Welcome to Temple Bat Yam

A Warm Inclusive Reform Congregation

Teach Our Children

Holiday Services

Welcome to Our Temple

Serving the growing Jewish population on the Delmarva Peninsula, Temple Bat Yam is a Reform Jewish congregation committed to the ideals and eternal truths of Judaism. Our intent is to maintain the traditions and lessons of our rich heritage while respecting the realities and integrity of interfaith marriages and interfaith families. We encourage participation by all family members and spouses in our congregational life, despite religious diversity within a household. We believe the spiritual interests of both our congregation and those of our interfaith couples and families are best served by inclusion within the nurturing community of Temple Bat Yam.

Dear Friends and Members of Temple Bat Yam,

As the year draws to a close and we celebrate the Festival of Lights, I want to take a moment to reflect on the meaningful moments we’ve shared this past year and to extend my warmest wishes for a joyful Chanukah.

Chanukah is a time of hope, resilience, and the celebration of our enduring spirit. Read Jerry’s complete message.

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Upcoming Events

Tue 14

Adult Education with the Rabbi

Jan 14 @ 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Tue 14

Semi Annual Congressional Meeting

Jan 14 @ 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Thu 16

Torah Study with the Rabbi

Jan 16 @ 10:30am - 12:00pm
Fri 17

Shabbat Service

Jan 17 @ 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Tue 21

Adult Education with the Rabbi

Jan 21 @ 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Thu 23

Torah Study with the Rabbi

Jan 23 @ 10:30am - 12:00pm

Tribute to Cheryl Taustin

Cheryl Taustin was a beacon of love, talent, and joy within the Temple Bat Yam community. Her impact was profound, touching countless lives from Salisbury to Ocean City and beyond. If 100 rabbis had served the TBY congregation, they would all agree on how beloved Cheryl was, how she embodied joy and beauty, and how […]

Rabbi Emerita Susan Warshaw

Rabbi Warshaw served as our Rabbi for ten years, retiring in 2018. As a tribute to her many contributions, our Temple bestowed Emerita status for Rabbi Warshaw. See Past Rabbi’s for more information.

Rabbi Arthur S. Rutberg, DD

Rabbi Rutberg serves our congregation and the greater Jewish community with over thirty-eight years of experience in the rabbinate and with the American Jewish community. Rabbi Rutberg grew up in New York City graduating from New York University with his Bachelor’s degree in Judaic Studies and Psychology. He earned a Masters degree in Hebrew Literature […]

Learning

Temple Bat Yam practices the Jewish tradition of life-long learning. Whether you are interested in religious school for your children, learning more about your heritage, discovering the similarities among Judaism and other faiths, studying Mussar, preparing for a B’nai Mitzvah or exploring conversion to Judaism, Temple Bat Yam’s Rabbi and lay-leadership delivers.

Fellowship

Temple Bat Yam is a busy place! Our Sisterhood, Social Activites, Social Action, Fundraising, Social Committee, Membership and Ritual Committees schedule many religious and non-religious events throughout the year.

Our Role in the Community

TBY helps with community service projects at Coastal Hospice, local food pantries, Deer’s Head Hospital. We collect food for the Shepherd’s Nook at Community Church in Ocean Pines. We also sponsor Mitzvah Day, a once a year event that supports many local charities with specific one-time needs. Shown above is the hard working religious school […]

Testimonials

Bonnie & Steve Kirschbaum

“In Search for a Temple Home”

Steve and I retired from Ellicott City, Maryland in 2016 and we relocated to Selbyville, Delaware! In Columbia, Maryland and Ellicott City, the majority of the Temple’s used the Interfaith Centers and we eventually joined a Temple in Laurel, Maryland where our children had their B’nai Mitzvah. We dropped out shortly thereafter. We didn’t feel comfortable there and welcomed as they had their founding congregants. We found Temple Bat Yam while riding our tandem bike to Berlin on many occasions and were very curious. While volunteering at Freeman Stage, we met a TBY congregant who invited us to services. The first year we had a Gifted Membership and the rest is history. Temple Bat Yam has become our Jewish Home. We have more friends now that are considered family!! People are warm, inviting and friendly. I have been involved on the Sisterhood board for many years and help on different committees! Steve is currently the zoom expert and is involved with other activities. We have enjoyed the many classes, social events and services.

Barbara & Marvin Garber

Marvin and I have been members of Temple Bat Yam since September 2016. We moved from Central Jersey to Delaware and felt it was vitally important to join a synagogue. Fortunately for us, our daughter lives in Ocean Pines and introduced us to the reform congregation that was in Berlin …Temple Bat Yam. We are so glad we joined our vibrant, warm and caring congregation. The Temple is a welcoming place to pray, to learn and to create life-long friendships. We met one of our dearest couple friends outside of the Temple and started to attend events with them. It was not long before Marv and I felt embraced by so many TBY members. We now have a circle of dear, dear friends that we see in Temple and outside of the Temple. Our experience with Rabbi Rutberg and his beautiful wife Sara has been one of the highlights of our Temple life. Our Temple family are our dear friends, our support system and people we love. How fortunate Marv and I feel to have found this beautiful Jewish community here on the Eastern Shore.

Joyce Cohen

Temple Bat Yam has given me a most wonderful link to my Jewish heritage and observance in an area where few Jews reside. The Friday night Shabbat services led by Rabbi Rutberg are inspiring and fulfilling. The camaraderie I have experienced with fellow congregants, many of whom have become dear friends, has added a very important dimension to my life here, on Delmarva!

Shelley Klapholz

Until I came to the area and joined Temple Bat Yam, I never felt that feeling of community and because of this, I’ve become more and more involved in Temple life. Right from the start, I felt an immediate warmth and fellow congregants went out of their way to make me feel included. If you get involved, you will not regret it. One of the best things I did was to join TBY’s Sisterhood. What a wonderful and warm group of women. My husband and I began TBY’s Social Committee and we have had some wonderful activities for the entire family and we plan many more. The most important thing to remember about Temple Bat Yam is its service to the Jewish community and all of our friends and neighbors. When you need us, we will be there with you. We will laugh and smile with you, and we will cry and grieve with you. At Temple Bat Yam we are one big family. If you join us, you will see what I mean

… there is a difference.