COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Care for Our Community
“We need each other at the greatest moments of joy and the greatest sorrows of life. That’s what we do here at Temple Beth Elohim.”
It’s a mitzvah to help and to ask for help.
Extend a Helping Hand
Volunteer in partnership with our clergy to support TBE members.
Upcoming Events
Bereavement Outreach
Nechama
Reach out to congregants who have experienced a death in their family and offer emotional support.
Sign up as one of the volunteers for a specific month.
Contact
Carolyn Kohlman
Pastoral Support
Lev Echad
Call and visit with congregants who are unable to come to the synagogue so that no congregant feels forgotten or isolated. As a pastoral volunteer, you will receive training and guidance monthly by our clergy.
Contact
Helene Kress
Susan Karon
Comfort the Sick
Bikur Cholim
In collaboration with the clergy, call and/or visit congregants dealing with illness, injury, or surgery, to offer our concern and support.
Join our group of volunteers.
Contact
Sandy Goldstein
Amy Fleming
Marcy Davidson
Mental Health Initiative
Help de-stigmatize mental illness through education, advocacy, prayer, and support.
Contact
Alan Posner
TBE Mental Health Resource Guide
Learn about JF&CS’ mental health support services created in partnership with McLean Hospital & funded by CJP: Mental Health Connect, an information & referral program and Path to Well-being, a short term online CBT program
Mealmakers
Bring healing with a home-cooked meal. Prepare and deliver food to a member or member’s family in need of this temporary vital support.
Contact
Sandy Goldstein
TBE Caring Knitters
Gather to knit “healing shawls” for members who are experiencing serious illness or a challenging recovery. You can knit from home, too. New knitters welcome!
Contact
Amy Fleming
Julie Wolkoff
Reach Out
New ideas welcome!
Susan Karon
Associate Director, Caring Connections
Rabbi Rachel Saphire
781.235.8419 x203
Paula Berg
VP Caring Connections
Welcome New Babies
Reach out to congregants to welcome their newest family member with a quick visit and special gifts.
Contact
Cantor Josh Rosenberg
New Grandparents
Reach out to congregants to celebrate the arrival of new grandchildren with a wonderful gift collection.
Contact
Susan Karon
Career Connections
Interested in supporting members of the TBE community as they develop their careers? Help members—from college graduates to seasoned professionals—network and make professional connections as they navigate career transitions.
Contact
Susan Karon
Reach Out
New ideas welcome!
Susan Karon
Associate Director, Caring Connections
Rabbi Rachel Saphire
781.235.8419 x203
Paula Berg
VP Caring Connections
Build Caring Connections
Would you or someone you know appreciate a meal, a visit from a TBE member, healing shawl, or care package to welcome a new baby? Need a ride to TBE? Reach out.
Ask for a Visit
If it’s hard for you to get out and you’d appreciate a visit from a TBE member, please reach out. Members of Lev Echad look forward to being in touch with a phone call or visit.
Contact
Helene Kress
Mental Health Support
If you or a loved one is experiencing emotional or psychological challenges, please contact the clergy or Susan Karon, Associate Director, Caring Connections.
JF&CS Mental Health Support Services
William James INTERFACE Referral Service
Download the TBE Mental Health Resource Guide
Watch Rabbi Saphire’s sermon on mental illness
Support Groups
Take care of loved ones and yourself — ask if a group exists or can be formed. Past groups include bereavement, caring for an aging family member, parenting children with special needs, and coping with divorce.
Contact
Rabbi Rachel Saphire
Lifecycle Support
Reach out to clergy and our community for support through lifecycle transitions.
Contact
Susan Karon
Career Connections
Thanks to Jewish Vocational Services (JVS) for providing resources to help members of our community find employment:
- JVS and CJP launched a new employment support program called the Jewish Re-employment Program (JREP). Receive up to four 30-minute employment counseling sessions, guidance on job search strategies, resume reviews, and interview preparation; opportunities to participate in networking and affinity groups; one-on-one financial coaching for one year; and more, all at no cost to you!
- MassHire Downtown Boston website and membership form
- JVS Talent Match Portal
- JVS Job Seeker Resources
- Navigate Unemployment
- Who is Hiring Now
- CJP Warmline
- JVS Job Seeker Support Group
Interested in connecting with the TBE community for support as you navigate a career transition or launch your career?
Contact
Susan Karon
Darchei Tikvah/Pathways to Hope
Our new initiative is working to engage our community to promoting healing, restoring hope, and building internal strength to manage the challenges of this time. Watch a video to learn more.
Darchei Tikvah, Hebrew for “pathways to hope,” is collaborating with clergy and lay leaders to create a series of opportunities for members, including a healing workshop and an ongoing supportive writing group. Check back soon for more programs and resources.
Please reach out with comments and suggestions and join us on this path of personal and communal restoration and renewal.
Resources for Strength and Coping
Resources for coping during Covid and other difficult times from our Darchei Tikvah initiative.
Mental Health & Wellness
Rabbi Rachel Naditch shares strategies to help us cope with uncertainty. Click here to watch. Click here to view slides.
Temple member Deb Elbaum shares tools for managing stress and moving from overwhelmed to opportunity.
Watch the healing service Cantor Jodi Sufrin, Cantor Shanna Zell, and Noah Aronson led during Yom Kippur.
Music for Hope
Our teens & TBE Youth have recorded songs for us to turn to as we find hope and strength. Click here to listen.
Cantor Emerita Jodi Sufrin shares music to inspire resilience. Click here to listen.
Care for Each Other
Could you use a helping hand?
- Receiving continued check-in calls
- Receiving grocery supplies
- Participating in a “coffee/tea date” with a congregant
- Receiving technology support
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