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Temple Solel was established in 1966 by a group of 12 individuals living in the greater Phoenix area. This group shared a vision of a congregation committed to worship and education, hoping to remain a warm and personal community as it met its mission. While having grown exponentially, there is no doubt that Temple Solel has remained true to its original intention. In the ensuing years, Temple Solel has matured to what you see now, a progressive synagogue that blends Jewish values, ethics and traditions into a house of worship and community.
Who is the rabbi of Temple Solel?
Rabbi Keller serves as the spiritual leader of Temple Solel. You will find that it is easy to get to know Rabbi Keller by participating in congregational projects, attending Shabbat services, taking classes, and joining the many programs and events offered throughout the year.How can I become involved?
An indication of your interest will get you involved! When you complete the temple membership application, you will notice there is a section that inquires about your areas of interest. We encourage all members of the congregation to take an active part in temple life.How are dues structured?
In addition to our standard dues that begin with Sustaining membership, we offer reduced dues for our younger members. Individuals or families who cannot meet our fees due to financial difficulties will find a sympathetic ear and the ability to make special arrangements. Temple Solel never turns anyone away due to an inability to afford the full membership dues.
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Dear Prospective Member,
First, let us say that we greatly respect the value that you place in being part of a synagogue community. The Jewish people, in general, are enriched by this commitment.
Second, we are so thrilled that you are looking at Temple Solel. As clergy, we are drawn to Temple Solel for so many reasons: the down-to-earth people, the desire to build a community where learning, praying, caring for one another and making a difference in the world are at the center, and a professional staff poised to welcome you and help open the multiple doors into a rich, Jewish life.
The following material will provide some valuable information. Most importantly, we would love to meet you in person, if we haven’t already. If you call or email our assistant, Tara, she’ll gladly set up a time for us to meet. She can be reached at office@templesolel.org or 480.991.7414.
All the best in your search for a spiritual home,
Rabbi Rony Keller
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The Mission of Temple Solel is to be a vibrant, inclusive and
engaged Reform community, grounded in relationships and deeds, and elevated by Shabbat and Torah.Temple Solel is a growing, vital Reform congregation offering programs for all ages. Our name, Solel, tells something about our philosophy. Solel is a Hebrew word, which translated into English means “Pathfinder.” Since our founding in 1966, we have looked for fresh pathways and approaches to Jewish celebration, learning and living, while maintaining an abiding respect for traditional Jewish values.
Our building is fully accessible to the physically challenged with meeting rooms and the social hall frequently the site of programs and events in the larger Jewish community.
Temple Solel is a warm, friendly and nurturing congregation that we are proud to call home. We offer worship services, programming, social functions and volunteer opportunities for all age groups. Come and explore the possibilities.
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Our Location
We are located at 6805 E. McDonald Drive in Paradise Valley. Though the temple’s address is in the town of Paradise Valley, just south of Lincoln, and just west of Scottsdale Road, we are also very close to South Scottsdale and East Phoenix. The McDonald exit off the 101 provides quick and easy access to Temple Solel from north Scottsdale as well.
Our Social Hall.
A celebration of a joyous event in one’s Jewish life cycle becomes a memory that lasts forever. These cherished events are brilliantly created in our elegant Sanctuary and Social Hall. Our spacious environment and surroundings become the perfect gathering places for special festivities such as a baby naming, bar/bat mitzvah, wedding and many other special simchahs.
Our Social Hall can accommodate any size gathering, since the hall can be divided to accommodate anywhere from 50 to
300 guests. When set up theatre style, the Social Hall can hold in excess of 900. A state-of-the-art sound system, a large parquet dance floor and a theatrically lit stage make this one of the finest facilities in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area. Also available for your use is a large courtyard adjacent to the Social Hall. Weather permitting, it can be used in conjunction with the Social Hall for your special event. Our staff can assist you in the planning for your simchahs and direct you to the many wonderful vendors our congregants have worked with to ensure very successful events.Memories that last a lifetime take place in our beautiful synagogue. We look forward to planning and sharing your special simchah with you.
Temple Solel Library Temple
Solel is fortunate to have a large number of volumes in our library covering a wide range of subjects. The library is open to all temple members and we encourage everyone to use it.
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Temple Solel’s services are warm and
welcoming. We offer a variety of worship
experiences recognizing the diversity of our
congregation.Friday Erev Shabbat Services attract a large number of worshippers. A light oneg precedes our 6:15 pm service. Our amazing onegs allow congregants and visitors the opportunity to socialize and gather in celebration of Shabbat. Torah Study is held Saturday mornings at Temple Solel during the year from 9:00 am to 10:00 am in the Library and also serves as a minyan for anyone saying kaddish. The group studies the parashat hashavua (weekly Torah portion). All are welcome.
