Today is May 22, 2018 -
Today is May 22, 2018 -
83 Chestnut Street/POBox 383
Oneonta,
NY 13820
Phone: (607) 432-5522
Email: TBEOneonta@gmail.com
President’s Speech from the Holocaust Remembrance Service – Yom HaShoah
Temple Beth El is sponsoring a community interfaith program titled A Season of Faith and Understanding that brings people together to learn more about other religions in Oneonta and to …
Periodically, a member comes to me to question our synagogue’s denominational identity. It’s a good question. Are we really a Conservative synagogue? Or are our practices more aligned with the Reform movement? Some members have expressed a preference for Reconstructionist …
In a small synagogue run by volunteers, a president learns that something can always go wrong and just about every member will eventually be frustrated. It could be a Shabbat service, the food, a forgotten email, a Shofar not sent, …
A Personal Message from the President
Since moving to Oneonta in 1984, I have quietly managed my chronic Jewish identity crisis. Being Jewish here is not like being Jewish in the Long Island suburb of my youth where neighbors visited …
Last month, the Rabbinic Review Committee (RRC) sent out over 70 invitations to Temple Beth El members to complete a survey about our synagogue, and nearly 40 members responded (a very high return rate). The questions addressed many aspects of …
President’s Yom Kippur Appeal
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, Shabbat Shalom and Shanah Tovah. I’d like to welcome everyone, especially our guests who have joined us for Kol Nidrei. We are glad you are here and hope to …
The shofar’s final blast brought the very difficult Jewish year 5777 to an end. As American Jews, we endured shocks to our sense of safety and belonging that were unexpected. Divisions within Israel about prayer at the Western Wall are …
In 2017, who would imagine that white nationalists would lash out as they have in Charlottesville? Further shocking news was that Congregation Beth Israel in Charlottesville had their Shabbat morning service interrupted by armed neo-Nazis bearing swastika flags and chanting …
It is time to begin thinking about a new year at Temple Beth El. At this time, we are planning the Holy Days and finalizing our calendar for the year.
In the past, we have always held our annual community …
On April 30, Rabbi Karp, Alice Lichtenstein, Jim Bervcovitz, Howard Kaminsky, and I attended a conference for Conservative Jewish synagogues at Temple Shaara Tfille in Saratoga Springs, NY. The conference, titled Small &Thriving Congregations, was dedicated to helping leaders of …
