Welcome
Temple Beth Hillel, located just off Hilltop Drive at I-80 in Richmond, California is an intimate, warm and wonderful congregation of Jewish families from West Contra Costa County and beyond. Being small (approx.80 families) fosters familiarity among members and a special sense of belonging – a sense often missing at larger congregations.
ounded in 1946, Temple Beth Hillel offers a place to celebrate Shabbat (twice a month or more), the Holidays and Festivals (including a Hanukkah Latke Party, Tu B’Shevat Seder, Purim Carnival, Congregational Passover Seder) and other celebrations.
The Temple has a thriving Religious School (grades pre-K through Bar/Bat Mitzvah year, through high school).
For adults, Rabbi Dean Kertesz leads a Kollel for adults to study a wide range of Jewish topics. Cantor Shayndel Adler unites the congregation in song.
Join us for a Shabbat Service – come to a Family Potluck (1st Shabbat evening of the month) – celebrate the High Holidays – experience Temple Beth Hillel and join us in building our community, the community of Jewish families of West Contra Costa and beyond.
Whether you’re new to the San Francisco Bay area or a long time resident, and you’re looking for a reform synagogue to join in the East Bay, Temple Beth Hillel welcomes you!

Join us for Shabbat
Light the Shabbat candles with us every Friday at 7 pm. Stay for Shabbat services the first and third Friday of the month.
What's New
Tazria-Metzora – Leviticus 12:1-15:33 – Parashat ha Shavuah for Saturday, April 17, 2021
How does disease change us, as individuals and as a society? For more than a year now the entire world has been gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 550,000 have died from the disease, millions more have been infected, and a small but significant percentage are suffering from the long-term effects of COVID. To […]
From the President – April 16, 2021
I’m fine. Mercedes and I had quite a week, but she is mending well and I am fine. My medical issue has been resolved and I am healing very well and free of pain. In fact, I’m more than fine. I am overwhelmed by the support we received from this community when Mercedes put out […]
Shmini – Leviticus 9:1-11:47 – Parashat ha Shavuah for Saturday, April 10, 2021
Judaism is often characterized as a religion of petty details, rather than a religion of soaring spiritual concepts. Judaism does pay close attention to the details of daily life–how we treat employees, how we speak to one another and about one another–not out of pettiness but out of a desire to sanctify life. No behavior […]
From the President – April 8, 2021
According to the Mercury News, Governor Newsom expects California to “fully reopen” its economy on April 15. I am still a little doubtful. We are too close to the end to mess it up now. We still have to be careful. In fact our board, along with Rabbi Dean and Cantor Shayndel, all agree that […]
Special Readings for Shabbat, Pesach VII: Torah – Exodus 13:17-15:26; Numbers 28:19-28:25, Haftarah – II Samuel 22:1-51, Special Reading – Song of Songs (Shir haShirim)
We are celebrating our second Pesach of this pandemic and last Sunday evening had our second online community Seder. When we went into lock down, I thought it would be for a few weeks. Now it has been more than one year. This has been a hard year. A year of fear, of anger, of […]