Scholar-in-Residence Lecture and Brunch - Jewish Politics: Lessons from our History
2025-12-13 09:00 - 10:30 (US/Eastern) | Carmen Hall
Many of the political challenges and dilemmas that American Jews have faced during the last decade were faced by our forebears, in America and elsewhere in the diaspora. What can American Jews learn from the political decisions and strategies of the Jewish past?
Register below for this lecture. To register for all Scholar-in-Residence Weekend Events, click here.
Contact: Adult Learning

Torah Study
2025-12-13 09:15 - 10:15, 2025-12-20 09:15 - 10:15 (America/New_York)
No previous experience with Torah study is required…just an open mind and a desire to learn more!

Scholar-in-Residence Dinner - Sturgeon and Swordfish: The Fish that Nearly Divided the Jewish World
2025-12-13 18:30 - 21:00 (US/Eastern) | Carmen Hall
How did a local squabble over whether or not sturgeon is kosher escalate into a public dispute that enveloped Jews at the turn of the nineteenth century in Central and Eastern Europe? What does this conflict tell us about the tension in Judaism between tradition and innovation?
Register below for the Saturday evening lecture and dinner. To register for all Scholar-in-Residence Weekend Events, click here.
Contact: Adult Learning

Scholar-in-Residence Weekend
2025-12-14
Exploring Jewish Identity and Politics (and Kosher Fish)
with Professor Howard Lupovitch
To register for all Scholar-in-Residence Weekend Events, click here.
Contact: Adult Learning

Scholar-in-Residence Lecture and Brunch: The Future of American Jewry Pessimistic and (Cautiously) Optimistic Perspectives
2025-12-14 08:00 - 11:00 (US/Eastern) | Carmen Hall
For the last three centuries, every generation of American Jews was convinced that it was the last. Thankfully, every generation has been wrong. How do we look beyond deeply pessimistic predictions for the future of Judaism in America toward a more optimistic appraisal of the present and the future?
Register below for this lecture. To register for all Scholar-in-Residence Weekend Events, click here.
Contact: Adult Learning

Brotherhood Blood Drive
2025-12-14 08:00 - 14:00 (US/Eastern) | Simon Hall
Continuing our minhag (tradition), Brotherhood is seeking volunteers to donate blood at the TBS December 14 drive. Please help the American Red Cross save lives! Your mitzvah will be acknowledged with the heartfelt appreciation of the Brotherhood, not to mention a bagel and lox feast. Use the following links to donate blood or to volunteer on the day of the blood drive. Questions? Contact Brotherhood.
To donate blood: t-b-s.me/giveblood
To volunteer: t-b-s.me/bloodvolunteer

Lay-Led Morning Minyan
2025-12-15 07:00 - 07:30, 2025-12-18 07:00 - 07:30, 2025-12-22 07:00 - 07:30 (America/New_York)
Members of our community gather virtually for a warm and inclusive lay-led service. These services take place even if there are fewer than ten participants, last about 20-30 minutes, and are a meaningful way to start your day.
Please join us in person; we are no longer meeting virtually.

ConNEXTions+ Lunch & Learn
2025-12-15 12:00 - 13:30 (US/Eastern) | Conference Room (front)
Come join us for the second year of the ConNEXTions+ Lunch & Learn series with delicious food, camaraderie, and a little learning along the way! This year we will have a series of fascinating discussions led by our TBS House Scholars. In December, Rabbi Bob Orkand will be our featured speaker.

“While Israel Slept: How Did Hamas Surprise the Most Powerful Military in the Middle East?”
The question Israelis ask is how their military and government could not have known what Hamas was planning, despite warnings that were seemingly ignored.

Questions? Contact: Leah Goldstein

Athens & Jerusalem: Rethinking the Jewish-Greek Encounter
2025-12-15 15:30 - 16:30 (US/Eastern) | Online
Join us as we explore how Greek civilization and the spread of Hellenism profoundly shaped Judaism—its language, philosophy, law, politics, and engagement with the wider world. From the Septuagint to Jewish life in Alexandria, from the Maccabean response to the intellectual legacy of Philo, he will trace the deep imprint of Greek ideas on the development of Jewish thought and identity. As we celebrate Chanukah, a holiday born out of the encounter between Judaism and the Hellenistic world, this program offers a timely and meaningful reflection on how Athens helped shape Jerusalem. Presented by the Orange County Community Scholars Program and sponsored by TBS Adult Learning.
Dr. David Mendelsohn holds a Ph.D. in Classics & Linguistics, an M.A. in Archaeology/Linguistics, and an Honours B.A. in Classical Studies. A recipient of Canada’s prestigious Trudeau Prize, he lives in Jerusalem with his wife, Ronny, and their three children. For over 25 years, Dr. Mendelsohn has researched Jewish communities across the world, including in Germany, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Eastern Europe, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Egypt, and India. Combining his expertise as a historian, archaeologist, and sociolinguist, he uncovers the unique influences of local cultures while identifying the shared threads that connect these diverse Jewish communities. A seasoned scholar and educator, Dr. Mendelsohn has previously led Greece trips and specializes in Islamic Studies, Arab-Israeli culture, Bedouin law, and the intersection of language and culture in Arabic and Hebrew.

