Celebrating 50 Years of Presidential History

By President Emily Jennewein

Rabbi Berk and Ron Simon watch
Joan Jacobs light Shabbat candles.

It was an enormous thrill to welcome 17 of Beth Israel’s 18 living past presidents and their families for Shabbat last month as part of the 150th anniversary celebration.

Two presidents were from the 1960s: Bob Epsten in 1962, at age 37, was the youngest person to be elected president. Bob grew up hearing stories about his grandfather, who was Beth Israel’s sixth president. Seymour Rabin presided over the merger of Beth Israel with Temple Solel at a time when Beth Israel had a building but no rabbi, and Temple Solel had a rabbi but no building. We missed seeing Gerald Kobernick, during whose presidency the temple outgrew the sanctuary for High Holy Days and moved services to the Civic Theatre.

Seymour Rabin and family

Three presidents were from the 1970s: Fred Weitzen founded the Century Club, our enhanced-dues program that enables Beth Israel to welcome everyone who wants to be a member regardless of the their ability to pay full dues; Joan Jacobs was Beth Israel’s first woman president; and Jim Milch helped buy back our original synagogue and donate it to the City of San Diego so it could be restored and preserved.

The Berton family

Three presidents from the 1980s included: Bob Berton, who chaired the land acquisition committee that found our current location; Si Coleman, who cultivated the first major gift to Beth Israel’s endowment; and Pat Perlman, who was president when the congregation purchased land in Rancho Santa Fe for a satellite site, though that land was later sold.

Betty Byrnes, Emily Jennewein,
Rabbi Michael Satz

Presidents of the 1990s included: Betty Byrnes, who introduced Beth Israel’s Minyan service; Mary Ann Scher, who presided over the departure of Rabbis Sternfield and Coskey and recruited Rabbi Jonathan Stein; Jerry Rosen, who helped raise the funds and design our magnificent campus; and Allan Ziman, who as president oversaw construction of our campus. As the chairs of this special evening to honor our past presidents, Jerry and Allan led a comedic review of the congregation’s history.

Jerry & Linda Goldberg

The five most recent Past Presidents are the ones whose leadership I have experienced and whose excellent examples I am trying to emulate: Jerry Goldberg presided over opening of our magnificent campus; Jeff Silberman oversaw a period of financial stability; and Barbara Haworth led the congregation through a period of change and guided us to Shalom Bayit, peace in the house, which we enjoy to this day.  Amy Corton led the successful transition of Rabbi Michael Berk and Executive Director Lesley Mills; and Immediate Past President Ron Simon presided over the renewal of Rabbi Berk’s contract and developed two significant gifts to initiate our endowment campaign.



The evening’s speaker, Rabbi Lennard Thal, gave a sermon about effective lay leadership and effectuating change in the synagogue.

What an Honor it Was to Dine with Our Double Chai Members!

By President Emily Jennewein

 Opening the 150th anniversary Speakers Series on November 11, Beth Israel honored its Double Chai members -- those who have been members for 36 or more years -- with a beautiful dinner and evening featuring Professor Deborah Lipstadt, Holocaust scholar, who addressed the congregation during services.

It is so gratifying to realize that there are a large number of Beth Israel members who joined long ago and have found an embracing community at Beth Israel as well as found meaning and purpose in our many programs and services. These many longtime members have remained loyal to the mission and goals of our congregation over many years. So this month I'd like to use this opportunity to tell a few stories about some - but not all - of the Beth Israel members who have embraced our community for the longest amounts of time, more than 50 years.

We believe Harry Tennebaum is the member with the longest tenure at Beth Israel. Harry was born into the congregation in 1928, though his family joined in 1919, more than 90 years ago. During WWII, Harry -- at the tender age of 13 and just one year past Confirmation -- was pressed into service to teach Sunday school.  He recalls that one Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, war broke out 10 am Pacific time. Since San Diego was considered a war zone, everyone was ordered off street and went home to turn on their radios.

Lifelong member Fred Weitzen joined Beth Israel in 1950. After serving on the board for ten years, Fred was elected president in 1974.  But 1974 started with a funding shortfall.  Though the temple raised standard dues to $400, Weitzen recalls, it became impossible to pay the rabbi, a situation he found completely unacceptable. So he proposed to a group of businessmen that they contribute at least $1,000 a year.  They accepted, except for a few who offered to pay $2,000 a year. In so doing, Weitzen established the Century Club, which to this day honors members who voluntarily pay above-standard dues. The Century Club allows Beth Israel to offer membership to everyone regardless of the ability to pay full membership dues. 

