BESTY Apple Picking

BESTY Goes Apple Picking

Welcome back, BESTY! Join us at Lookout Farm in Natick on October 4th, 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm, for an afternoon of apple picking! The price is $35 per participant and includes A half-peck picking bag to fill. Please email Sadie (soneill@tbsneedham.org) if you have any questions, and we are so excited to see you soon!

5787 Kol Simcha

Kol Simcha

Join TBS’s newest vocal group, Kol Simcha, for community members in grades 8- 12, led by national award-winning arranger and composer Mayta Cohen. After five rehearsals together, the group will travel to Kolot HaYam, a New Jersey Jewish a cappella competition and Shabbaton for Jewish high school students (April 9-11). You’ll perform alongside other talented teen groups while spending the weekend immersed in singing, Shabbat, and community. Whether you’ve been singing for years or just love making music with others, Kol Simcha is a place to harmonize, make new like-minded friends, and connect with Judaism through music. We can’t wait to sing with you!

Practices will be held on the following Wednesdays from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
March 10
March 17
March 24
March 31
April 7

The cost of participation will be $425 plus the cost of transportation, which will be determined later this fall.

5787 Fall Shabbaton!

Fall Shabbaton!

Etzim’s Fall Shabbaton will be October 23-25. We will be traveling to Eisner Camp in Great Barrington, MA for a weekend of learning, playing, community building, and fall activities! Register by October 5th!

Mitzvah Corp – Prison Book Program

Mitzvah Corp – Prison Book Program
Join us for an afternoon of meaningful volunteer work at the Prison Book Program (PBP) in Quincy! PBP supports people in prison by sending them free books and reading materials that meet their specific needs and interests. For those of us who have easy access to books, we take books for granted. But books can mean the world to people in prison. They love to learn, study, imagine and grow, just as all of us do. In the absence of educational programs and internet access, books are often the only way for incarcerated people to learn a new language or skill, explore their faith, or enjoy a mystery or poetry. The Prison Book Program sends carefully selected books and other print resources—always for free—which prisoners can keep, treasure and share. As volunteers, we will: choose books from the PBP library to match requests from incarcerated readers, prepare book packages for the mail, sort through donated books and decide which ones to keep and where to shelve them, process incoming book requests, and write brief, personal handwritten notes to the incarcerated recipients. Transportation will be provided from TBS to Quincy. This program is only open to 9th-12th graders.

Conversation with Congressman Jake Auchincloss

Conversation with Congressman Jake Auchincloss

Monday, August 10, 9am

Our Temple Beth Shalom community is blessed to share ongoing and close relationships with our elected representatives.  These connections enable us to work with our leaders in building a community and a Commonwealth that reflects our values.  As constituents and partners, we ask questions and provide important feedback as they consider their positions on public policy. 

In recent days, Congressman Jake Auchincloss reached out to us to share that he would like to connect with members of the Temple Beth Shalom community. We are grateful for the opportunity to once again welcome Congressman Auchincloss to TBS.  He will be with us on Monday, August 10th at 9 am.  To join us, please RSVP below.

While the Congressman will happily address any policy-related issues, he is mindful that many in the Jewish community may have questions regarding his affirmative vote on the recent amendment introduced by Representative Thomas Massie regarding U.S. Foreign Military Financing.  This amendment, had it passed, would have eliminated the principal annual U.S. military financing program that enables Israel to purchase U.S. weapons and other military equipment.

Congressman Auchincloss has consistently demonstrated his support for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship.  In meeting with us, he wishes to connect with constituents, share the reasoning behind his vote, speak about the future of the alliance between Israel and the United States, and to answer questions that we may have.

We hope that you will join us for this important opportunity to engage directly with Congressman Auchincloss in thoughtful conversation.

Food Services Coordinator

Food Services Coordinator

Position Overview

The Food Services Coordinator is responsible for the operational management of the organization’s kitchen facilities and the coordination of all internal food logistics. This role serves as a vital support for school and community programming from mid-August through mid-June, ensuring that all food service spaces are maintained to high standards of cleanliness, safety, and organization. The Food Services Coordinator works collaboratively with the Facilities team, program staff, and lay leaders to ensure that all events are professionally supported and that inventory needs are consistently met.

