Welcome to Temple B'nai Brith in Somerville!
We are your Jewish space to pray, to play, to learn, to support one another, and to build a more just society. We welcome members with a wide range of backgrounds, beliefs, and relationships to Judaism, including interfaith families and Jews by choice.
At TBB, you can find Shabbat morning Torah study and services, Friday night services (including monthly potluck dinners), a range of family programs including Family and Tot Shabbat services, a vibrant Children’s School and engaging adult education.
Join us at an upcoming event! If you’d like to become a member, we welcome you to our beautiful historic synagogue and to our community.
Join us for Shabbat
Reading With The Rabbi
Read a great book, then enjoy a lively discussion at 7:30pm in the Rabbi's study, 3rd Wednesdays of the month. Zoom can be arranged if requested.
7:30pm Wednesday, November 20 we will discuss Joshua Cohen's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Netanyahus: An Account of a Minor and Ultimately Even Negligible Episode in the History of a Very Famous Family.
RSVP for Nov 20 Reading with the Rabbi
"Absorbing, delightful, hilarious, breathtaking and the best and most relevant novel I’ve read in what feels like forever." —Taffy Brodesser-Akner, The New York Times Book Review
Corbin College, not quite upstate New York, winter 1959–1960: Ruben Blum, a Jewish historian—but not an historian of the Jews—is co-opted onto a hiring committee to review the application of an exiled Israeli scholar specializing in the Spanish Inquisition. When Benzion Netanyahu shows up for an interview, family unexpectedly in tow, Blum plays the reluctant host to guests who proceed to lay waste to his American complacencies. Mixing fiction with nonfiction, the campus novel with the lecture, The Netanyahus is a wildly inventive, genre-bending comedy of blending, identity, and politics that finds Joshua Cohen at the height of his powers.
Book Discussion- Loving Our Own Bones: Disability Wisdom and the Spiritual Subversiveness of Knowing Ourselves Whole
Second Thursdays | Nov 14, Dec 12 & Jan 9
7:00-8:30 PM on Zoom
More info and registration
Penina Weinberg, TBB's Disability Visibility Advocate, will lead a discussion of Julia Watts Belser’s new book, Loving Our Own Bones. Penina Weinberg, TBB's Disability Visibility Advocate, will lead a discussion of Julia Watts Belser’s new book, Loving Our Own Bones. Through fresh and unexpected readings of the Bible, Loving Our Own Bones paints a luminous portrait of what it means to be disabled and one of God’s beloved. Belser delves deep into sacred literature, braiding the insights of disabled, feminist, Black, and queer thinkers with her own experiences as a queer disabled Jewish feminist. Her book also contemplates the ways in which places of worship — and society in general — could be more inclusive to all types of bodies.
Shabbat Morning Torah Study
8:45-9:45 AM Saturdays, in Rabbi Eliana’s study
This is an ongoing drop in class beginning Nov 16.
No fee. Please sign up for the Torah study emails to receive announcements, such as schedule changes
Start your Saturday mornings with a warm and engaging dive into the weekly Torah portion! From 8:45-9:45 AM in Rabbi Eliana’s study, we’ll explore timeless themes and fresh insights from the parsha, all in a relaxed, discussion-friendly environment. No prior knowledge of Hebrew or Torah study is needed—just bring your curiosity and a desire to learn. Coffee and meaningful conversation await!
Pajama and Pizza Havdalah
Upcoming: Saturday, November 16th, 5-7 PM
Future: Jan 25, March 1. We will also make havdalah together at our Chanukah party on December 28.
As the sun sets earlier, come join us to play, eat, be cozy, and say goodbye to Shabbat.
Pizza will be from Veggie Crust, there will be cheese and vegetable options, as well as some other fruits and vegetables for munching.
Pajamas are optional but encouraged for all ages!
Family & Tot Shabbat Services
Upcoming: Saturday, November 23, 11:00am-noon
Community Kiddush lunch follows services
Join us for a monthly Shabbat morning service for kids and their families (siblings of all ages are invited to join)! Tot Service (best for ages 4 and under) and Family Service (best for ages 5+) take place concurrently. Both services begin at 11:00 am.
Family services follow the order of a Shabbat morning service. We will learn parts of the liturgy, introduce the weekly Torah portion, and chant some of it too.
Tot services in the Chapel (on the Lower level) celebrate Shabbat with all the essentials: songs, movement, plush Torahs, and story time. Come to introduce the youngest members of your family to Shabbat services and connect with other families at TBB.
The Kabbalist's Shabbat
A Sunday morning class with Rabbi Eliana
Sundays 10:00 -11:30am
Nov 3, 10, 17, & 24, Dec 8 & 15
In the Rabbi's Study
Register here
Join us for an exciting six-session journey into the mystical heart of Shabbat, where we’ll dive into the rich spiritual world of the 16th-century Kabbalists from Safed. Together, we’ll uncover the hidden layers of Shabbat rituals, explore the deep meaning behind the mystical liturgy of Friday night and Saturday morning services, and discover how Shabbat shapes Jewish spirituality. Whether you’re familiar with the traditions or just curious to learn more, this class will offer fresh insights into the transformative power of Shabbat.
Potluck Fridays
Upcoming: Dec 13, Jan 10, Feb 14, Mar 21, Apr 4, May 16, June 13 (Pride Shabbat)
Services at 6:00 pm during the winter months
Potluck following services, around 6:50 pm. Join us for one or both.
A great way to end the week with friends & food. RSVP for the potluck here! We will start with Kabbalat Shabbat Service in the sanctuary, followed by a vegetarian potluck dinner. (No fish please. Dairy and eggs are okay.)
TBB Families
See events and info at Families. Want to be in touch with other families / hear about upcoming events for kids? Email tbbfamilies@gmail.com
TBB in your Inbox
Want to connect with TBB by email? We have two ways!
Email tbb@templebnaibrith.org to start receiving emails directly from TBB about synagogue events and programs, as well as other TBB news and business.
Join our Google group to hear from your fellow members and friends of TBB or send the community a message yourself. Discuss Somerville happenings, share other Jewish programs, arts, culture, ask if anyone knows a good dentist, and more.