Shabbat Morning Service is held Saturday mornings at 10:30 am when there is a congregational Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Dates for these Saturday morning worship services can be found on the temple calendar on the temple website.
Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies take place on Shabbat mornings and celebrate the “coming of age” of our children and their future in the Jewish community. Temple Solel B’nai Mitzvah conduct the majority of the service, read Torah, Haftarah, and offer a D’var Torah to the congregation.
Tot Shabbat Services are held throughout the year on Friday evenings or Saturday mornings for our youngest congregants and their families. This abbreviated service is highly participatory. Many times there is a family-style Shabbat dinner following the Friday services. Please contact Linda Irish in The Solel Preschool office for further information at lirish@templesolel.org.
High Holy Day and Festival Services are dignified and moving worship experiences. For our Traditional Service we use Mishkan HaNefesh as our High Holy Day prayer book (machzor), and our adult choir enhances the beauty of our worship. We also offer alternative Contemporary Services which are creative and engaging. Lively and meaningful family services help our congregants celebrate the festivals. In addition, services are held on the last mornings of Sukkot and Pesach, with Yizkor services at appropriate times.
Life Cycle Celebrations
From birth to death, our life experiences are enriched as we celebrate together within the context of synagogue and community. Children are named in the sanctuary, consecrated when they begin Kindergarten in Raker Religious School, become bar or bat mitzvah around age 13, and celebrate confirmation at the end of the 10th grade. We anticipate their weddings in our Sanctuary and since death is an inevitable part of the life cycle, we have a Temple Solel section at Green Acres Cemetery in Scottsdale.
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Adult Choir*
Do you enjoy singing? Join Cantorial Soloist Todd Herzog for our Adult Temple Solel Choir which performs at services throughout the year and during High Holy Days.Book Club*
Come read for pleasure and join the Temple Solel Book Club for a potluck dinner and book discussion on books with Jewish subjects and/or by Jewish authors. Come be with friends, make new friends and eat yummy food. Check the calendar for our bi-monthly meeting times including book selections.Caring Community*
Working in conjunction with Rabbi Stiel, Temple Solel’s Caring Community provides support to our congregants in times of sorrow and in moments of joy. We serve as an extended family for our congregants who need emotional, physical and spiritual help by making phone calls and hospital visits; cooking and delivering meals; and sending cards.Empty Nesters*
If you are a single or married adult, with children who are no longer living with you, this group is for you! The group meets socially throughout the year.Hiking Club*
Do you enjoy hiking and the outdoors? Our hiking club meets monthly on Sunday mornings from October through April. Usual hiking areas include McDowell Sonoran Preserve, South Mountain, Phoenix Mountain Preserve and Cave Creek Regional Park.Knitting for a Purpose
Do you love to knit or crochet? Interested in knitting for a cause and meeting some wonderful people? Join us the second Wednesday of the month from 1:00–3:00 pm at Temple Solel. We will provide the yarn and
refreshments. Please bring along your needles and patterns. All are welcome, members and nonmembers alike!Library*
The Temple Solel Library is a wonderful resource that is available to our entire congregation. The library symbolizes our heritage of a commitment to lifelong Jewish learning, reinforces all synagogue educational programs, and provides congregants access to excellent resources on all aspects of Judaism.Men of Solel*
The goal of the Temple Solel Men’s group is to form lifelong friendships through social and educational activities while helping promote Jewish life and community. Come and socialize with your fellow congregants during happy hours, poker nights, scheduled speakers and more.Movie Club
Come talk about movies with Jewish subjects and/or with Jewish actors and discuss them monthly with members of Temple Solel. Check out the weekly eNUZ for upcoming screenings.Rosh Chodesh–A Women’s Group*
Women have historically celebrated Rosh Chodesh as a time to come together and explore and discuss relevant matters at the start of the new moon. Rosh Chodesh is literally translated as “head of the month,” and has existed as a women’s holiday. Spend an evening with women of Solel. We will meet once a month for a dairy potluck dinner and discussion, as we reflect the interests, personalities and passions of the women involved.Sisters of Solel*
Women of Temple Solel are invited to reach out and meet new women through exciting programs and casual gatherings throughout the year. Women of all ages are encouraged to participate.Social Action Committee*
Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World)
– Tzedakah (giving of resources)
– G’milut Chasadim (acts of loving kindness)
– Shinui Kivun (changing the status quo)The Solel Preschool Parent Association (SPPA)
The SPPA group supports the preschool in all of its endeavors from fundraising to programming to appreciating our teachers. The goal of SPPA is to support The Solel Preschool through their time, talents, and dedication to foster an environment of learning, quality programming, and opportunities for professional development.*Membership is required for participation
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The Solel Preschool – A Welcoming Place to Play, Love and Grow
Our nurturing child-centered preschool serves over 200 students ages 6 weeks through 5 years. We offer care Monday through Thursday from 7:30 am – 5:30 pm and Fridays from 7:30 am – 4:00 pm. Our school year runs from August through May. When school is not in session, we offer fun and engaging Summer, Winter, and Spring Camps.
