Kids/Tots Shabbat, Potluck & Musical Kabbalat Shabbat (Classrooms/Beit T’Fillah)
Friday, January 9
- 5:30 p.m. Kids and Tots Service
- 6:15 p.m. Dairy/Pareve Potluck
- 7:00 p.m. Service with Beth David’s Musical Group
We’ll start with a kids and tots service at 5:30 p.m., a dairy/pareve potluck at 6:15 p.m., followed by an engaging service with Beth David’s musical group We’ll provide the challah and kiddush wine. Sign up for potluck [here].
Jewish Book Discussion Group (Beit Midrash)
Saturday, January 10, 12:45–2:00 p.m.
Palestine 1936: The Great Revolt by Oren Kessler, led by Shmuel Shottan
This book is a history of the 1936-1939 Arab revolt in British Mandate Palestine, detailing how the uprising against British rule and Jewish immigration solidified Palestinian national identity while also leading to a significant Zionist counter-rebellion. The book highlights this period as a pivotal turning point that laid the groundwork for the modern Israeli-Palestinian conflict, shaping both Jewish and Arab national movements and influencing the eventual British withdrawal and the partition of Palestine.
Connecting with Purpose by Volunteering in Israel (Beit Midrash)
Sunday, January 11, 2:00–3:30 p.m.
In the past couple years, Beth David congregant Sue Maltiel has traveled to Israel multiple times for this purpose, as has her friend Elana Feinsmith. This afternoon, Sue and Elana will share their experiences on extended trips to Israel, where they have been deployed as needed for volunteer work such as: preparing homecooked meals for soldiers at the front, support for soldiers’ families, picking produce on site at border farms whose residents have been evacuated, or are called up for service, visiting wounded soldiers in hospitals who are undergoing rehabilitation, and packing medical supply kits, which must be replaced every 90 days, for army medics. Volunteers like Sue and Elana travel to Israel for several weeks at a time, for a heartening and rewarding experience helping the people of Israel at their time of need. This event is co-sponsored by Beth David’s Israel Action Committee and Beth David Women.
Psalm 92: What it Means for Us Today (Zoom)
Mondays, January 12, 19 & 26, 7:30–9:00 p.m.
with Rabbi Cronin
Psalm 92 is a staple of the Shabbat Psukei d’Zimrah service. A closer look at this psalm reveals that its justice theme is also very relevant to our times. Join our rabbinic intern, Neal Cronin, for a detailed and fulfilling dive into what this ancient psalm means to us in our everyday lives, and how it guides us to engage more constructively with others. We’ll use the Lev Shalem Siddur as our study text. Sign up for Zoom [here].
Jewish Women Throughout History (Beit Midrash/Zoom)
Tuesday, January 13, 7:30–9:00 p.m.
with Rabbi Kunin
Jewish history and tradition has been focused primarily on men, leaving out the essential contributions of women over the ages. In this class we discover amazing Jewish women (some well-known and some who have largely been lost) from Hulda the Prophetess to Doña Gracia Nasi, to Golda Meir. If you want to sign up for Zoom attendance, please click [here]. If you want to attend in person, it is not necessary to register.
Youth Congregation (Beit T’Fillah)
Saturday, January 17, 9:45–11:00 a.m.
with Rabbi Roller
Join us for a lively Shabbat service designed for 1st–5th graders, featuring prayer, Torah readings, games, and discussions connected to the weekly portion and today’s world. Parents and adults are welcome.
Tot Shabbat (Beit T’fillah)
Saturday, January 17, 11:15–11:45 a.m.
with Rabbi Roller
Join us for a fun and engaging Shabbat program for tots and their families, featuring songs, stories, movement, and more.
Teshuvah of the Month (Beit Midrash)
Saturdays, January 17 & February 21, 12:45–2:00 p.m.
with Rabbi Kunin
Traditional Judaism (including Conservative Judaism) is a religion of law. We build our lives around halakha (Jewish law). We understand our legal tradition to be based in the past yet growing and developing in every generation. These changes in interpretation are reflected in teshuvot, rabbinic legal decisions, a literature that has been growing over the last thousand or more years. Each month Join Rabbi Kunin as we examine fascinating examples of this important literature, stemming both from ancient and modern Conservative (and occasional Orthodox or Reform) sources.
Hazak – Fun Game Afternoon (Social Hall)
Sunday, January 18, 2:00–4:00 p.m.
Play some familiar games. Learn some new ones. Schmooze a little, too. Refreshments … but of course.
Games being considered: Canasta, Bridge, Mah Jongg, Poker, Mexican Train, Dominoes, Scrabble, Backgammon, Chess, Monopoly, Clue, Boggle, etc. $10 per person. RSVP by emailing Hazak [here]. Your account will be billed.
The Former Prophets (Beit Midrash)
Saturdays, January 24 & February 28, 12:45–2:00 p.m.
with Rabbi Roller
Discover some of the most exciting biblical stories you’ve never heard! Explore tales of war, love, betrayal, and revenge that rival anything on a bestseller list. We’ll primarily use Robert Alter’s translation, though other versions of the Hebrew Bible are also welcome. Please bring any Hebrew Bible you may have from home; a limited number of copies will be available for use during class.
