Temple Beth Shalom

Mayim 1st Grade Shabbat Dinner
2026-03-06 17:30 - 18:15 (US/Eastern) | Simon Hall
Please join us Friday, March 6 at 5:30 for Shabbat dinner in Simon Hall before our 6:15 pm Shabbat service! This dinner is for TBS families with 1st Graders enrolled in Mayim. The service is our monthly “Friday Night Lights” service, which is designed especially for families with elementary-age children. Please RSVP by Monday, March 2.

Erev Shabbat Service
2026-03-06 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
2026-03-07 08:30 - 09:00, 2026-03-14 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.

Torah Study
2026-03-07 09:15 - 10:15, 2026-03-14 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!

Finding Our Jewish Values in the Torah
2026-03-07 09:15 - 10:15, 2026-03-14 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.

Marc Comras Breakfast
2026-03-08 09:30 - 12:00 (US/Eastern) | Carmen Hall

Rescheduled: Mitzvah Makers - Jared Boxes for Children's Hospital
2026-03-08 14:00 - 15:30 (US/Eastern) | Carmen Hall
Join us to create boxes of gifts, toys, games, crayons, coloring books and fun activities for young patients at Boston Children’s Hospital. We will decorate, assemble, and fill the boxes, including personal notes from us. The boxes will be delivered the next day. If your family is willing and available to make the delivery, please email fwsac@tbsneedham.org!
Learn more about Jared Boxes here: https://thejaredbox.org/

Lay-Led Morning Minyan
2026-03-09 07:00 - 07:30, 2026-03-12 07:00 - 07:30, 2026-03-16 07:00 - 07:30, 2026-03-19 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.

Israeli Dance
2026-03-09 19:00 - 20:30, 2026-03-16 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York)

Yiddish Short Story Book Discussion
2026-03-10 18:30 - 19:30 (US/Eastern) | Chesed Room
The monthly Yiddish Short Story Discussion Group, coordinated by Michele Marram, will explore the English translation of The Friends by Yente Serdatsky. Click the story’s title to download a PDF. Hard copies are available in the Community Court, on the shelf to the right of the fireplace, in a red folder. All are welcome! Questions? Contact Michele Marram.

Substance Use & Addiction: A Big Picture Perspective and Answers to Your Questions
2026-03-11 19:30 - 21:00 (US/Eastern) | Beit Midrash
Ever wonder if your 16-year-old is one of the 13% in this age group in the US who has drunk alcohol in the past 30 days? Did more than 70,000 Americans really die from an opioid overdose in 2023? Does cannabis have long lasting detrimental brain effects on people? Are there medications to help one with an alcohol, drug or tobacco problem?
Get an overview and some answers to your questions about substance use at this Temple Beth Shalom evening discussion with TBS member, internal medicine and addiction medicine physician, Dr. Jeffrey Samet .
Specific questions are encouraged and can be submitted privately beforehand.

Canceled: TBS Coffeehouse
2026-03-12 19:30 - 21:30 (US/Eastern) | Carmen Hall
This program has been canceled.
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.

Erev Shabbat Service + HIAS Refugee Shabbat
2026-03-13 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.
TBS joins HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) in recognizing the eighth Annual Worldwide Refugee Shabbat. We are so pleased to welcome Needham’s own Heather Yountz, Senior Immigration Staff Attorney of the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, as our guest speaker. Together, we recognize the profound impact of the global Jewish movement working on behalf of refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced people. We celebrate the work that has been done and gather our energy for the work that lies ahead, especially in these chaotic times. Recent cuts in funding to the U.S. Refugee Resettlement program and other international humanitarian efforts have been devastating, dramatic, and targeted – designed to overwhelm us. However, TBS will not waiver in our deep commitment to the Jewish values of supporting, protecting, and welcoming the stranger as we celebrate Refugee Shabbat with congregations all over the world.

Community Dinner
2026-03-13 19:30 - 21:00 (US/Eastern) | Simon Hall
Join us for Shabbat community dinners immediately following 6:15 PM Shabbat Services. Sponsored by Member Engagement. Free for members.

Needham Art in Bloom
2026-03-14 - 2026-03-15 | Outside of Temple
Contact: Garden Club

Tragic Awakening Film Screening
2026-03-15 09:30 - 11:30 (US/Eastern) | Beit Midrash
Your TBS Antisemitism Awareness Initiative (ASAI) invites you to a short and powerful film presentation that goes beyond the historical cliches and platitudes surrounding antisemitism. Through this film we learn the intent and consequence of modern antisemitism; understand the 3,000 year build up to today’s tragic awakenings; and begin to resolve how to deal with it. – Where does this hatred come from? – Why is it always morphing? – How did its uniqueness evolve? Through the eyes of many notable quotables, “Tragic Awakening” will leave you clear-eyed on the history of Jew Hatred. As importantly, it will highlight the moral responsibility of Judaism to repair and enlighten the very world that periodically endangers it. “The Jewish people’s purpose is to bring out the soul of humanity.” Join us at 9:30 A.M. on March 15 for bagels and coffee. Following the film, Rabbi Jay will lead a post-screening discussion. Trailer available on YouTube.
Contact: ASAI

Panim el Panim
2026-03-15 12:00 - 13:15 (US/Eastern) | Online
Please join us as members of our Temple Beth Shalom community meet via Zoom with members of Congregation Mevasseret Zion – a progressive/Reform congregation just outside of Jerusalem. This is a meaningful series of online conversations about the current crisis. Questions? Email Rabbi Jay.

CPR/First Aid/AED Training
2026-03-15 12:00 - 14:00 (US/Eastern) | Lower Level Lobby
Learn the lifesaving skills of adult, child, and infant CPR, choking response, and AED use in this hands-on course. Taught by firefighter/paramedic George Doucett, the training provides practical instruction and confidence to act in an emergency. Participants will receive a two-year CPR certification card upon successful completion, an essential credential for anyone who wants to be prepared to save a life. $60 per person.

Sing & Dance with Cantor DJ: Passover Celebration
2026-03-15 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.

ConNEXTions+ Lunch & Learn
2026-03-16 12:00 - 13:30 (US/Eastern) | Conference Room (front)
Join us for the second year of the ConNEXTions+ Lunch & Learn series, featuring a series of fascinating discussions led by our TBS House Scholars. Dr. Bob Brooks, our February speaker, shares his expertise on “Nurturing Purpose and Resilience Throughout Our Lives.” In today’s stress-filled world, it is essential that we learn to cope with challenges and adversity. In his presentation, Dr. Brooks will describe the mindset and behaviors we can adopt to lead a purposeful, resilient life. These ideas and strategies, says Dr. Brooks, are relevant from childhood through our senior years. Come for delicious food, camaraderie, and a little learning along the way. Please note: Bob’s talk is rescheduled following the February snow cancelation; Jan’s talk on Israel will be rescheduled for a later date.

ConNEXTions+ Book Club
2026-03-17 10:00 - 12:00 (US/Eastern) | Chesed Room

Diaper Collection for Beantown Baby
2026-03-18 09:15 - 09:45 (US/Eastern) | Parking Lot (Front)

Sisterhood and Brotherhood Monthly Canasta
2026-03-19 19:00 - 21:00 (US/Eastern) | Carmen 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.