We offer a wide variety of activities for our students, including art, music, movement, water play, manipulative play, outdoor fun, language, quiet time, enrichment and much more! Our curriculum encourages children to be active learners who fully explore the world around them. Our Jewish heritage is at the heart of everything we do, as it provides our students with a source of identity and values.
Parent involvement is key in our community and we encourage parents to volunteer through our PAC (Parent Action Committee). We also hold monthly Tot Shabbat services and special holiday programs for the whole family throughout the year. The registration process begins each January for the following school year.Registration is open to Temple Solel members in good standing first, followed by returning preschool families and then new families.
Want to know more? Check out our website for registration materials, pricing, curriculum overview, class options and much more. www.solelpreschoolaz.org.Contact our Preschool Director, Linda Irish, to schedule a tour by calling 480.991.4545.
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Temple Solel Religious School formal educational program begins with our Mazel Tots students and continues through high school. We explore the stories, values, and traditions that bring
students and families closer to their spiritual legacy. We strive to provide our students with interactive and challenging experiences that build a foundation of knowledge, relevance, and literacy. Every experience will emphasize the core values that we each bring from our diverse traditions and backgrounds.Shabbat and holiday programs, worship, experiential learning, Hebrew, art, music, and family programs are all included in order to provide a well-rounded educational experience. It is our hope that families will become more engaged because of the course of study that their child is learning and bringing home.
Special Programs
Mazel Tots: Temple Solel’s newest program is open to 3 year olds and 4 year olds (must be potty trained) and will be meeting weekly when religious school is in session. They will be actively engaged in discovering the joy of their Jewish identity. The children will begin to explore the Jewish holidays, Shabbat, Hebrew, and Israel throughout the year.
Raker Religious School Retreats: As an extension of the learning in the classroom, we go on a yearly youth retreat to beautiful Prescott, AZ, for an inspiring and camp-style weekend that reinforces friendships, helps to establish our community, and builds on the importance of experiential learning. The retreat is for grades 4-7.
Family Learning: PACT, or Parents And Children Together, will be held during the year for grades K-1, 2-3, 4-5, and 6—each group coming once for their day of learning during religious school hours. Dates for the PACT program are on the school calendar. The PACT program will consist of both parents and students studying the same subject—parents with the rabbis or community leaders and students with their teacher. After the study sessions, the parents and students will come together to complete a project and then finish the morning with T’filah.
One on One Hebrew: Scheduled for Wednesday evenings via Zoom, our students meet online with a Hebrew teacher for 25 minutes to catch up on Hebrew, move ahead in Hebrew, or learn conversational Hebrew. It is a first come, first serve (sign up registration online) class for 4th-6th grades. Classes start at 5:00 pm and the last class begins at 8:00 pm.
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We have a variety of Adult Education opportunities offered at Temple Solel. Jewish education is a lifelong process and in that vein, Temple Solel offers a comprehensive Adult Education program with a wide range of appeal.
Adult B’nai Mitzvah
Temple Solel periodically offers an Adult B’nai Mitzvah class that focuses on both Hebrew and Judaic studies. The class is a two-year commitment that culminates in a B’nai Mitzvah ceremony where students have the opportunity to lead a Shabbat morning service and be called to the Torah.Lunch and Learn
Explore the intersection of Jewish wisdom and everyday life with our pulpit team and others online.Mini-Courses
Mini-courses are offered at various times throughout the year. Clergy and staff teach along with other talented individuals.
Torah Study
Our ongoing courses include a weekly Torah study prior to Saturday morning services.Special Course Offerings
Special Course Offerings range from holiday workshops to Artist-In-Residence and Scholar-In-Residence visits. These are offered periodically throughout the year.