At Temple Beth El, life's joys and sorrows are marked through warm, caring, spiritually deep life-cycle events. Our clergy team brings sensitivity and experience to these important life passages. From birth to the end of life, Temple Beth El emerges as a caring community.

Our Sisterhood Gift Shop offers ritual items for all of these occasions and the advice to go with them.

Brit Milah—baby naming, performed about day 8 for boys or one month for girls.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah—the 13-year-old is called to the Torah for the first time and leads the Shabbat morning service. It signifies the beginning of adulthood, knowledge of the Hebrew language, and a commitment to fulfill the Mitzvot, the ethical and ceremonial responsibilities of the Jewish tradition. The hard work and commitment required to prepare for this occasion demonstrates that the young person can and should now be regarded as a young adult. In conjunction with this ceremony, children perform thirteen hours of community service.

Confirmation—teens are confirmed at the end of 10th grade, signifying the completion of the formal Temple School education. Through this ceremony, confirmands avow their commitment to carry Judaism into their adult lives. more about Confirmation

Adult B'Nei Mitzvah—a group ceremony signifying the beginning of a fuller participation in Jewish study, worship, and community. Students lead the service, chant from the Torah and Haftarah, and share the spiritual journey that brought them to this important life cycle event.

Conversions—an increasing number of people have come to us for the spiritually and intellectually satisfying process of Jewish conversion.

Weddings—our rabbis perform weddings and gay unions in our sanctuary or in the location chosen by the couple. Excellent pre-marriage counseling is one of the many benefits of being married through our synagogue.

Chevra Kadisha—funerals; burials take place in one of our two lovely cemeteries.
more about Chevra Kadisha

Yartzheits and Yiskor services—we honor yatzheits (the anniversary of a death) at our weekly Shabbat evening services; Yiskor memorial services are conducted on Yom Kippur after the morning service, at Shemini Atzeret, on the seventh day of Passover, and on the second day of Shavuot. It is customary to light a memorial candle at home for each of these occasions.