Temple Beth Am works in conjunction with the Greater Seattle Jewish Community and our Israel Engagement Team (IET) to plan and promote events, provide learning opportunities, and help our congregation engage with Israel. If you have a suggestion, want to connect with IET, or would like to find out how to participate, please regularly check out the events on this page or email temple@templebetham.org.
This book is a concise history of Israel, its relationship to Palestine, and the basic outline of this complicated conflict. Author Daniel Sokatch is also head of the New Israel Fund, an organization dedicated to equality and democracy for all Israelis. By reading the same book in this temple-wide event, congregants are encouraged to develop a shared basic knowledge and background helpful for our ongoing discussions on Israel.
The Jewish people have a deep religious and historical connection to Eretz Yisrael. As individuals, we may have strong and sometimes contradictory views and feelings about the current extremely challenging situation involving Israel and Gaza, and its impacts. Gaining further background knowledge is essential. Temple Beth Am Reads is an opportunity to learn more as a community and to develop a shared base of understanding. This event marks a first step in our plan to offer multiple opportunities to learn about Israel and explore a range of topics and viewpoints together as one community.
The idea of a congregation-wide learning event with Can We Talk About Israel? has been in discussion for many months. Through Project Bina feedback, as well as many individual comments and messages, we’ve heard the congregation’s clear desire and need for education and information around Israel especially after October 7. The goal is to offer informative programs in different formats featuring varied perspectives. Other activities will include lectures from local professors on the history of the region and antisemitism, a series on addressing antisemitism here locally, other book and film recommendations, and moderator lead cross-communal dialogs about people’s feelings about Israel.
To watch the video of the “Can We Talk About Israel?” live event with author Daniel Sokatch Click Here
To buy the book at a discount you can find it at Third Place Books Ravenna, or it can be found on Amazon/Audible. Author Daniel Sokatch will also have an updated version coming soon addressing post 10/7
Nancy Koppelman will be at Temple Beth Am for her insightful “Israel’s People: Before and After Statehood” talk.
This talk offers a valuable opportunity to enhance your understanding of the people of Israel alongside your fellow Beth Am community members.
Join The Jewish Federation, Stroum Jewish Community Center, and the greater Seattle Jewish community for a community-wide gathering to commemorate the events of October 7, the subsequent war, and its victims. This event will include a meaningful program that honors those affected.
Advanced registration is required. RSVP here.
Walking Through the Shadow of October 7Join us for small group discussion in people’s homes
Sunday, October 6, 2024, 7:15-9:15pm
As we approach the one year anniversary of October 7, we confront this tragedy while at the same time we confront ourselves during the Days of Awe. How do we acknowledge the suffering of our history while moving forward through Yom Kippur toward hope and light on the other side?
Limmud Seattle will gather in small, informal groups in people’s homes throughout the Greater Puget Sound area. We hope the gatherings will create deeper connections with others and give us a chance to share our griefs and our hopes.
There will be Salons in North Seattle, South Seattle, First Hill Seattle, South Bellevue, Everett, and Olympia. We are also excited to offer a dedicated virtual salon for those who are unable to join us in person.
To register here. After the initial registration, you will be directed to a separate page to sign up for a specific location. The address will be sent to you just before the event.
After a difficult year last year, many Jewish high school students are concerned about facing antisemitism or anti-Zionism during the upcoming year.
To support them, StandWithUs offers a free, multi-part program called Teen Leadership Council, and I would be grateful if you would share this with your community. TLC participants will learn how to effectively identify and combat antisemitism, develop leadership and communication skills, and deepen their connection to and understanding of Israel and the Jewish people – all delivered by our team in a professional, engaging, and nonpartisan way.
TLC is open to all high school students, with the first session starting on October 20. There is no cost to participate.
For more information, or for teens to apply, visit this link.
Stopping hateThe New Israel Fund’s founders envisioned an Israel that reflected their progressive values. Thousands of Israelis and supporters of Israel worldwide have since joined forces to push for an Israel where everyone can participate in a shared and just society. Together, we are working to build a stronger democracy in Israel, rooted in the values of equality, of inclusion, and of social justice.
If you would like to learn more about NIF click here
UnXeptable is a grassroots movement launched by Israeli expats in support of a democratic Israel. We call on world Jewry to come together and preserve the democratic identity of Israel as the home of all of its inhabitants.
If you would like to learn more about Unxeptable click here
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