Congregation Beth Shalom-Brandon FL

07/04/2025

Brandon Jewish Youth Academy to Open This Fall With Free Tuition for Members

Brandon, FL – Congregation Beth Shalom of Brandon is thrilled to announce the grand opening of the Brandon Jewish Youth Academy (BJYA), a new Hebrew school offering a modern, meaningful, and memorable approach to Jewish education — with free tuition for all members in good standing.

After successfully piloting the curriculum with two students—who will celebrate their Bar and Bat Mitzvah this October—the Academy is now enrolling students for Fall 2025. BJYA offers two parallel tracks: a Hebrew program focused on reading fluency and prayer, and a comprehensive curriculum covering Jewish history, culture, traditions, and Torah study.

“Our goal is to have our kids fall in love with their heritage,” said Neil Spindel, Director of Jewish Education. “We’re trying to grow Brandon’s only Jewish synagogue by offering a phenomenal
educational experience for children looking to become Bar and Bat Mitzvah, right here in the heart of Brandon so local parents won’t need to schlep into Tampa any more.”

The school integrates innovative teaching strategies, in-house built textbooks and learning materials. BJYA also uses AI tools, including ChatGPT (“Shlomo”), to develop curriculum and textbooks tailored to each student.

“We’ve needed to work at a fast pace to build this curriculum at the same time live students were piloting it. AI was incredibly valuable in helping us keep ahead of their learning while
building something amazing,” Spindel noted.

BJYA will host a Q&A and Info Session on Sunday, July 27 at 1:00 PM at Congregation Beth Shalom, 706 Bryan Road, Brandon, FL. Families are invited to meet the educators, learn about the curriculum, and enjoy an afternoon of hospitality and community:
• Pizza, Ice cream, and activities for the kids
• Wine, cheese, and refreshments for adults

Security is a top priority. A uniformed Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Deputy will be on site. Names will be checked against an RSVP list.

To RSVP, please email [email protected] or call/text (813) 438-3914 by July 25.

For general inquiries, contact [email protected]. To learn more about Congregation Beth Shalom and the Brandon Jewish Youth Academy, visit

A modern, meaningful, and memorable Jewish education in the heart of Brandon, Florida.

06/01/2025

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם,
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר.
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha’olam,
asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sefirat ha’omer.

הַיּוֹם תִּשְׁעָה וְאַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, שֶׁהֵם שִׁבְעָה שָׁבוּעוֹת לָעוֹמֶר
Hayom tish‘ah v’arba’im yom, shehem shiv’ah shavuot la’omer
Today is forty-nine days, which is seven full weeks of the Omer.

05/30/2025

הַיּוֹם שִׁבְעָה וְאַרְבָּעָה יוֹם, שֶׁהֵם שִׁבְעָה שָׁבוּעוֹת וִשְׁלוֹשָׁה יָמִים לָעוֹמֶר
Hayom shiv’ah v’arba’ah yom, shehem shiv’ah shavuot u’shloshah yamim la’omer
Today is forty-seven days, which is six weeks and five days of the Omer.

05/28/2025

ַיּוֹם חֲמִשָּׁה וְאַרְבָּעָה יוֹם, שֶׁהֵם שִׁבְעָה שָׁבוּעוֹת וּיוֹם אֶחָד לָעוֹמֶר
Hayom chamishah v’arba’ah yom, shehem shiv’ah shavuot v’yom echad la’omer
Today is forty-five days, which is six weeks and three days of the Omer.

05/25/2025

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם,
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר.
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha’olam,
asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sefirat ha’omer.

הַיּוֹם שְׁנַיִם וְאַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, שֶׁהֵם שִׁשָּׁה שָׁבוּעוֹת וּשְׁנֵי יָמִים לָעוֹמֶר
Hayom shnaim v’arba’im yom, shehem shishah shavuot u’shnei yamim la’omer
Today is forty-two days, which is six weeks and two days of the Omer.

05/25/2025

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם,
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ עַל סְפִירַת הָעֹמֶר.
Baruch Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha’olam,
asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al sefirat ha’omer.

הַיּוֹם אַרְבָּעָה וְאֶחָד יוֹם, שֶׁהֵם שִׁשָּׁה שָׁבוּעוֹת וְיוֹם אֶחָד לָעוֹמֶר
Hayom arba’ah v’echad yom, shehem shishah shavuot v’yom echad la’omer
Today is forty-one days, which is six weeks and one day of the Omer.

05/21/2025

הַיּוֹם שְׁמוֹנָה וּשְׁלוֹשִׁים יוֹם, שֶׁהֵם חֲמִשָּׁה שָׁבוּעוֹת וּשְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים לָעוֹמֶר
Hayom shemonah u’shloshim yom, shehem chamishah shavuot u’shloshah yamim la’omer
Today is thirty-eight days, which is five weeks and three days of the Omer.

05/20/2025

ַיּוֹם שִׁבְעָה וּשְׁלוֹשִׁים יוֹם, שֶׁהֵם חֲמִשָּׁה שָׁבוּעוֹת וּשְׁנֵי יָמִים לָעוֹמֶר
Hayom shiv’ah u’shloshim yom, shehem chamishah shavuot u’shnei yamim la’omer
Today is thirty-seven days, which is five weeks and two days of the Omer.

05/19/2025

הַיּוֹם שִׁשָּׁה וּשְׁלוֹשִׁים יוֹם, שֶׁהֵם חֲמִשָּׁה שָׁבוּעוֹת וְיוֹם אֶחָד לָעוֹמֶר
Hayom shishah u’shloshim yom, shehem chamishah shavuot v’yom echad la’omer
Today is thirty-six days, which is five weeks and one day of the Omer.

05/18/2025

הַיּוֹם חֲמִשָּׁה וּשְׁלוֹשִׁים יוֹם, שֶׁהֵם חֲמִשָּׁה שָׁבוּעוֹת לָעוֹמֶר
Hayom chamishah u’shloshim yom, shehem chamishah shavuot la’omer
Today is thirty-five days, which is five weeks of the Omer.

05/15/2025

הַיּוֹם שְׁנַיִם וּשְׁלוֹשִׁים יוֹם, שֶׁהֵם אַרְבָּעָה שָׁבוּעוֹת וְחֲמִשָּׁה יָמִים לָעוֹמֶר
Hayom shnaim u’shloshim yom, shehem arba’ah shavuot va’chamishah yamim la’omer
Today is thirty-two days, which is four weeks and five days of the Omer.

05/12/2025

ַיּוֹם תִּשְׁעָה וְעֶשְׂרִים יוֹם, שֶׁהֵם אַרְבָּעָה שָׁבוּעוֹת וְיוֹם אֶחָד לָעוֹמֶר
Hayom tish‘ah v’esrim yom, shehem arba’ah shavuot v’yom echad la’omer
Today is twenty-nine days, which is four weeks and one day of the Omer.