Prospective Members

Prospective Member Coffees

Please invite your friends to join our clergy, Sandy Robbins, and our leadership and discover the special community we share here at BJBE. The first coffee will be on August 3 at the home of Rachel and Scott Tzinberg and the second will be on August 16 at the home of Laura and Tyler Passmore. If you have any questions, please contact or Membership Chair, Rachel Fersten, at rfersten1@yahoo.com

OUTDOOR SHABBAT SERVICE

The Outdoor Service will be on Friday, August 13 at Wood Oaks Park in Northbrook. Please bring your dinner and BJBE will provide the drinks and dessert. The picnic begins at 6:00 p.m. and Services begin sometime around 6:30 p.m.

BJBE's youth groups bring our children together to engage in community service, weekend retreats, and other religious and social events.

Visit our youth group page

As our congregation continues to grow and change, the Membership Committee is proud to offer an exciting new program to help welcome our recently joined congregants. The New Member Ambassador Program matches new members with existing congregants who act as "ambassadors" or mentors to help integrate the new member into the life of the congregation. How does the Ambassador Program work?

• Ambassadors are matched with our new Temple members based on a short questionnaire. Partnerships will be matched based on interest, life stage, location, or professional affiliation. You can also request to a mentor that you already know.
• During the course of the year, Ambassadors will work with matched member(s) to extend an invitation to events (services, congregational dinners, social programs, educational seminars, volunteer programs, etc.)

Please contact Marc Swatez at (847)729-7575 with any questions.

What is a Chavurah?

The word Chavurah comes from the Hebrew word "chaver", meaning friend. A Chavurah is a group of BJBE members who gather regularly throughout the year to enrich their lives by socializing, learning and celebrating Jewish life together. Participating in a Chavurah is one way to meet other temple members in a smaller, more personal setting, in which new relationships and friendships can be developed from within the congregation.

What does a Chavurah do?

Chavurah members plan activities of their own choosing. It could be a pot-luck dinner, building a Sukkah, attending a BJBE Shabbat service together, studying a text, going apple picking, attending a concert or play, whatever...it's your choice! Among the joys of Chavurah are sharing Shabbat, life cycle events, and the Jewish holidays.

How large is a Chavurah, how often does it meet?

In keeping with Reform Judaism’s long tradition of Tikkun Olam, repairing the world, BJBE is involved in a wide variety of social action opportunities to improve the community in which we live. Regular activities include a weekly Conversation Club for new immigrants from the former Soviet Union, making lunches monthly for those who are homeless or less fortunate, an annual blood drive, food drives, a Tzedakah Fair and an Interfaith Mitzvah Day.

Visit the Social Action page

We are grateful for the many contributions that our interfaith members bring to our congregation. We work actively to break down walls so that all who want to enter and experience Judaism or become engaged in Jewish activity feel welcome to do so. Interfaith Outreach uses the act of keruv, drawing people in, to bring those not raised as Jews closer to an understanding of Judaism.

Sisterhood/Men's Club

Our auxiliaries provide opportunities for congregants to socialize, learn and work together. Each participates in projects that benefit the community, our synagogue and its members. Our Sisterhood has a national reputation for involvement and leadership. From Men's Club Sunday brunches and sporting events to Sisterhood's Chanukah boutique, lox boxes and Judaica shop, there is something for everyone!

Visit the Sisterhood page

Visit the Men's Club page

Thank you for your interest in B'nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim. We are a diverse congregation with more than 900 families, including many interfaith families. BJBE welcomes new members because we believe that each family/person brings talents, energy and prospective that enrich us. No one is turned away for lack of ability to pay. We offer programs to help new members become a part of our congregational family such as the Chavurah program. Please look over our Web site and call our Executive Director Marc Swatez at the Temple office at 847-940-7575 to learn more.

BJBE offers dynamic, innovative programming to our members and guests. We provide an active community to those who wish to make a difference, a caring community to those less fortunate, and a nurturing community to those seeking connection.

Meet our Clergy

Meet our Staff

Download our membership brochure

Download our membership application