DECEMBER 2 • 2021 | 17
OUR COMMUNITY
A
fter 17 years as
Temple Beth El’s b’nai
mitzvah coordinator,
Alan Lowen is retiring from
the role at the end of 2021.
Lowen has spent a total of 34
years at the temple.
To honor Lowen, TBE is
planning a special Shabbat
service on Friday, Dec. 10,
at 7 p.m. TBE is creating a
memory book for Lowen that
will be presented to him at
the service.
People contributed to
the memory book in many
ways, including writing
tributes, submitting photos
and making a donation in
Lowen’s honor to the newly
established Alan Lowen B’nai
Mitzvah Fund. TBE will be
using the fund to help fam-
ilies going through its b’nai
mitzvah program.
Throughout his time at
TBE, Lowen has lived by the
phrase, “If somebody loves
what they do, they never have
to work a day in their life.”
“It’s been a wonderful expe-
rience, and I wouldn’t change
it for the world,” Lowen says.
“Just to make a difference in
a kid’s life, and for a kid to
say, ‘I wouldn’t be up here if
it weren’t for Mr. Lowen,’ it
makes me feel good.”
Lowen began at TBE as
a special needs teacher on
Saturday mornings, which
turned into also teaching
Sunday school. He soon
began teaching Hebrew class-
es and, eventually, teaching
Torah.
Lowen officially became
b’nai mitzvah coordinator 17
years ago but worked with
b’nai mitzvah students before
then. Lowen estimates he’s
helped nearly 1,000 kids with
their b’nai mitzvahs in his
time at TBE.
Debbie Morosohk, TBE’s
director of education, knows
much of Lowen’s success at
running the b’nai mitzvah
program comes from his skills
as an educator.
“He’s so talented at under-
standing children and their
individual needs, and he’s able
to bring everything he knows
and loves to them in the way
they need,” Morosohk said.
Along with his role as b’nai
mitzvah coordinator, Lowen
is TBE’s gabbai, working with
TBE’s Torahs on Shabbat
and holidays, maintaining
and organizing them, and
with adults who want to read
Torah at those different occa-
sions.
Lowen’s other duties at the
temple include teaching an
adult b’nai mitzvah class for
more than 20 years and help-
ing lead shivah services when
needed.
TBE Rabbi Mark Miller
believes Lowen is one of
the warmest, kindest, most
Alan Lowen has helped nearly 1,000
kids with their b’nai mitzvahs.
PHOTO CREDIT
Alan Lowen retires as Temple Beth El’s b’nai mitzvah
coordinator after 17 years.
Irreplaceable!
DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER
COURTESY OF TBE
continued on page 18