All groups are open to the public.

Join a Jewish Journey Group!
This exciting program features groups of synagogue members with common interests, shared experiences, or shared life circumstances who meet regularly for activities related to their common experience. Joining a Journey Group is a great way to meet new people and/or participate in an activity that helps define you as a Jew, a member of Beth El, and a human being.

Mitzvah Milers Bicycling Journey Group
Mitzvah Milers is a group who share a love of cycling and enjoying a great Shabbat afternoon ride. It provides an environment for cyclists to meet each other and experience the delight of Shabbat while exploring some of the beautiful rides around La Jolla and San Diego. We will meet one shabbat afternoon a month, at Beth El and go for a approx 1.5 hour ride.

Join our monthly rides (through November), which are usually at an intermediate level, with moderate hills and a sociable pace. For us, rides are social events, not races, so we make every attempt to ride as a group for safety and camaraderie.

Saturdays, August 9
Summer ride info. We will meet at the Mission Bay Visitor Center at 2:30 PM. RSVP to irving.elson@navy.mil.

Chai Group (21-36 years old)
Led by Rabbi Avi Libman and Jessie Blank-Birnbaum
Experience Shabbat at our Chai Services, special services for young professionals ages 21-36. Come join us for wine & cheese, music, singing, speakers, discussion and refreshments.

Chai Shabbat Services the 4th Friday of every month at 7:30 PM in the Bet Midrash

Short Stories Journey Group
The Oxford Book of Hebrew Short Stories* (Translated into English)

Our Hebrew Short Story Program continues on using the book of short stories which is a composite of Modern Hebrew Literature. We have read and reviewed some dozen stories that demonstrate the development of Hebrew fiction that began with the Jewish cultural movement known as the Haskalah, the Hebrew Enlightenment of the 19th and 20th centuries and continued through the experiences in America and Israel. For the Winter Session we will read stories written by Israeli women authors reflecting the experiences in Palestine and Israel in the twentieth century. This Hebrew literary activity developed more fully after the founding of the State of Israel with varying models and elements in the new culture of these environments.

We will discover many of these influences and tensions in several stories that we have selected for readings and attempt to understand their contribution to the modern day Jewish experience. The following short stories will be read, reviewed and discussed in our Winter class sessions. We look forward to the continuation of our lively interactive discussions.

*The Oxford Book of Hebrew Short Stories will be required for class participation.
Edited by Glenda Abramson. Published by the Oxford University Press.
Led by Mo Gold
Dates and Stories:
TBD
10:30 AM - 12 PM in the Bet Midrash
Free

Shabbat Dinner Group
A group devoted to sharing Friday night Shabbat meals at different homes.
Contact Amit at amit@congregationbethel.org.

Exploring Jewish Identity in the Diaspora
Led by Victor and Nechama Moreno
The Jewish identity program will focus on elements of Jewish identity in the USA and Israel. It will also explore the forces which are likely to shape the Jewish Identity in the future in those countries. Speakers from Beth El and outside speakers will present insights on the evolution of the Jewish identity from the generations which have migrated to these countries to the current and future populations.

Dates: TBA