In the Spirit

Address: 1011 Camelback Drive, Newport Beach

Telephone: (949) 644-1999

Denomination: Reform Congregation but with traditional services.

Year established: 1973

Service times: Friday at 8 p.m. except on the first Friday of the

month, when a family service is held instead at 6 p.m. Bar and bat

mitzvahs are Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Monday Shabbat inner program at 6:15

a.m. Tot Shabbat program at 8 p.m. on the third Friday of each month.

Rabbi: Mark S. Miller

Cantor: Jonathan Grant. Grant is the only cantor in Orange County

ordained from the Hebrew Union College.

Size of congregation: 600 families

Makeup of congregation: Mostly families with children still in the

home and singles. Members come from Orange County’s coastal communities,

Irvine and Mission Viejo.

Child care: Provided at all services and family activities.

Type of worship: Traditional. Services include prayers, singing and a

teaching. There is a lot of Hebrew in the service, but prayer and song

books are in Hebrew and English, and it is easy for anyone unfamiliar

with Hebrew to follow. The junior choir, under direction of Grant,

provides music at the family service on the first Friday of the month.

Type of sermon: Miller’s teachings are generally based on the portion

of Torah designated for the week, though at times he addresses a current

issue in view of the wisdom of Torah. At the family service, on the first

Friday of each month, his teaching is more of a story and accessible to

the children.

Welcome wagon: Visitors receive an informative pamphlet about Temple

Bat Yahm and its opportunities for worship, education and friendship.

Miller calls visitors following their visit.

Programs: Shabbat and worship services and celebrations for High Holy

Days and other special holidays. Temple Bat Yahm’s Sisterhood provides

events and services for the temple and the community at large. Small

groups, called “chavurah,” provide friendship to families with ages,

children and interests in common. There are many educational programs for

children and adults, including Mommy and Me and preschool programs and

Religious School for older children. Temple Bat Yahm’s yearly lecture

series features distinguished guest speakers, and Miller lectures

throughout the year on topics of Jewish content. Temple Bat Yahm

contributes to the community through food drives, blood drives, and many

various charitable walks, runs and benefits for social services and

causes.

Dress: Clothing should befit the time--Shabbat--and place, the

sanctuary, a holy place.

Church design: The temple is preparing for the new millennium with

Project TBY 2000, a growth expansion program for the future of its

children and the generations to come.

Mission statement: The purpose of the congregation shall be to worship

God in accordance with the faith of Reform Judaism, to promote religious

education, to promote cultural and spiritual welfare of its members as

Jews and as members of the general community and to advance the liberal

interpretation of the Jewish tradition. The congregation has been

established to maintain a house of worship and learning and a place of

assembly for the preservation and perpetuation of Judaism and the ethical

and moral values for which it stands and to provide is members with the

means of identifying with their Jewish heritage and of living in

accordance with Jewish teachings, and to preserve the Jewish faith for

future generations.

Interesting note: Congressman Brad Sherman, from California’s 24th

District (San Fernando Valley), will be at Temple Bat Yahm for Yom Kippur

services Sept. 20. He will speak during an afternoon interlude from 1:30

to 2:15 p.m. He will discuss Israel, its Prime Minister Ehud Barak, the

ongoing peace process in the Middle East and other related issues. The

temple encourages anyone interested in learning more about Temple Bat

Yahm to go to the Web site at https://www.tby.org .-- Compiled by Michele

M. Marr