Matthew Strauss grew up in the temple -- his mother was Rabbi Moise Bergman’s secretary -- and Matt was confirmed in the same class as Shearn Platt. Matt met his wife Iris Strauss at a Temple Youth League party after she arrived from Chicago at age 16. Iris and Matt raised their three children at Beth Israel, where each was confirmed and married, and Iris later chaired the Temple Follies, known to all as the greatest of all mixers. 

Rabbi Morton Cohn attended Shearn and Linda Platt’s engagement party, and the Platt children were bar mitzvahed and confirmed at Beth Israel. Linda later co-founded the Stand With Israel Committee with Phyllis Cohn. 

Anabel and Ted Mintz joined in 1958 although Anabel’s mother had been a member as a child. Her mother, who owned a millinery shop at 5^th & C Streets, downtown, joined all three San Diego temples for good will – for just $25 a year at each. Anabel and Ted met at dinner dance in Temple Youth League when they were 16 and 18, and were married three years later by Rabbi Cohn. Ted built the education building at Third & Laurel and chaired the construction and development committee for our current magnificent synagogue. 

Mel Goldzband joined in 1961 and worked with Rabbi Melvin Weinman to move High Holy Day services to the Civic Theatre in 1965 when we outgrew our own sanctuary. Mel designed the set for the services, and then for 35 years managed the lighting and updated the set until he retired from this volunteer endeavor in 2000. 

Chairs of the Double Chai Member evening Arthur and Sandy Levinson were both confirmed at Beth Israel, eight years apart. The Levinsons were married at Beth Israel and raised their two children, who have in turn raised their children, in our Congregation. Next month their granddaughter, Shanna, will be a Beth Israel bride. And a year and a half from now their grandson, David, will be ordained as a Rabbi. 

I wish I had move room to share more stories about our longstanding members. Among the many present at the dinner to celebrate more than 50 years of membership were Joan and Marvin Jacobs, Elene and Herb Solomon, Ann and Ben Weinbaum, Esther and Dick Rosenberg, and Bob Berton.

1,000 Protesters Peacefully Shared Civic Center Plaza With Beth Israel

By Emily Jennewein, President

Beth Israel’s peaceful worship on Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur at the Civic Theatre was a heartwarming example of Jewish values of respect and understanding in action. Just an hour and a half before we opened the doors to our worshipers on the holiest day of the year, the Civic Center Plaza was packed -- shoulder-to-shoulder -- with more than 1,000 protesters of all ages.

But those protesters -- from Occupy San Diego, an offshoot of the national Occupy Wall Street movement -- had already made plans to move away out of respect for Beth Israel’s worship there.

So the Beth Israel community gathered to worship at the Civic Theater on Friday evening and Saturday morning, October 7 and 8, while over a thousand protesters camped out just blocks away.

In keeping his promise to tell the congregation from the pulpit on Kol Nidre of the protest organizers’ thoughtfulness, Rabbi Michael Berk said, “There was nothing but utter respect and honor accorded to us, Judaism, and Yom Kippur.”

You may wonder, what did Beth Israel do when we learned of the protest? I’m so proud of the way in which our congregation communicated directly and with great respect with protest organizers.

Rabbi Berk and Executive Director Lesley Mills called and met with the leaders of Occupy San Diego to ask for their help in ensuring our peaceful worship on Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur. Cory Briggs, a congregant with close ties to the organizers, reached out to his contacts and carried a compelling letter from Rabbi Berk that asked that we be allowed to pursue our worship at the Civic Theater as we have since 1965.

As soon as the protest organizers realized that Beth Israel’s historic worship at the Civic Theatre might be jeopardized, they wanted to help Beth Israel. Protest organizers not only complied, but they insisted on moving their many hundreds of protesters. They even apologized to us for the inconvenience!

In the end, Occupy San Diego marched to the Civic Center Plaza on Friday afternoon, then at 5:00 p.m. left the plaza for Children’s Park, where they camped until after our Yom Kippur services were concluded.

“I am grateful that at great inconvenience for their planning they have moved their demonstration away from our praying place while we are here,” Rabbi Berk told the congregation. “Agree or not with them, the people we met who are their leaders are sweet, young, idealistic, gentle people, and I thank them for allowing us to proceed with our observance of Yom Kippur in the quiet, reflective way that our day of atonement brings to us.

“We can all be thankful that in America, on Judaism’s holiest day, civility and tolerance – values that originated with Judaism – ensured that Beth Israel could worship in peace in downtown San Diego,” our rabbi concluded.

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

Excerpts from Rosh Hashanah by President Emily Jennewein

Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of a new year. And this is indeed a momentous new year for our congregation. It is the 150th time that this great congregation has convened to worship together for the High Holy Days. 

