As the High Holy Days approach, many Jewish people are deciding that this is the year—the year they join a synagogue and get involved in the local Jewish community. Determine what you and your family want out of your synagogue experience. Temple offers a great deal above and beyond Shabbat and High Holy Day services, including religious school for your kids, social events and education for adults, a sense of belonging and so much more. The temple you eventually choose should provide a good mix of the things you want. Also, think about what you want in a spiritual leader. Temple Beth Ami’s (TBA) Rabbi Mark Blazer has been a member of the Santa Clarita community for more than 10 years. You’ll find him at a variety of local events, and he has been instrumental in working with local school boards to address the needs to Jewish children and families in Santa Clarita. Rabbi Blazer and his wife, Tracy, are proud to raise their three daughters in Santa Clarita. Each year, TBA embarks on new and exciting community projects. In May, TBA hosted the First Annual Jewish Food Festival in Santa Clarita. It was a rousing success, with more than 1,000 people attending this one-day event. An array of vendors offering Jewish- and kosher-style food, plus activities for families made this a not-to-be-missed afternoon. At Temple Beth Ami, we are committed to providing a range of services for our diverse congregation. If you have an interest, you will find lots of like-minded people at TBA. From book groups to Torah study to social events to stimulating and interesting religious services, TBA really does have it all. Don’t miss our annual Shabbat in the Park at Valencia Meadows Park, August 7 at 7 p.m. or our Beach Havdalah in Ventura on August 22. Our religious school includes Sunday school, Hebrew school and Bar/Bat Mitzvah training. We also offer many adult-education options, including our fabulous Adult B’nai Mitzvah program, weekly Torah study, informative speakers and much more. Want to learn more? Stop by one of our fun open houses (August 30 or September 13). Tour the synagogue and classrooms, meet Rabbi Mark Blazer and TBA members. Enjoy a nosh and some good, old-fashioned schmoozing. Make this the year you join TBA!
For more information, visit Temple Beth Ami, 23023 Hilse Lane, Newhall, CA or call 661-255-6410; you can also visit www.templebethami.org .