Key Responsibilities

1. Facility and Equipment Maintenance

  • Maintain strict adherence to cleanliness, organization, and food safety protocols within all kitchen and pantry areas
  • Execute a regular schedule of deep cleaning for all appliances and food storage spaces, ensuring proper rotation of stock and disposal of expired items
  • Coordinate with the Facilities Team regarding equipment maintenance, necessary repairs, and regulatory inspections
  • In partnership with Events, Facilities, and Programming staff, create and maintain a comprehensive kitchen protocols manual to standardize operational procedures

2. Logistical and Operational Support

  • Manage the logistics for daily food preparation, including the reheating and distribution/presentation of food items as required by programming schedules
  • Provide on-site operational support for large-scale events, ensuring all food-related logistics are executed efficiently
  • In partnership with key staff, maintain accurate inventory records of all food items, paper products, and kitchen supplies; provide timely reports to ensure necessary materials are always available
  • Liaise directly with K-12 Logistics Coordinator regarding student allergies to ensure all food allocations are safe, properly labeled, and strictly compliant with local and State food safety and allergy protocols
  • Partner with K-12 Logistics Coordinator on weekly cooking activities (e.g., challah baking)
  • Receive, inspect, organize, and distribute incoming deliveries to the kitchen
  • Coordinate with external caterers for event deliveries, including managing food labeling, staging, and spatial planning

3. Collaboration and Compliance

  • Liaise with staff to identify and fulfill food and setup requirements for all community events
  • Prepare kitchen spaces for use by external groups or caterers, and conduct post-event inspections to ensure areas are reset according to organizational standards
  • Participate in relevant training to maintain certifications, including, but not limited to, ServSafe and CPR/First Aid
  • Develop an understanding of Jewish cultural and religious customs, particularly as they relate to food preparation and holiday observances, to ensure compliance with organizational practices and expectations

Qualifications

  • Minimum of three years of professional experience in operations, logistics, or support-focused role
  • Possession of, or willingness to obtain, ServSafe certification and CPR/First Aid certification
  • Demonstrated ability to manage inventory and logistics in a high-traffic environment
  • Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to maintain a calm and professional demeanor when working with diverse staff, volunteers, and stakeholders
  • Proficiency in following and scaling instructions for food preparation and presentation
  • Proficiency with email, spreadsheets, and basic office software for inventory management, communication, and scheduling.
  • High level of organizational detail, ability to multitask effectively, and a proactive approach to problem-solving

Physical Requirements

  • Ability to stand and walk for extended periods
  • Ability to lift, carry, push, or pull items weighing up to 40 pounds on a regular basis
  • Ability to bend, reach, stoop, and utilize small ladders or step stools as necessary for inventory management
  • Ability to safely operate standard kitchen equipment

Hours & Compensation

Pay Rate: $20-25/hour

Typical Schedule (32.5 hours/week)

  • Monday: 10am-5pm
  • Tuesday: 11am-5pm
  • Wednesday: 11am-5pm
  • Thursday: 11am-5pm
  • Friday: Noon-7:30pm
  • School-year (mid-August to mid-June)
  • Occasional flexibility needed for programming demands
APPLY

Etzim Fall Chugim 5787 – Tikkun Olam Through Mitzvot

Etzim Fall Chugim 5787 – Tikkun Olam Through Mitzvot
Make a difference while having fun! In this chug, we’ll explore the Jewish value of tikkun olam (repairing the world) through doing mitzvot. Each week, we’ll learn about different ways Judaism encourages us to give back, and then we’ll jump into hands-on projects that create real impact. From assembling bagged lunches for those in need, to sending voter registration postcards, to making toys for shelter dogs, every session will be a chance to help others, connect with Jewish values, and see how even small actions can make a big difference.

Etzim Fall Chugim 5787 – Israeli Culture

Etzim Fall Chugim 5787 – Israeli Culture
Join Tamar, our shlicha (community emissary) from Israel, for an exciting journey into Israeli culture! Through music, food, and a taste of modern Hebrew, you’ll explore what life in Israel is like while discovering new traditions, flavors, and sounds. Tamar is participating in the Ofek Shlichut program through the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) and has been matched with Temple Beth Shalom and the Rashi School for a year of service. She loves sharing her favorite parts of Israeli culture with children and teens!

Etzim Fall Lounge 5787

Etzim Fall Lounge 5787

Join Etzim on Thursday evenings, 6:15 pm-8:00 pm for dinner followed by a weekly lounge space. Lounge is open to all 8th-12th graders and is a space where teens can do homework, spend time with old and new friends, and participate in a combination of structured and unstructured activities, including art projects, games, and community building. Some weeks there will be themes, and other weeks there will be an open lounge with options of activities.