Committees

Adult Learning. The TBZ Adult Learning Committee’s mission is to provide quality educational opportunities throughout the week that inspire continued study while building a strong spiritual learning community. We often work with other TBZ committees and local Jewish organizations to fulfill this mission. Programs include TBZ’s Wednesday Evening Beit Midrash: A Night of Learning where students can study Hebrew, Torah Trope, and enroll in classes with Reb Moshe and others; Bagels & Books: Contemporary Authors and Issues, our Sunday morning author brunch series; Me’ah, a two year study program focusing on Bible, Rabbinics, Medieval and Modern Jewish History; study groups that include Shabbat morning Torah study, a Rosh Hodesh Group, and a Men’s Study Group; and special guest rabbi courses and special speaker engagements co-sponsored with local Jewish organizations. We also produce events such as Soul Voices: An Evening of Jewish Poetry.

Often, adult members join TBZ and become infused with a passion for learning, or upon joining they already have become enthusiastic lifelong learners. Many find themselves at various levels regarding synagogue skills, the Hebrew language, Torah and other text study; the holidays and the rhythm of the Jewish calendar; lifecycle events; Jewish philosophy and literature; kashrut, Shabbat observance, etc. Through requests, surveys, feedback, and an annual committee retreat, we develop programs that serve our community’s educational needs.

In addition, we provide information on other educational opportunities in the greater Boston area. Our rabbi, who is a guiding light for our committee, is a resource for members seeking to engage in more formal study. We are blessed to live in a city noted as being in the midst of a “Jewish Renaissance.”

We welcome new members to join us at any point in time. Please contact us with your interests.

Chairperson: Reggie Silberberg


Bereavement. The Bereavement Committee reaches out to those in the TBZ community who have lost a loved one. We make connections through notes, phone calls, or visits, and, together with the rabbi, provide assistance appropriate to each family’s needs.

Our most important function is to help organize shiva minyans for those who wish to say kaddish. Often, members who have lost loved ones sit shiva in other locations. If they choose to have a memorial service upon their return, we can help to arrange it. Making contact with and offering comfort to those who are grieving is our highest priority.

Educating the community on Jewish practices and traditions concerning death is another important committee function. We make available to the community at large written information concerning Jewish mourning rites, and we send additional material to members who have experienced a loss. We also support members as they fulfill mitzvot associated with end of life. TBZ has cemetery plots which members may purchase.

If you would like to help us, please call the temple office and leave a message for Marilyn Ross or Priscilla Stein. We welcome new members on our committee.

Chairpersons: Priscilla Stein and Deb Stang

Hesed. At TBZ, we see our Hesed Committee as an umbrella for many projects that serve our community. Our Hesed (Lovingkindness) Committee organizes our community response to those in need within our community – by visiting the sick, comforting the bereaved, helping families with newborns and reaching out to our elderly. At our shul, Hesed is not the exclusive province of professionals, but rather is among the mitzvot (acts of sacred connection) open to be fulfilled by all the members of our holy community.

Chairperson: Barry Wheeler

Senior Outreach. The 1550 Beacon Street Outreach Subcommittee works with the residents of 1550 Beacon. We seasonally deliver baskets of food and engage our neighboring senior center for most of the Jewish holidays.

Chairperson: Katie Britton


GLBT. In our “diverse shtetl,” we include and recognize the sanctity of every individual regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Like our sister organization, ALEPH: The Alliance for Jewish Renewalwww.aleph.org , we “recognize respectful and mutual expressions of adult human sexuality as potentially sacred expressions of love, and therefore we strive to create communities that include and welcome a variety of constellations of intimate relationships and family forms – among them gay, lesbian, and heterosexual relationships as well as single life-paths.”

Many of our members are active in local and national GLBT groups, including Jewish organizations which seek to build mutual understanding, appreciation and “echad consciousness” throughout Klal Yisrael. Along with Reb Moshe, we work to educate the broader congregation, including our children, to fully include GLBT Jews and their families in the life of our shul.

