This W ek

Redefining Reform

All photos courtesy of Rabbi Leo M. Franklin Archives

Temple Beth El's leadership sees a revival in membership, and

pledges continuity to its long legacy of community involvement.

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN
StaffWriter

- From left to right:

The Rabbi Leo M
Franklin exhibit at
Temple Beth El.

The Ark from Beth El's
Woodward and
Gladstone building.

Cardihal John
Dearden and Rabbi_
Richard C. Hertz

J r

5/12

2000

16

or Rabbi Daniel Syme,
Temple Beth El's 150th
. anniversary is a time to
look toward the future.
For Beth El's senior rabbi, that first
means reviewing the past and then
assessing where the temple is now and
should be heading.
"Our major goal hasr been to create
a sense of-family, warmth and wel-
coming. I see new. members drawn to
the sense of intimacy and spirituality,
choosing to join not just a congrega-
tion, but .a family," said Rabbi Syme,
who arrived at the temple in 1996,
along with. Rabbi David Castiglione

p

and Cantor Stephen Dubov.
In the last four years, 300 new
member families have joined, bring-
ing the total to 1,600 families. At its
peak during the 1970s, Beth El
included 1,800 families.
Rabbi Syme says the opening of
doors to non-members at the High
Holidays has been "a remarkable source
of new membership because Rosh
HaShana and Yom Kippur are the time
of year when people's hearts are most
open to encounters with God and the
community in a Jewish sense."
Various outreach programs are
ongoing within the congregation,
among the most significant, a partner-
ing with Greater New Mt. Moriah
LOOKING FORWARD on page 18

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Today's stories about Temple Beth El

which is celebrating its 150th

anniversary this year, focus on the

present and the future of this historic

congregation, and also looks at

congregations and clergy with

Beth El roots. The first installment

of Redefining Reform ran in last

weeks edition.