Why I Belong to VBS

Read first-hand testimonials from some of our members about why they belong to Valley Beth Shalom.

My husband, Elan, and I joined VBS about 7 years ago when our old synagogue unfortunately folded. Rather than looking for the nearest shul like we did when we had young kids in Hebrew School, we decided to choose something for ourselves. Learning, Torah study and social justice issues were important to us so the options were narrowed to just one – Valley Beth Shalom. We wanted to be involved in what I call ‘cutting edge Judaism’, something dynamic and engaged in the world.

We started coming to Shabbat services and lectures. The Wednesday night College of Jewish Studies became a hangout for us. I started coming to Sisterhood events. Elan enjoyed the Men’s Club’s Talmud & Tequila. We became regulars at Rabbi Feinstein’s Torah Study and Rabbi Farkas’s Meditation Minyan. We joined VBS Connect to meet other members our age in social settings like bowling and movie nights.

Then sometime about two years ago we knew we had arrived. What had been a large building filled with many, many strangers shrunk to schmoozing during Kiddush lunch and in the hallway during services. VBS had become our shul. It filled a need for community we didn’t even know we had. We went to Israel with Rabbi Feinstein’s study tour in Feb, 2015. What an experience! We attended art openings, music concerts and theater performances. We listened to political speakers from across the spectrum. In the vastness and anonymity of Los Angeles, we’re glad we have VBS, our Little Shtetl in Encino.

Bobbi Rubinstein