Bet Chaverim, Des Moines, Wa

01/16/2026

https://azm.org/39wzc2025/
The 39th World Zionist Congress (WZC), the international “parliament of the Jewish people” was held in Jerusalem in October, 2025. From March 10th to May 4th, 2025, the American Zionist Movement (AZM) administered the election for the US Delegates to the WZC. An all-time record 224,969 valid votes were cast for 22 diverse slates.

September 25, 2025 39TH WORLD ZIONIST CONGRESS The 39th World Zionist Congress (WZC), the international “parliament of the Jewish people” was held in Jerusalem in October, 2025. From March 10th to May 4th, 2025, the American Zionist Movement (AZM) administered the election for the US Delegates t...

01/12/2026

SHEHECHEYANU
שהחינו
Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai,
E-lo-hei-nu me-lech ha-o-lam,
she-he-che-ya-nu v’ki-y’ma-nu
v’hi-gi-ya-nu laz-man ha-zeh.
בָרוּךְ אַתָה יְיָ
אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
שֶהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְמָנוּ
וְהִגִיעָנוּ לַזְמַן הַזֶה.
BLESSING FOR THIS MOMENT
Praised are You, God,
who created the world,
who grants us life, who sustains us,
and who brings us to this very moment

12/15/2025

12/12/2025

A great miracle happened here" (Nes Gadol Haya Po) refers to the Hanukkah story in Israel, where the Hebrew letter 'Peh' (פ) replaces the 'Shin' (ש - meaning "there") on dreidels, signifying the miracle of the oil and the Jewish people's connection to the land, making the phrase a powerful declaration of ongoing divine presence and Jewish resilience in their homeland.

11/08/2025

This Week's Torah Portion
VAYEIRA
וַיֵּרָא
I (GOD) APPEARED [TO ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB]

The Eternal appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre as he was sitting at the entrance of the tent at about the hottest time of the day. - Genesis 18:1
Torah
Genesis 18:1–22:24
Haftarah
II Kings 4:1-37
When
November 8, 2025 / 17 Heshvan 5786

10/30/2025

Partnering with Each Other, God, and the Reform Movement
In Des Moines, Washington, Congregation Bet Chaverim is using URJ resources and implementing principles of sacred partnership to connect with each other and URJ congregations across the country. Rabbi James Mirel and congregational president Geoff Groshong both spoke on a panel at the URJ’s January 2025 Leadership Bootcamp and shared their thoughts about cultivating sacred partnerships. Rabbi Mirel shared that being part of the URJ has allowed the congregation to build relationships, maintain connections across the country, and be part of something big.

Rabbi Mirel believes that the real sacred partnership is between the congregation and God, leaders are just there to facilitate it. Thus, the leadership structure at Congregation Bet Chaverim values the voices of all members. He explained, “I personally respect everyone’s point of view and feel they should be heard. We all share equal responsibility [in our mission] to be a kehillah kedosha, a holy congregation.”

The URJ serves 501 small congregations of 250 or fewer households throughout North America. Though small, these communities are vital to the North American Reform Movement.

10/13/2025

Sukkot 2025