Congregation Etz Chayim

For children in Kindergarten and 1st Grade (and sometimes their grown-ups!) Parents and children explore and experience Jewish holidays, history, values, culture, prayer and more through many different avenues including stories, games, art, music and cooking.

The Seven Species, 7 fruits and grains native to the Land of Israel, are also known as the bikkurim in the Torah and its commentaries. These bikkurim were brought to the Temple as offerings, each with its own characteristics and symbolism. We will explore these Seven Species, discover what makes them "worthy" of mention in our sacred texts, why they were specifically chosen as offerings that brought glory to the Land of Israel, and why we have chosen them to represent our different grade levels of learning here at Etz Chayim.

The psalmist prays, Teach Us To Count Our Days, (then we shall acquire a heart of wisdom) Psalm 90:1. We Jews have always asked questions about counting our days--about Time. From the time-warp notion that we all personally stood at Sinai to Einstein's concepts of spacetime, ideas of Time are at the center of Jewish philosophy and practices. This Elul, join Rabbi Chaim and Abra as they lead us in four stand-alone sessions about our ideas of Time and what it means for our lives. Sign up to let us know who will be joining us when and to receive the class readings in advance.

Hineini, "Here I am" is a phrase that appears multiple times in the Torah. What does it mean for each of us to respond, "Here I am, a Jew in the 21st century?" For grades 7-8.

This is an ongoing, drop-in class that is open to everyone looking for a deeper, rational understanding of Torah. No Hebrew skills or Torah study experience are required.

Shabbat evening services are held every Friday at 7:30 p.m. and last about an hour. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Doing teshuvah requires us to repair what we have damaged, to make whole those we have harmed. Our tradition offers us important guidance about how to provide restitution or make reparations, both as individuals and as a nation. Join us as we explore these timeless, and very timely, lessons about what it takes to do right when we have done wrong. Presented by Rabbi Chaim Koritzinsky and Louis Newman.