Bet Am Shalom...

• ​is a vibrant, warm, inclusive Jewish community.
• inspires members of all ages from varied backgrounds to engage in joyful, meaningful Jewish learning and living.
• provides a Jewish education program for grades K-12.
• creates learning opportunities through our early childhood, youth, family, and adult programs.

In Torah La’am (our K-12 Jewish education program) we explore these Reconstructionist Jewish values:  

Chochmah  חכמה  Wisdom
Ben Zoma said, “Who is wise? The one who learns from everyone...”  --Pirke Avot 4:1
Our teachers and students of all ages learn by challenging each other to understand different perspectives.  Everyone’s voice is valued and respected, as we all contribute our knowledge and skills to help each other learn and grow. We strive to understand the context of the texts and primary source documents we study, grapple with the significance of the text, and find personal meaning and valuable, relevant lessons in the process.

Hiddur Mitzvah  הדור מצוה  Creativity 
Jewish ritual art objects of the past and present inspire our own creation of mezuzot, challah covers, Shabbat candlestick holders, yadot--Torah pointers, handmade midrash, and Agam artwork. These objects personalize and enrich the families’ Jewish practice.

Kedushah  קדושה  Spirituality  
We experience kedushah when we sing tefillot (prayers) and songs together, create holy spaces in our classes by treating each other with kindness, work on tikkun olam (healing the world), and celebrate Shabbat as a community. Our Tefillot and Hebrew programs help students personally connect to the prayers, so they can pray with kavannah (intention).

Tziyonut   ציונות  Peoplehood
Our connection to the Jewish people and Israel is infused throughout the year in all grades. We notice the relationship between the seasons in Israel and our Jewish holidays. We follow the journeys of our biblical ancestors, sing tefillot and songs about Israel, and express our pride of Israel’s achievements.  We learn the complexity of Israel’s history including different perspectives on issues facing modern Israel.

Kehillah  קהילה  Community 
Bet Am Shalom is a warm, inclusive kehillah where all ages are engaged in Jewish living and learning. Younger and older students in Torah La’am build friendships with our Chaverim (buddies) program.  Parents connect with each other and the rabbi, as they learn together during our family programs.  We come together to pray, read Torah and Megillah, sing, and share our stories. All of our BAS children and teens have many opportunities to connect to their Jewish youth community including through our youth events, band, youth theater, and teen leadership roles.

Tikkun Olam  תקון עולם   Healing the world  
We gather together to be inspired by Torah, our Jewish values, and our communal past to make the world a more caring place.  All ages are engaged in Tikkun Olam, including making food for a local shelter, discussing where to donate class tzedakah, delivering Passover packages to the elderly, and discussing current humanitarian issues through a Jewish lens.