About - Burbank Temple Emanu El

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About Us

Burbank Temple Emanu El is a welcoming and participatory Jewish community that honors traditions, celebrates diversity, and practices authentic and dynamic Judaism.

We strive to build connections and bring more holiness, kindness and compassion into the world by deepening our relationships with each other, our tradition, God and the wider world.

At BTEE, our goal is to expand and deepen the relationships within our congregation and larger community. We aim to ensure all of our programs and education are engaging and inclusive. Our religious services, Hebrew School, youth groups, Early Childhood Center, Sisterhood, and adult learning programs serve as guideposts that fosters a vibrant Jewish community. We aim to enrich and sustain the lives of our members and families, as well as the Burbank community for generations to come.

Burbank Temple Emanu El has been serving the Jewish community of Burbank and the greater San Fernando Valley since 1946.

Looking Back on 2023

Growth

We might be close to 80 years old, but that doesn't mean we aren't still growing! In 2023, BTEE welcomed new, incredible B'nai Mitzvah families into our community, our Hebrew School re-launched a PTA to support our students and enrollment in our the ECC and the Hebrew School continues to grow!

Stewardship

Our community came together to raise money to upgrade our facility and expand security on campus. We beautified and secured our sanctuary, social hall, and our office with new doors and windows. Our ECC kids grew food-bearing plants with our Master Gardeners and our social action team is gathering e-waste to advance more renewable energy solutions so we can "be the change we want to see in the world." We also started a compost system and in the coming months will be planting native plants to tend our beautiful campus.

Spirit

Our clergy team brought new programming highlighting inclusive and contemporary rituals to our community and worked to make visible the largely invisible role of women's leadership in our Jewish tradition. Together we stretched the Torah scrolls across our arms and felt awe at its ancient beauty.

Once a month, we hold Musical Friday evening Shabbat for all ages and shared countless pizzas and pasta salads at our potlucks.

We revved up our Book Club with an in person visit from Künstlers in Paradise author Cathleen Schine (be on the lookout for more this spring!), and we held weekly Shabbat morning services.

We collected massive amounts of food, warm clothing, and books for months to donate to families in need on Mitzvah Day.

We hosted performance art, family hikes, and made toasts and bids with friends at our ECC parent only fundraiser to Raise the Roof!

We introduced Earth-Based Torah Havdalah events, and a powerful Tisha B'Av Grief Circle.

Our teens went to the Jewish Home for the Aging, our preschoolers raised money for Burbank family services and to help Eric, our beloved groundskeeper of 35 years, when he was in need.

We shopped and we noshed! We made a truckload of latkes and devoured all of them this Chanukah.

We wrote letters of support and sent money to Israel during this time of anguish.

If you are looking for a progressive, yet traditional, home where you will belong, and where you will undoubtedly meet your best friends, and your kid(s) will meet their best friends, come over for a tour. We can't wait to welcome you.

Click HERE to schedule a tour. Please feel free to reach out to us anytime by email at shalom@btee.org or by phone at (818) 845-1743.