate times during the year, students receive special care packages. In addition to care packages, we also plan special social and mentoring events. Have a college student? We could use your help. For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


Communications 

The Communications and Public Relations Committee works to enhance all types of Temple communications to increase the awareness and visibility of its programs, people, and leadership within the congregation, the media, and the wider Houston community. It does this by using Beth Israel’s Website, the monthly Bulletin, letters, printed materials, messages, and news releases directed to our members as well as the local media.  For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


Development

Contributions, separate from fundraising, Share the Load, Capital Campaign, fundraising efforts, and contributions.  For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


Facilities Use / Enhancement

This committee focuses on developing clear and consistent guidelines, policies, and fees for the use of our facility by congregants, and finding ways to encourage members to use the facilities as an extension of their own homes for their families life cycle events.  For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


Family Engagement

The Family Engagement Committee provides pre-school through high school programs for families, such as our Family Shabbat programming.  For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Mike Mason or Kerri Zerlin.


Finance & Audit

Review operating budget, revenue, and expenses; examines the use of non-operating accounts.  For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


Inclusion and Caring

The Inclusion Committee meets regularly to discuss ways in which the congregation can be more inclusive to all members including those with physical challenges, special needs, racially diverse, Jews by Choice, LGBTQ+ members, interfaith families, gender fluidity, and other areas of inclusiveness. The committee serves as a platform to advocate and educate by bringing awareness to our congregation’s radically welcoming community. It also works closely with our Center of Healing, Hope, and the Human Spirit to help members in various transitional stages in their lives including bereavement support, empty nesters, divorce support, sacred aging, and other areas. We provide large print prayer books, audio-enhancing equipment, and other services to assist those in need during worship. The committee also serves as a support to our Aliyah families who are enrolled in the Miriam Browning Jewish Learning Center to ensure every child has a meaningful experience as they prepare to become B’nei Mitzvah. The committee has also worked in the past on enhancing our worship spaces to be more accommodating to those with physical and sensory challenges.  The committee will continue to implement strategies to be more inclusive in all of our programming and services throughout the campus.

The committee is also dedicated to meeting the emotional and special needs of our congregants, especially in relation to illness, bereavement, personal relationships, and major life changes. Check out each of these wonderful caring committees and see which one fits your needs or could benefit from your volunteer contributions.

For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


Insurance

The Insurance Committee reviews policies for personnel and other benefits including, building liability, commercial coverage, and campus insurance.  For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


Israel Advocacy

Congregation Beth Israel has an active Israel Advocacy Committee that promotes Israel education throughout our congregation. Follow this link to our Israel Advocacy Committee page which contains links to various sites promoting Israel.  For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


 

Library

The Library Committee serves to enhance the collections of the Hyman Judah Schachtel collection and to encourage awareness and usage of the facility. The Committee oversees library and archives policies, and supports the monthly Readers’ Group program, which frequently invites authors to discuss their works in live interviews.  For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


MBJLC

Our MBJLC programs are designed to nurture a strong Jewish identity and sense of commitment to Judaism within our students and families through a variety of fun, stimulating learning, and social activities. There are many ways to get involved from helping with a family learning day, to organizing and chaperoning a class activity or trip, to volunteering to serve on our MBJLC Board which assists our staff in creating safe, meaningful, and fun religious educational experiences for our children.  If you would like to volunteer, please contact the Miriam Browning Jewish Learning Center at 713-271-7369.  For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


Membership

The Membership Committee and its subcommittees are charged with handling all aspects of Temple membership – from recruiting and integration of new members to retention of current members.

The Membership Recruitment Committee establishes programs to reach out to unaffiliated members of the community, including interfaith couples, to encourage membership in the Congregation Beth Israel family. The Committee talks to all applicants as their applications are processed for approval. 

The Membership Integration Committee is devoted to welcoming all new members to Beth Israel as soon as they are approved for membership. Activities are created throughout the year to help new members integrate into our synagogue’s life. If you enjoy working with and meeting new people and getting to know your members at Beth Israel, this is the committee for you.

The Membership Retention Committee develops programs that recognize and appreciate existing congregants. These programs include Volunteer Shabbat, Heritage Shabbat (lifelong members), Birthday and Anniversary recognition, and meetings with the Clergy. The Committee encourages members to become active participants in their Beth Israel family.

For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


Mitzvah

Coordinates ongoing mitzvah projects (i.e. Kids Meals); Mitzvah Day.  For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


Security

The Security Committee works closely with Beth Israel’s & Shlenker School’s Board of Trustees to address security issues across the Beth Israel campus. The Committee advises and supervises in all matters relating to the security of the synagogue, school building, and its membership.  For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


Shlenker School Board

The Shlenker School, the first Reform Jewish Day School in Texas, offers an academically excellent program, integrating secular and Judaic studies, for children aged 15 months through the fifth grade. The Shlenker Board of Trustees is the governing body that oversees the financial well being and stability for future generations of Shlenker students. Trustees may be parents or members of the greater community. For more information, please contact The Shlenker School, 713-270-6127 or Shlenker Principal Michelle Barton.


The Women of Beth Israel

Our mission is to enhance and support Congregation Beth Israel through special programming, fundraising, as well as offering Temple women the opportunity to establish new friendships and a sense of community within our congregation. We provide opportunities to celebrate and learn about Judaism, social justice, and women’s issues while encouraging an overall spiritual and individual growth. Join us and make Sisterhood your home for lifelong connections. We can be reached in the Gift Shop at 713-777-4315, at women@beth-israel.org.


Social Justice

Our Social Justice Committee seeks to grant members of our congregation the ability to give back to our community by organizing volunteer projects, food and clothing drives, and educational programs. Some of our projects include:

• High Holiday Food Drive (in partnership with our congregational youth)
• Christmas Day volunteering at Ronald McDonald House & the VA
• The Gathering Place
• Mitzvah Day
• Summer Interns Program

In addition to these ongoing efforts, the Social Justice Committee organizes a variety of other volunteer opportunities. More information can be found in the Bulletin, the weekly E-news, and the Friday Night Guide distributed each week at Shabbat services.For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.


 Worship

This committee, under the guidance of Rabbi Lyon reviews all worship services to ensure that the setting and substance of each service enhances the experience for as many of our congregants as possible. The Committee continuously reviews and analyzes topics such as music, our physical worship setting, structure of our services, and the Oneg Shabbat. 

E-mail responses are shared anonymously among the Committee and remain topics of ongoing discussion and analysis. For more information, please check our Worship section on our web or if you are interested in volunteering, please contact Marsha Stein.