Sandra Caplan Community Bet Din

08/24/2025

Welcome to the Covenant! These wonderful new Jews brought to us by Rabbi Mari Chernow from Temple Israel of Hollywood. Thank you to our other Dayanim Rabbis Daniel Shevitz and Lynn Brody Slome!

05/20/2025

Just as conversion candidates are asked to reflect on what brought them to Judaism, the Sandra Caplan Community Bet Din encourages candidates to dream big about their Jewish futures. Listen to SCCBD alum Nika Antuanette share about how she envisions her Jewish future in the video here. https://youtu.be/y4Tn0oh6CWs

We invite you to donate to our Shavuot campaign and support the Sandra Caplan Community Bet Din’s work, engaging in the mitzvah of welcoming the convert, knowing that the mitzvah continues for generations to come, L'Dor V'Dor.
Donate here: https://scbetdin.com/Shavuot2025/

Listen to SCCBD alum Nika Antuanette share about how she envisions her Jewish future.We invite you to donate to our Shavuot campaign and support the Sandra C...

05/05/2025

The Sandra Caplan Community Bet Din is nearing our 900th conversion. Each of these individuals bring their own, unique set of blessings to the Jewish community, making their time with the Sandra Caplan Community Bet Din a moment of reflection and celebration for the candidates and dayanim alike, as Rabbi Stephen Einstein, Board of Governors Chair, describes here: https://youtu.be/T7oLFswV1CU

We invite you to donate to our Shavuot campaign and support the Sandra Caplan Community Bet Din’s work, engaging in the mitzvah of welcoming the convert, knowing that the mitzvah continues with their children and their children's children, L'Dor V'Dor. Donate here: https://scbetdin.com/Shavuot2025/

Rabbi Einstein reflects on the joy and celebration of welcoming conversion candidates into the Jewish people.Help the Sandra Caplan Community Bet Din welcome...

02/14/2025

In our upcoming series about Torah study (registration link at the end of the post), we will look at different ways to deepen our practice - including through chevruta study, or studying in pairs. Read more about it here: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/havruta-learning-in-pairs/

Don't forget to register for our class starting February 25th! Register here: https://scbetdin.com/event-6026254

Havruta or Chevruta is a modern emphasis on peer-guided text study--an approach with ancient roots--reflects new social realities in the world of traditional Jewish learning.

01/31/2025

Zichrono Livracha, may the memory of our founder George Caplan be for blessing. George co founded the Bet Din with Rabbi Richard Levy Z”l of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and past president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Rabbi Elliot Dorff of American Jewish University - AJU and the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, Rabbi Neal Weinberg, and Rabbi Jerry Goldstein. Thanks to his philanthropy the Sandra Caplan Community Bet Din has brought more than 900 into the Jewish People. George was a well respected lawyer as well as a past president of the Jewish Federation Los Angeles, the Jewish Television Network, and on the advisory board of the Jewish Community Foundation. Thank you to the Jewish Journal and Dr Muriel Dance. Also some photos of the new Jews we are continuing to welcome thanks to George’s vision.

01/08/2025

Rabbinic Intern Erika saw the new film "The Brutalist" last week and was fascinated by the portrayal of Judaism throughout the film, which includes a brief and surprising conversation about the challenges of converting to Judaism.

Read more about the award winning film from a Jewish perspective here:

Brady Corbet's "The Brutalist" opens with Hungarian architect, Jewish Holocaust survivor, and soon-to-be freshly minted U.S. immigrant László Toth in the shadowy depths of a ship headed into New York Harbor.

12/31/2024

The Sandra Caplan Community Bet Din serves many denominations, working across dividing lines to oversee conversions for countless new Jews. As the year draws to a close this evening, Rabbi Elliot Dorff, one of our founders, asks you to support us as we support the wider Jewish community.

Support the Sandra Caplan Community Bet Din here: https://scbetdin.com/Donate

Please consider supporting the Sandra Caplan Community Bet Din by making a donation here: https://scbetdin.com/Donate

12/26/2024

Happy Hanukkah to you and yours! May this Hanukkah season be filled with joy and light for all of us.

12/24/2024

Tzedakah is a charitable, righteous act, often done through donating money to causes that are dear to your heart.

This year, we hope you will consider giving tzedakah to the Sandra Caplan Community Bet Din whose mission is to make conversion available to all people who study, participate in a Jewish community, and want to join the Jewish people.

Donate here: https://scbetdin.com/Donate

12/23/2024

Hanukkah arrives at the darkest time of the year, encouraging us to bring light into longer nights. This year, Hanukkah aligns with Christmas, when many people who converted to Judaism spend time with their families of origin.

For people who converted, going home to see your family can be challenging, whether because you chose Judaism or because of the intense dynamics of the world we’re living in. Here's an article about how to have difficult conversations at any time of the year: https://www.heyalma.com/a-jewish-professionals-guide-on-how-to-have-hard-conversations/

12/13/2024

After Giving Tuesday, you might feel overwhelmed by constant requests for donations to a variety of causes. However, we invite you to look at these requests from a slightly different angle this year - a Jewish one! Tzedakah comes from the same Hebrew root as tzedek (justice), and specifically applies to Jewish efforts in creating a more just society by helping charities, non-profits, and people in need. Tzedakah is a charitable, righteous act, most often done through donating money to causes that are near and dear to your heart.

One tradition associated with Shabbat is giving tzedakah. Many people have a special tzedakah box where they deposit money in the box prior to candle lighting. At certain times of the year, such as Hanukkah, a donation is made to a worthy cause. This year, we want to invite you to explore the practice of giving tzedakah during the holiday season. We hope you will consider giving tzedakah to the Sandra Caplan Community Bet Din whose mission is to make conversion available to all people who study, participate in a Jewish community, and want to join the Jewish people.