Creating a Successful YES Tea Event

In 2000, when I was President of Beth Am Women in Los Altos Hills, California, our board was trying to decide what to do for our end-of-year event. One of our board members had previously belonged to a congregation in Massachusetts whose sisterhood had a brunch around WRJ’s YES (Youth, Education, and Special Projects) Fund.  She suggested this to us, and to be honest I was a bit skeptical, but thought okay, let's give it a try.  A tea party worked better for us, and in May 2000 we held our first “YES Tea.” It ended up being a wonderful success. 

After the event, suggestions for next year's honorees were already being made! And so, the YES Tea was born. For the first seven years, it was an annual event, and then every other year, until of course COVID came and delayed our 2020 Yes Tea until 2023. We are now back on track to every two years with our 15th and most recent YES Tea this past fall.  

At each YES Tea, we honor five women who have gone above and beyond in their volunteering at Congregation Beth Am in the areas of youth, education, and special projects/service.  Each honoree must be a member of Beth Am Women and have volunteered for at least three years. We have now collectively honored 74 individuals in our community, and I was honored to be part of that esteemed group this year.  

Each honoree chooses someone to write and present a five-minute presentation describing their volunteer experience at the Tea, where the individual then presents the honoree with a framed WRJ certificate.  Prior to hearing the presentations, we enjoy tea sandwiches, fruit, cookies, and, of course, tea. In addition to the entire congregation being invited, honorees are encouraged to invite their family and friends.

The event does not act as a fundraiser, but rather an opportunity to come together as a community with those attending the tea and those that volunteer to make the event happen.  Our sisterhood is currently updating our YES Tea planning guide so that future organizers can easily take the lead. We are happy to share this as a resource with other sisterhoods, as well.

We look forward to many successful YES Teas to come!