Temple News

Please join us for the new Shabbat Family Jam service on Saturday morning, November 17, at 9:00 a.m. at the Erika J. Glazer Campus. Experience the joys of Shabbat with an upbeat musical and interactive service geared toward young children, lead by nursery school music specialists, directors, and clergy. Following services, children will participate in Shabbat crafts and special activities, followed by Kiddush and Motzi, and a fruit cart for everyone to enjoy. Families are welcome to stay and play on our playground.

For Lance and Hillary Milken, being members of the Temple brings a sense of place. “We have three kids, two girls and a boy, and they all started their Jewish journey at Wilshire Boulevard Temple."

It was natural for the family to get involved with the new planned facility. “When we saw the renderings for the Audrey Irmas Pavilion—the architecture, the space, the plans—we were so impressed with...its design, the philosophy behind it, and the dedication to seeing it come to life."

We reluctantly leave behind the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, steeped in two powerful values that not only go hand in hand but that we also hold dear: gratitude and responsibility—the responsibility to provide for those in need while preserving and respecting their dignity or, in other words, social justice. As we leave the deliberate flimsiness of the sukkah and look forward to the upcoming American holiday of gratitude, Thanksgiving, we are reminded of our gifts and obligations. 

In October Brawerman East and West Grade 5 students embarked on a cosmic journey to Astrocamp. The purpose of the trip is threefold: students connect with one another through required teamwork; students are challenged and push themselves toward new experiences; students connect with nature through a deeper understanding of our planet and solar system. Astrocamp’s motto, Challenge by Choice, which is posted throughout the camp, reflects these intentions—and outcomes. 

This Sukkot, we hosted our first ever Grandparents/Special Friends and Grandchildren Camp Weekend at Camp Hess Kramer. This special camp weekend offered an opportunity for more than 50 grandparents and children (kindergartners to sixth-graders) to play, pray, and connect in a brand-new communal way. All the classic WBT Camps activities were available to everyone—arts and crafts, sports, beach walks, you name it!

We are riding this wave of excitement into Winter Camp and Summer Camp! Visit wbtcamps.org for more information!

“But the children struggled in her womb, and she said: ‘If this is so, why is this me?’ ” 

These are the words Rebecca utters when she finds herself pregnant at the beginning of Parashat Toldot. After waiting for almost twenty years to conceive, Rebecca discovers that she is going to have twins, but it is not the blessing that she expected. 

On November 18, we come together for a collective act of loving kindness: the Big Give! We will pack turkeys, pies, canned vegetables, rolls, and other trimmings into 1,000 Thanksgiving dinners for Angelenos in need. 

Donate by visiting karshcenter.org/biggive, and/or join us on November 18 as we prepare Thanksgiving dinners. Visit biggive2018.eventbrite.com to volunteer.