ConNEXTions+ Book Club
2025-12-16 10:00 - 12:00 (US/Eastern) | Chesed Room

The Big Chanukah Playdate
2025-12-16 17:00 - 18:00 (US/Eastern) | Carmen Hall
Join us for a joyful evening designed just for children ages 0–6 and their families!
Celebrate Chanukah through hands-on, sensory-rich activities and playful games that bring the holiday to life. Children will scoop, sprinkle, spin, squeeze, and explore at themed stations inspired by sufganiyot, dreidels, candles, and more. From festive sensory bins to creative crafts, there’s something for every age and stage. Plus chicken finger and latke dinner!
Come play, create, sing, and celebrate together as we welcome the light of Chanukah with our TBS community!
$18 per family. TBS members use coupon code LL for free registration.

Four Jewish Revoultionaries
2025-12-18 13:00 - 14:00 (US/Eastern) | Online
Join us for a four-part series exploring the lives and legacies of influential Jewish revolutionaries who helped shape modern history. Each session delves into the beliefs, struggles, and societal impact of Adolph Fischer, Rosa Luxemburg, Béla Kun, and Leon Trotsky. Through compelling storytelling and thoughtful analysis, we’ll uncover how their distinct visions of justice and freedom fueled the revolutionary spirit of their times. Led by Professor Howard Lupovitch, TBS’s 2025 Scholar-in-Residence. Presented by the Orange County Community Scholars Program and sponsored by Adult Learning.

Sisterhood and Brotherhood Monthly Canasta
2025-12-18 19:00 - 21:00 (US/Eastern) | Simon Hall
Come play Canasta with TBS Sisterhood and Brotherhood on the third Thursday of every month from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Canasta is a game played with four people, so we need groups of four to be able to make a table. Please sign up for either advanced beginner or experienced player in order. DO NOT skip to the second table at your level if the first table is not filled. If the second table does not fill up but you want to play, try to find others to join your table, otherwise assume your game is not happening. If you sign up but can no longer play, please find someone to replace you. Canasta is free for TBS members. Non members are welcome to join Sisterhood or Brotherhood to play. Join Sisterhood here: t-b-s.me/sisterhood. To join Brotherhood, please reach out to Chuck Wilson at brotherhood@tbsneedham.org.

TBS December Coffeehouse
2025-12-18 19:30 - 21:30 (US/Eastern) | Carmen Hall
Join us for our third monthly coffeehouse, featuring Bob Littman and the Boston Scottish Fiddle Orchestra.The Boston Scottish Fiddle Orchestra plays traditional and contemporary music of Scotland, Shetland and Cape Breton arranged to create a unique fresh sound. Questions? Contact DJ Fortine.
Once a month on Thursday evenings, Temple Beth Shalom will transform Carmen Hall into a cozy, café-style space for live acoustic music. Each Coffeehouse event will showcase talented artists with personal ties to our TBS community—whether members, alumni of our music programs, or friends of the congregation.
Come relax with friends, enjoy coffee and a nosh, and take in the sounds of singer-songwriters, ensembles, and performers who bring creativity and heart to our shared space. With a thoughtfully-crafted ambience, casual seating, and an intimate atmosphere, the TBS Coffeehouse is more than just a concert—it’s an opportunity to gather, connect, and celebrate the vibrant spirit of our community.
Join us each month as we lift up the music and relationships that make Temple Beth Shalom such a special place.

Tot Shabbat Tater Tot Nosh
2025-12-19 17:15 - 17:30 (US/Eastern) | Simon Hall

Tot Shabbat Service
2025-12-19 17:30 - 18:00 (US/Eastern) | Sanctuary
Contact: Ellen Dietrick

Erev Shabbat Service
2025-12-19 18:15 - 19:45 (America/New_York)
If you are a TBS member who would like to join us virtually, please check your Shabbat Shalom email for the link.

Lay-Led Shabbat Morning Service
2025-12-20 08:30 - 09:00 (America/New_York)
Join in virtually, or join us in person in the Beit Midrash! Please refer to your Shabbat Shalom email for the Zoom information.

Finding Our Jewish Values in the Torah
2025-12-20 09:15 - 10:15 (America/New_York)
Each week we will focus on a single Jewish moral or ethical value found in that week’s parshah (Torah portion). These will include, but not be limited to: Justice, Compassion, Environmental Ethics, and Business Ethics. A variety of rabbinic sources will enrich our exploration as we seek to apply each week’s value to our lives today.
Join us in person at TBS or drop in online at t-b-s.me/findingvalues.

Light Up the Night! Chanukah Celebration
2025-12-20 15:30 - 17:30 (US/Eastern) | Simon Hall
Join us to celebrate Chanukah with a light-filled evening! Our party will include glow lights, glow sticks, glow activities, UV tattoos and face paint, a light lab, and more. We’ll also sing Chanukah songs, light the Chanukah menorah, and spread the light with a community service project. This event is designed for families with children in grades K-6, with younger and older siblings welcome. Questions? Contact Rachel Happel.

Sing & Dance with Cantor DJ: More Chanukah Songs & Dance
2025-12-21 16:00 - 16:30 (US/Eastern) | Family Reading Room
Bring the whole family for a joyful morning of singing, dancing, and instrument play with Cantor DJ Fortine. Each session blends holiday traditions with music learning and is designed for children ages 0–5 and their grown-ups. $15 per family. TBS members use coupon code LL for free registration.

Israeli Dance
2025-12-22 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York)

No K-12 Learning Programs (December Break)
2025-12-23, 2025-12-24

Christmas Eve- Office Closing Early
2025-12-24

Children's Center No School- Winter Break
2025-12-24 - 2026-01-02