Aging with Confidence (Social Hall)
Sunday, January 25, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Join Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley for a thoughtful conversation designed to help older adults remain independent, connected, and supported while aging in place. Learn how to reduce isolation, access trusted resources, and explore programs from the Rick and Doris Davis Center for Aging and Caregiver Services that honor personal dignity, Jewish values, and individual choice. You’ll also learn more about our Chevra Chesed Committee and how this program connects with the Rabbi’s upcoming classes, Planning for the End Won’t Kill You: A Series on Death and Dying. Feel informed, empowered, and confident about the road ahead. Please sign up by January 23 [here].
Navigating the Sea of Sacred Jewish Literature (Zoom)
Tuesdays, January 27 & February 17, 7:30–9:00 p.m.
with Rabbi Roller
Join us on a journey through the rich and diverse world of Jewish sacred literature. Together, we’ll explore the distinct genres that make up this tradition, uncovering their unique features and historical contexts. Beginning with the foundational texts of the Bible, we’ll trace how rabbinic, medieval, and modern writings reinterpret, expand upon, and respond to these earlier works. Along the way, we’ll discover the deep intertextuality that weaves through centuries of Jewish thought—revealing an ongoing, dynamic conversation that continues to shape Jewish tradition across time. Sign up for Zoom [here].
CPR Training (Social Hall)
Friday, January 30, 10:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m.
Join us for CPR and First Aid Training with Bonnie Hirsch. This is a blended learning class, with an online training portion that must be completed prior to the in-person session. After completion, participants will receive certification valid for 2 years. Instructions for registering for the online portion will be emailed with your signup confirmation. This class is strictly limited to 12 participants and open to Beth David members only. The cost is $42.00 and may be paid by cash or check, made payable to Bonnie Hirsch, on the day of the in-person training. Please sign up by January 26 [here].
Women’s Shabbat (Sanctuary/YouTube)
Saturday, January 31, 9:30–11:30 a.m.
Sign up to participate in leading the congregation in an inspiring, Shabbat service. Make this year the year you learn something new! Or participate together with a friend! Look for signup for the DIY Tu B’ Shevat Seder at the bottom of the Signup Genius. Please sign up [here].
Dayenu: a Jewish Call to Climate Action (Beit Midrash)
Sunday, February 1, 3:00–4:30 p.m.
Beth David member Michal Strutin will introduce us to Dayenu Circle, a movement rooted in Jewish values to mobilize Jewish Communities for meaningful climate action. Michal, who serves on the steering committee locally, will share activities of the Silicon Valley chapter, such as neighborhood rallies with other Jewish and conservation groups in the area, collaboration with the Jewish Legislative Caucus in Sacramento, ongoing programs for promoting widespread adoption of solar energy and electric vehicles, and easy ways you can help preserve a livable climate on earth.
Super Bowl 2026 LX (Social Hall)
Sunday February 8, 3:30–9:00 p.m.
Beth David Beth David members and their guests are invited to join us for Super Bowl Sunday in the social Hall. Men’s Club will provide pizza, snacks and drinks, please bring a dairy/parve potluck item. Please see Kashrut guidelines for potlucks [here]. Sign up [here].
AAi Blood Drive (Social Hall)
Wednesday, February 11, 11:00–5:00 p.m.
Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood, and each donation of blood can save up to 3 lives! Join Jews, Christians, and Muslims to assist American Red Cross staff, check-in donors, sterilize chairs and tables in donor waiting areas, refill refreshments for donors post-donation, and ensure donors are feeling well before departure. No experience is necessary! American Red Cross staff will train you to accomplish these tasks easily and safely, providing everything you need.
Kids/Tots Shabbat, Potluck & Musical Kabbalat Shabbat (Classrooms/Beit T’Fillah)
Friday, February 13
- 5:30 p.m. Kids and Tots Service
- 6:15 p.m. Dairy/Pareve Potluck
- 7:00 p.m. Service with Beth David’s Musical Group
We’ll start with a kids and tots service at 5:30 p.m., a dairy/pareve potluck at 6:15 p.m., followed by an engaging service with Beth David’s musical group We’ll provide the challah and kiddush wine. Sign up for potluck [here].
SAVE THE DATE: Friday, March 13
Join Rabbi Kunin for Judeo-Italian cooking from 1:00–4:00 p.m., followed by a Judeo-Italian feast from 6:30–8:30 p.m.
Jewish Book Discussion Group (Beit Midrash)
Saturday, February 14, 12:45–2:00 p.m.
Joanne Cornbleet will lead us in a discussion of S. Y. Agnon’s short story, “The Fable of the Goat,” which we will read aloud with the group. Copies of the story will be provided. It is not necessary to read the story in advance.
Justin Ferate speaks on Rosenwald Schools (Zoom)
Thursday, February 26, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Our favorite speaker, Justin Ferate, will speak for us again about an inspiring man, Julius Rosenwald, who created schools in the U.S. South for poor black children. Join us for this heartwarming and fascinating talk. Sponsored by Beth David Women. Register for Zoom [here].