Volunteer Opportunities for congregants
Temple Beth Shalom congregants, we invite and encourage you to keep our temple welcoming and vibrant with your gifts of service. Your presence at our temple and your service builds relationships and helps make our temple the warm congregation we all enjoy.
Members, please browse current volunteer opportunities below, and contact us if you have a volunteer idea that isn’t posted.
- Shabbat Greeter for Friday Night
- Tzofim (Watchman or Scout) Crew
- Religious School Room Parent
- B'nai Mitzvah Mentor
- B'nai Mitzvah Greeter
- Torah Handler
- Volunteering in the Community
Shabbat Greeter for Friday Night Services
Why This Opportunity Matters: Greeters are essential in helping strengthen our temple's culture of being warm and welcoming.
How You Can Be Helpful: Greet congregants and guests as they arrive for Erev Shabbat services, distribute prayer books and/or handouts if needed, usher attendees to their seats, and help with dismissal at the conclusion of the service.
Location: Temple Beth Shalom
Age Requirement: 18 years or older
Time Commitment: Some Fridays from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Contact us to get involved or learn more.
Tzofim (Watchman or Scout) Crew
Why This Opportunity Matters: Safety and security are among the top priorities of the temple. By volunteering your time to serve on the Tzofim Crew, you are helping to intertwine our safety and security protocols into our existing culture of being warm and welcoming.
How You Can Be Helpful: Using the simple and welcoming The Power of Hello protocol, you will observe and evaluate suspicious behaviors and obtain help, if needed, from campus security personnel or local law enforcement. A meeting with the committee chairs is required prior to your first shift.
Age Requirement: 27 years or older
Time Commitment: Sign up for a date that is convenient for you.
Submit our form to get involved.
Religious School Room Parent- Keep a list of families and contact emails for the class
- Touch base with the teacher (introduce yourself and exchange contact information, talk about any specific needs for the school year)
- Send out an introductory letter to the class
- Coordinate end-of-year gift for teacher appreciation
- Coordinate at least one get together activity for the class
Age Requirement: 18 years or older
Time Commitment: minimal, or as much as you are comfortable with
Contact us to get involved or learn more.
B'nai Mitzvah Mentor
Why This Opportunity Matters: Building relationships with the b'nai mitzvah student and their family enriches our congregation and is personally gratifying for the participants.
How You Can Be Helpful: Work with b'nai mitzvah candidate to write a d'var speech or prepare a creative interpretation of their Torah portion.
Location: Meetings take place in a public location to be determined; usually a coffee shop, library, etc.
Age Requirement: 16 years or older.
Time Commitment: 4 or 5 meetings (30 minutes to an hour) spread out over the course of the 5 or so months leading up to their service. Does not need to be Jewish or attend Torah study. Resources provided.
Contact us to get involved or learn more.
B'nai Mitzvah Greeter
Why This Opportunity Matters: Greeters are essential in helping strengthen existing culture of being warm and welcoming. At b'nai mitzvah services in particular, we often welcome non-member guests, whom we want to feel especially welcome and comfortable at our temple.
How You Can Be Helpful: Hand out prayer books, daf t'filah (programs), and candies for throwing before Saturday morning service.
Location: Temple Beth Shalom sanctuary
Age Requirement: any age is fine.
Time Commitment: 10:00-10:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning at entrance to the sanctuary
Contact us to get involved or learn more.
Torah Handler
Why This Opportunity Matters: An extra set of hands is so helpful and appreciated by families and clergy during these last moments when photos are being taken before the b'nai mitzvah service begins.
How You Can Be Helpful: Help handle the Torah while families take photos before Saturday morning services.
Location: Temple Beth Shalom sanctuary
Age Requirement: Teens and adults; must be approved by clergy.
Time Commitment: About 20 minutes between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning.
Contact us to get involved or learn more.
Volunteering in the Community
Temple Beth Shalom values community service outside of our temple walls. There are so many ways to make a difference in the Austin community and beyond. Please contact us and let's talk about your interests to connect you with the right opportunity!