Reb Moshe is an advisor to Keshet-Boston, an organization of GLBT Jews. And TBZ has hosted community discussions, Keshet’s annual “Quick-Dates” program, and a meeting of the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry.

If you have questions, or would like to learn more about our shul’s inclusive spirit, please contact the Chair of our GLBT Committee.

Chairperson: Lisa Lovett and Mark Blogier


Communications. The Communications Committee seeks ways to help TBZ communicate with members, prospective members, the Jewish community and the world.

The Communications Committee seeks to align TBZ’s communications materials to achieve a consistent visual identity; and recommend and develop appropriate communications policies, technologies and procedures.

Chairperson: Fran Adams


Development. The Development Committee organizes fundraising for the shul. The two main projects aspects of our financial needs are: to supplement the purposefully low dues and ticket prices and pay for regular shul operating expenses and, to cover the one-time costs associated with the building itself ¯ whether a repair or renovation to better meet the needs of our community.

Chairperson: Fran Kantor


Finance. The Finance Committee provides a fiscal foundation for TBZ. Open to any interested member, and chaired by the Treasurer, it meets monthly to address issues, and make decisions on the financial health of the shul. Specific topics discussed, with issues often voted upon, are the budget, both present and future; the current capital campaign; current membership, and future goals; income, relative to the fiscal year; expenditures, both expected and unexpected; and the allocation of funding to other committees.

Chairperson: Roger Zimmerman


Tikkun Olam. The goal of TBZ’s Tikkun Olam committee is to foster collective action on social problems that we face as individuals. We add to the spiritual dimension of our community by hearing and giving voice to our own stories, our own problems. This diminishes the social isolation in which many of us deal with our health care, housing, financial, and family care challenges.

The Tikkun Olam concept of social justice organizing – for our self-interest in partnership with the self-interest of many other communities of different faiths and ethnic backgrounds – differs from other social justice strategies. With Tikkun Olam, we seek to change the status quo on social issues that impact on us, such as health care. We do this by breaking the silence and isolation most of us live with, sharing our own life experiences in order to understand the real lives and difficulties of our fellow TBZ’ers and of others in the larger community.

The Tikkun Olam Committee invites all interested TBZ members to join in the current campaign on Health Care Access and Affordability, to expand access to affordable health coverage to every person in Massachusetts, to control and lower health care costs, and to improve health care quality and public health.

Chairperson: Mark Dworztan


House and Capital Projects. Please let us know if you are interested in serving on the House & Capital Projects Committee.

Chairperson: Ken Wexler


Israel Affairs. Please let us know if you are interested in serving on the Israel Affairs Committee.

Chairperson: Evelyn Frankford


Membership. The goal of the Membership Committee at TBZ is to assist current and new members in finding their way at TBZ. We often hear from people that they would like to be more involved but are not sure where to begin. The Membership Committee is working on creating information for potential members and new members to help make it easier to get what they want out of being a TBZ member. Members of our committee make welcome phone calls to new members, greet first timers on Shabbat, participate in planning activities to build connections between members, and help members bring their ideas to the larger TBZ community.

Temple Beth Zion welcomes and encourages members to be actively involved in the life of the shul, whether it is reading torah, attending a class, helping out with oneg, participating in a committee or serving as a board member, there are options for a wide range of interests and time availabilities.

Chairpersons: David Chereson, Jenny Seicol


Synagogue Practices. The Synagogue Practices Committee (SPC) attends to the practical and the spiritual aspects of our practices at TBZ. A conversation about a practical matter, for example, ushering at services, leads us to a conversation about the wearing of kippot and tallesim. Should ushers make sure that everyone is wearing a kippah? Should everyone be required to wear a kippah? Are we a shul that has requirements and rules? Someone might talk about the spiritual feeling he gets when he puts on his tallis, and another person might discuss why as a woman she doesn’t feel right wearing a kippah. At this point, Reb Moshe might step in to lead a teaching about the minhag of kippot-wearing and the halahkah for tallesim and how these norms and rules apply to men and to women.

