Building address: 1029 Bradbury Road • Winter Haven, FL
Mailing address: P.O. Box 313 • Winter Haven, FL 33882-0313
Temple phone: 863-292-0722

Temple Beth Shalom serves the Jewish Community of Polk County, Florida

Our membership includes families and singles of all ages from throughout Polk County Florida. During the summer, services are led by members of the congregation.

Our religious services are designed to meet the needs of a diverse congregation. Friday evening Shabbat services are held twice a month at our Temple building located at 1029 Bradbury Road. The mixture of Hebrew and English varies, although the English content is always sufficient to make the service understandable and meaningful to everyone.

Men and women participate equally in all Temple activities. Yarmulkes are available and their use is optional. Our congregation likes to sing and we have a small, growing choir.

Holidays and ceremonies from annual cycles to life cycles

As participation in life-cycle events is an important part of Jewish family life, Beth Shalom provides for all observances including baby naming, Bar and Bat Mitzvah, marriage, death, and minyans for shiv-a. We oversee a Jewish Cemetery located at the Rolling Hills site in Winter Haven. The rabbi makes hospital and home visits to those who express interest.

Religious holidays—Sukkot and Simchat Torah, Chanukah, Purim, and Shavuot — are celebrated with family services at the Friday evening Shabbat service which falls closest to the holiday. A community seder is held either the first or second night of Passover and we have recently begun celebrating Tu B’Shevat with a seder.

High Holiday services are open to the community and copies of Gates of Repentance prayer books are provided for everyone. A reception follows the Rosh Hashanah evening service, and a break-the-fast follows the Yom Kippur Ne’ilah and Havdalah service. A special service for children is held Yom Kippur afternoon at the same time as the Yizkor service. Non-members are asked to make a $100.00 donation which may be applied toward membership.

Sunday school and socials supplement the schedule

Religious school meets Sunday mornings during the academic year. Classes are for children in kindergarten through ninth grade confirmation. In addition to classroom instruction, the school sponsors a Chanukah party, a Purim carnival, a Passover Model Seder, a special Shabbat service with student participation, and a year-end family social. The school has a growing library of children’s book.

The congregation also offers a variety of social and educational programs including restaurant outings, covered dish dinners, game parties, wine tastings, family picnics, theater parties, and adult education groups.

Through our monthly newsletter, we are able to reach the greater Jewish community in Polk County. We invite new members of the community to take advantage of the many activities our congregation offers. Beth Shalom also publishes an annual membership directory.

Membership

Temple membership is open to all who express interest in the Jewish faith. Annual dues are $800.00 per family and $450.00 per single adult. Religious school tuition is $150 per child or $250 per family. Dues are payable within 90 days of the beginning of the new fiscal year. If members cannot meet this criteria, please see the President and/or the treasurer. Membership rights are never denied or restricted based on financial circumstances. Contributions to the building fund and other special funds are voluntary.

Membership Application

Please download a copy of our membership application
Temple Beth Shalom Application.PDF

Please download a copy of our membership brochure
Temple Beth Shalom Brochure.PDF

Temple Beth Shalom Cemetery Information

All through the ages, Jewish communities, large and small, have provided for one another. We celebrate together: the joys of birth, B'nai Mitzvot and weddings. Inevitably we mourn together the death of loved ones. As a community we share in life's events. Beth Shalom has now fulfilled a sacred trust by providing a Jewish cemetery to serve the Beth Shalom family.

The advantages are clear

Death is often an unexpected tragedy. At such times, thoughtful, considered decisions are difficult to make. We often act in ways we later regret. Preparation now will help ease the anxiety, expense and upheaval of an untimely death.

For the first time, we have a true Jewish cemetery in the spirit of our congregation. Beth Shalom has made arrangements with the City of Winter Haven to purchase a parcel of land at the Rolling Hills site to be designated as the Beth Shalom Cemetery. The designated area will be overseen by our trustees in matters of Jewish law and tradition and physically maintained in perpetuity by the City of Winter Haven.

While plots will be available to Jewish non-members, members will benefit from:

  • Significant savings for members.

  • Rabbinic services provided at no extra charge to members.

  • Perpetual yartzheit and yiskor records maintained by Beth Shalom.

For more information, please leave a message on the temple phone 863-292-0722
Yahrtzeit Plaque Order Form
Orders are now being taken for the Temple Beth Shalom Memorial (Yahrtzeit) board.
Download your order form (.pdF) HERE

Links to local area interests

Learn more about Polk County, Florida: http://polk-county.com/

Another Polk County Info Page: http://www.gate.net/~rwms/polk.html

Local newspaper: http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

Polk County School Board: http://www.polk-fl.net

Polk County Visitors and Convention Bureau: http://www.sunsational.org