Welcome To Temple Beth El!

Notes from Hazzan

October to December 2016

Posted on December 16, 2019

Dear Friends; Over the past several weeks, as I have been recuperating from surgery, I have been reminded of how wonderful it is that we form not only a congregation…not only a temple, but also a “Kehilla”, a community. Let me first say that this ‘visit” to the hospital and to that community came as a total Continue Reading »

May/June 2016 – Jews & Jazz Music

Posted on December 16, 2019

I hope you are planning to be with us on Friday evening, May 13th, at 6:00, when we will present our third annual Friday Night Jazz.  We are extremely fortunate in that Mr. Gap Mangione will, once again, be our featured artist and add his incredible musical talent to our service. In preparation of this Continue Reading »

April 2016

Posted on December 16, 2019

Transcribed from remarks given March 6, 2016. Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen; Boys and Girls Wow! This has been an amazing Shabbat and weekend!  Before I go any further, there are a number of people that I must thank for what was, obviously a lot of hard work and a lot of time.  To the Continue Reading »

March 2016

Posted on December 16, 2019

In the spirit of the 2016 election… If I am elected President…. 10.  If I am elected President, we will no longer have Iowa Couscous…(I mean   Caucus!) 9.  If I am elected President, we will celebrate President’s Month..(no work or school in February!) 8.  If I am elected President, children will take “ vegetables” as Continue Reading »

February 2016 – Reflections…

Posted on December 16, 2019

I am sincerely honored as I look forward to the celebration of having served as your Hazzan for the past twenty years.  It is certainly true that we can recall so many events, both personally and collectively that have helped to shape who we are.  It has been twenty years of both celebrating with you, Continue Reading »

January 2016

Posted on December 16, 2019

I have been asked several times by those who have never chanted a Haftarah or read from the Torah what is involved in preparing a particular reading.  Allow me to use this opportunity to outline the preparation needed and the process for securing the portion. It perhaps goes without saying that being proficient with the Continue Reading »

December 2015

Posted on December 16, 2019

I came across this article from the Religion News Service by Lauren Markoe and thought I would share it with you. She writes: “Christians don’t seem to mind that so many beloved Christmas songs were written by Jews, and Jews tend to reel off the list with pride. White Christmas, Let it Snow, Santa Baby, Continue Reading »

November 2015

Posted on December 16, 2019

This is truly a notable year for our Temple as we prepare to celebrate our 100th Anniversary. Due to the many planned events, some of our annual programs have found “new homes” on our calendar. One such program is our widely-acclaimed “Richard W. Briskin Cantor-in-Residence” Shabbat and weekend, at which time we present a cantorial student from the Continue Reading »

July/August 2015 – The Congregational Quorum

Posted on December 16, 2019

According to the rabbis, congregational worship was always preferred to private devotion because it enabled one to respond to the reader’s call to worship and for the mourner to recite Kaddish.  As you know, a minyan is a minimum of ten adult Jews.  The number ten came from the first verse of Psalm 82, which reads: Continue Reading »