Our committee is passionately devoted to discussion. We create a meaningful context for understanding who we are as a shul and how we will incorporate that understanding into our synagogue practices.

SPC is responsible for many aspects of what happens during services. We coordinate the High Holiday services (from soup to nuts); organize lay Torah readers; created the Shabbat Planning Group that brainstorms on the big picture planning of services and supports Reb Moshe; discuss the role of adult achievement events and traditional bar/bat mitzvahs and how to make these community-inclusive; explore the role of music in our worship; and create Shabbat and other guides for newcomers and guests. And yes, we usher.

Our meetings are open to all members and we encourage you to come to meetings or be on our email list to receive minutes.

Chairperson: Deborah Chassler


Security. The Security Committee is responsible for protecting members and the shul. During High Holidays we are on call to evaluate potential risk situations and summon the police, if necessary. it is our job to get updates on security threats in the New England area and make suggestions on ways to improve the safety of our congregation. Ted Siegel, Stuart Books and Steve Hassan are currently heading this committee and we are looking for women and men to assist us. For those interested, please know you don’t have to be big or strong, just observant, level-headed, and responsible. TBZ is a wonderful place to worship and commune and our job helps make everyone feel “taken care of” so they can really relax and devote themselves to the TBZ experience.

Chairpersons: Ted Siegel and Steven Hassan


Yeladim. With the guidance and support of the Yeladim Committee, every second Shabbat we hold teaching sessions for children on Judaica and Torah, concurrent with the adult services. After their meetings the kids come downstairs to join their parents in shul. During the week we hold tutoring sessions on Judaica and Hebrew for children ranging from ages five to eleven, financed by those families participating. We also hold monthly b’nai mitzva meetings, in which young people preparing for b’nai mitzvot discuss Judaism and social issues. Finally, we have several family-oriented services during the year, on the High Holy Days and selected Shabbatot. All these activities are coordinated by the Yeladim Committee, which we invite all interested members to join.

Chairpersons: Jane Daniels and Sarah Smolover


Oneg Committee.

Have you ever wondered:

The answer to all of these questions, and many more, is that TBZ members volunteered their time, energy, skills and interest for the benefit of the TBZ community.

As you no doubt realize, TBZ dues are modest. You may not know that our office is staffed only by an Executive Director and a part-time Ad ministrative Assistant. This means that a lot of what you see and benefit from as a TBZ member is a result of the efforts of a volunteer-member.

TBZ needs you! To volunteer in service of our community, please contact the Membership Committee.

Friday Night Onegs. Usually two people come to shul at 5:30 PM to put out the goodies, the challah and pour the wine and grape juice for Kiddush and Hamotzei. We cleanup the community hall at about 8:00 PM.

To participate, all we ask in a minimal commitment of volunteering once every month to do set-up and usually, but not necessarily, clean-up the same evening. Sometimes volunteers split up their two spots to different dates. We have a signup sheet that is permanently on a website created by the committee’s past chairperson Miriam Levine Cohn. Members enter the site to choose the dates they wish to volunteer.

Putting out the food and drinks for the Onegs is great fun and a well appreciated service to the community. The TBZ Oneg Committee holds its own private potluck suppers for its members and their invited guests to get to know one another better.

We are actively recruiting more TBZ members to join our committee. Are you ready to have some fun and be of service to the Friday evening shul attendees? If so, sign up and get to know other TBZer’s while your cooking.

Kiddush. Make a little salad, chop a few vegetables and put out some lovely desserts. All with other members and when you’re done our Saturday facilitator will do all the clean up. It’s a simple and fun way to be a part of TBZ. Sign up today for any Saturday that works for you.