Welcome To Temple Beth El!

High Holy Days 5786

Welcome to 5786!

It’s our hope that High Holy Day services and activities at Temple Beth El will offer you the opportunity to pray, observe, meditate and reflect in a way that is personal and meaningful. 

L’Shanah Tovah Tikatevu!

The Temple Beth El Remembrance Book is an opportunity to honor the memory of loved ones in an annual publication that is used at the High Holidays and every holiday at which the Yizkor prayer is recited. The Yizkor prayers are included in this publication. Last year’s Yizkor book.

All services taking place in the Sanctuary will be available to stream. 

High Holy Day Clergy

Get to know those leading us in services during the High Holy Days

 Rabbi Ben Goldstein

A native of Rochester, Rabbi Ben Goldstein has been working in the Jewish community for over twenty years before joining Temple Beth El as Senior Rabbi in 2025. He served as the Interim Rabbi for both Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center and Congregation B’nai Israel in Tustin, CA. Before that he was the Senior Rabbi of Beit T’Shuvah, a Jewish recovery center in Los Angeles. He has also worked as a Rabbi at Temple Aliyah in Los Angeles, and as the spiritual leader of Temple Beth El Mekor Chayim, in Cranford, New Jersey. Rabbi Goldstein enjoys sports, meditation, theater, and golf

Rabbi Leonardo Bitran

Born in La Serena and raised in Santiago, Chile, Rabbi Bitran grew up at the Sephardic Synagogue. He began leading services from a young age, evenduring his Bar Mitzvah. He earned both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degreein Economics from the University of Chile. Before he attended the Seminario Rabinico Latinoamericano in Buenos Aires. Rabbi Bitran went on to receive rabbinic ordination and a Master’s in Hebrew Letters (Talmud & Rabbinics) from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York. He has served as Senior Rabbi at Temple Beth El since 2013.

Cantor Elizabeth Berke

Born and raised in Rochester, and a product of the Beth El Religious School and the community Hebrew High School Midrasha program, Cantor Berke is the daughter of Elaine and the late Leonard S. Simon. She attended Cornell University and received a BA in History. Upon completion of her undergraduate degree, Cantor Berke enrolled in the Cantors Institute at the Jewish Theological Seminary. In 1994, she completed her Masters in Sacred Music, received her Diploma of Hazzan, and graduated from JTS’ Graduate School with a Masters in Jewish Education. Cantorially, she has been Hazzan Sheini at Anshe Emet, in Chicago, leading Shabbat, Festival and High Holiday services and has sung in concerts and led High Holiday services for congregations of all sizes. She and her husband, Hazzan Steven Berke, are the proud parents of Eden and Aviva.

Our High Holy Day Hazzan is made possible by a generous donation from the estate of Lenore Lesser, in memory of Leonard S. Simon.

2025/2026 Remembrance Book

COMING SOON!
Watch this space for this year’s Yizkor Book once it becomes available