Worship at Temple Beth-El

Temple Beth-El is a Reform congregation affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism, a union of one thousand Reform congregations in the U.S. and Canada.  During our Shabbat and Festival Services, we use the new siddur of the Reform Movement, Mishkan Tefillah, produced by the Central Conference of American Rabbis.  At the High Holy Days, we worship with the aid of Gates of Repentance (C.C.A.R.).  From time to time, we use creative liturgies in our worship.

Temple Beth-El capably meets the challenge of being the only Jewish congregation in Las Cruces.  Our members come from many backgrounds – traditional, Conservative, Reform. Some of us are Jewish humanists.  Some are Jews-By-Choice, while others are non-Jewish spouses or partners of Jewish members.  While no community can fully meet all needs of such a diverse congregation, we have evolved a warm, open and embracing worship life at Beth-El.

We have a positive attitude toward tradition as a repository of wisdom and experience.  We approach tradition with study, searching and discernment.  We take from tradition that which, by consensus, enlarges our spirit, our sense of Jewish history and religious practice.  At the same time, we seek a contemporary idiom which makes our use of tradition understandable and personally compelling.

Our services strive to balance the use of English and Hebrew.  Generally, whatever we include in Hebrew is sung.  With the aid of melody and transliteration (as well as adult Hebrew classes), participation in the Hebrew prayers is accessible.  Prayers in English range from direct translation of Hebrew liturgy to interpolation in prose and poetry.

It has been the custom at Beth-El for the music of our service to be unaccompanied by instruments.  We are a singing congregation with enthusiastic participation.  We are about to re-start a congregational choral group, and possibly, an instrumental group for special occasions.

These are goals of our worship:  to help our people feel a connection to our divine source; to make our worship stimulating and challenging; to reiterate core Jewish values through liturgy; to provide intellectual stimulation and spiritual guidance through sermons, speakers and discussions; to enhance a sense of continuity with the Jewish people and tradition; to take away from our worship the commitment to apply what we pray to how we live.

Our Shabbat Schedule

For dates and times of services, visit the monthly calendar

Temple Beth-El holds services on the first and last mornings of the Festivals, including Yizkor.

We invite your presence and participation at our worship.