As we celebrate, it’s important to reflect on how Beth Israel reached this sesquicentennial. How did a group of Jewish pioneers on the wild, remote coast of California create a community so successful that it has endured 150 years and seems still to get stronger every year? 

I am convinced it was and is because of this congregation’s commitment to building community. Our founders sought to establish Jewish connection then, and we continue on that same quest now. We create a community where people find ways to connect to Judaism and to one another. We create a community whose core values focus on making the world a better place. 

A Vision for Our Future 

More than a year ago, with our milestone anniversary in mind, your temple leadership convened a creative partnership with clergy and staff to discuss the future of Beth Israel and to establish a vision for the first five years of our next 150. We identified scores of priorities, goals and dreams, and from those certain themes and areas of synagogue life emerged as the central focus: 

• In the area of youth, our vision is to make Beth Israel a second home to our future – the congregation’s youth – by providing social, educational, musical, cultural and spiritual connections that make Beth Israel central to the lives of San Diego’s young Jews.
• In the area of community, our vision is to offer multiple points of connection and engage our members at every stage of their lives. In a city like San Diego, where Jews are spread out geographically, we see a key role for the synagogue to be a convener and connector. Our vision is, metaphorically, to replace the walls of our synagogue with hundreds of open doors so that all can find their own way in, and be welcomed and embraced by Chavurot and with meaningful volunteer opportunities. 
  
  And we seek to build community by strengthening our pastoral services – offering compassion, support and acts of loving kindness. As a caring community, we hope to unleash the energy of our members who are eager to be a friend, a neighbor, a fellow Jew to those in need. 

• In the area of lifelong learning, our vision is to inspire members to keep learning about Judaism at every stage of their lives by creating innovative, exciting and compelling opportunities in Jewish education, music and arts, and which bring us closer to Torah, Israel, and our roots as a people. 

Bringing this vision to fruition will take time. But the vision will provide a roadmap to guide us as we take the first steps into the next 150 years. 

And how shall we achieve this vision, and ensure Beth Israel remains strong in the years to come? 

We must begin now to significantly enhance our financial foundation. We’ll need a more powerful way to assure our long-term financial viability: a new financial tool that will propel us into our next 150 years. That tool is a dramatic increase in the size of our endowment. 

Synagogues throughout the United States, including our own, are challenged to sustain comprehensive, high-quality programming and services with revenue derived primarily from membership dues. We think the innovative solution to this challenge – the strategy employed by major universities – is to build up our endowment. 

By creating a sizable endowment, we will fundamentally shift the financial model for Beth Israel to one that can help protect against economic uncertainty, and will allow us to continue to serve San Diego’s Reform Jewish community for the next 150 years and beyond. 

On this 150th anniversary of the founding of Beth Israel, we have a unique opportunity to stand on the shoulders of giants – those who had the vision and the courage to found and build our synagogue in 1861. Just as these visionaries imagined a thriving Jewish community in San Diego, we must consider what our efforts today can do to secure our children and grandchildren’s sense of Jewish identity and the continuity of Judaism itself. 

Let us now start building the next 150 years together. Future generations of San Diego Jews are depending on us.

Introducing New Board President Emily Jennewein

By Emily Jennewein, President

Emily Jennewein and her family have traveled to Israel twice, most recently as

participants in Rabbi/Cantor Arlene Bernstein's Youth Choir Trip in 2008.

From left, Maddy, Chris, Penny and Emily Jennewein at the Temple

Mount in Jerusalem.

As a former journalist and volunteer for Beth Israel’s website, introducing myself to the congregation in writing feels second nature. But I also know that an article is not a substitute for a personal introduction, and I hope to talk with many members of our community over the next two years.

Let me start by saying that I feel very fortunate to be serving as your president at this momentous time in our congregation’s history, as we embark on an exciting, year-long commemoration of our 150th anniversary. It’s humbling to take on this important responsibility, but I had a fantastic, wise and intelligent mentor in Ron Simon. Ron strengthened the financial foundation of our synagogue, helped lay the groundwork for the 150th anniversary endowment campaign and personally cultivated generous endowment gifts.

A temple president can’t be successful without collaborating with an experienced team. Rabbi Michael Berk, Executive Director Lesley Mills and our board are entering our fifth year of partnering together and we are already working on setting our shared priorities for the forthcoming year.

Beth Israel has been an important part of my life since our family moved to San Diego 10 years ago.

My volunteer involvement with the synagogue began when I joined the Religious School parent committee and created a small website for the Religious School. Soon, I was asked to expand the website to encompass all the temple’s offerings and that evolved into serving as the synagogue's volunteer webmaster for several years.

I’ve also been vice president for education, served on the finance and communications committees and have worked actively on the synagogue's strategic planning process. I served on and co-chaired, respectively, the search committees that selected Rabbi Michael Berk and Rabbi Michael Satz. I chaired A Musical Night in Jerusalem, which honored Cantor Arlene Bernstein for her first 10 years with the congregation. And I just began a term on the board of Hillel of San Diego.

Outside of the temple I have for 15 years operated a marketing communications business, and for three years was the marketing director and a marketing consultant for the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego. Earlier I worked at The Coca-Cola Company and was a business news reporter at The Miami Herald and The Atlanta Constitution. I earned an M.B.A. from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and graduated from Amherst College.

My husband, Chris, and I live in Del Mar. Chris is senior regional editor for Southern California for AOL's Patch network of local news websites. Our daughters, Maddy and Penny, are entering their sophomore years at Brown University and the University of Pennsylvania. My parents, Alan and Liz Rubin, retired to Del Mar and live around the corner from us. Our family has always practiced Reform Judaism. I was born Jewish, and Chris converted to Judaism at Beth Israel. Maddy and Penny, became b'not mitzvah and celebrated their confirmations at Beth Israel.

I look forward to continuing to communicate regularly in Tidings and through the new congregational blog at www.bethisrael.blogspot.com. But more importantly, I hope to see all of you regularly at services, programs and events at Beth Israel and to hear from you any time at board@cbisd.org.

Yom Kippur Afternoon Worship and Break-the-Fast to be Held at Our Synagogue Home

by President Emily Jennewein

In honor of our 150th anniversary, the Board is very pleased to announce that Yom Kippur afternoon services and a light Break-the-Fast will be held at our synagogue home at Beth Israel this year.

We have frequently heard requests from members who would love the opportunity to worship in our own magnificent synagogue during the High Holy Days. Because of the very special nature of this anniversary year, we will move our worship on Yom Kippur afternoon to our own synagogue starting at 1:45 p.m. with Ask the Rabbi, then continue with the Afternoon Service, Yizkor and Neilah. At the conclusion of the day of Yom Kippur worship, we will offer light Break-the-Fast refreshments.

To accommodate all who will worship with us on Yom Kippur afternoon, we plan to expand our Glickman-Galinson Sanctuary by opening the wall to the adjacent David & Dorothea Garfield Social Hall. Light Break-the-Fast refreshments will be served in the Price Family Courtyard. Beth Israel’s regular High Holy Days tickets will include admission to Yom Kippur afternoon services at our temple. Because Yom Kippur falls on a Saturday this year rather than on a business day, we are very fortunate that congregants will be able to park freely in the Gateway Parking Structure.

Rabbi Michael Berk, Executive Director Lesley Mills and members of the synagogue Board of Directors are very sensitive to the fact that for some congregants the mid-day move will interrupt what is traditionally a full day of worship in one location. We understand that what will be a delight to many, will seem a disruption to others. Please know that the decision to bring Yom Kippur afternoon services back to our temple was made after very careful consideration and weighing of this special opportunity to worship in our own synagogue as well as the disadvantages.

In an effort to ease the transition during the worship day, we will provide three legs of shuttle transportation by reservation only: from Beth Israel to the Civic Theatre for members who would like to park near our temple in the morning; from the Civic Theatre to Beth Israel at the conclusion of the morning service; and from Beth Israel back to the Civic Theatre after the Break-the-Fast, for those who parked at the Civic Theatre in the morning.

On behalf of the Board, we hope you will all join us for the unique experience of worshiping on our own campus as we conclude our High Holy Days worship in this milestone 150th anniversary year.

Aleinu Members Gathered for Special Summer Celebration

L-R: Scholar in Residence Co-Chairs Susan Ulevitch and
Steve Ritter welcomed Rabbi Norman Cohen as our
2011 Scholar in Residence last winter.

Susan Ulevitch, co-chair of Scholar in Residence, and her husband Richard, hosted the Aleinu Adult Education Committee for a summer social evening at their La Jolla home last week. The evening was a special time for members to socialize and get to know each other with just the minimum of committee work involved!

The group enjoyed Susan's gorgeous ocean view, munched on appetizers, and a fabulous dinner. Susan and Bonnie outdid themselves with delectable desserts. Aleinu welcomed new committee members Jane Lazerow and Louise Winheld. People jumped on board to volunteer to head up programs for the coming year.

Aleinu members Janine Feldman, Liz Levine and Janet Acheatel
enjoyed the Aleinu summer get-together 

What a wonderful idea this was! Many thanks to the Ulevitches for their hospitality!

Men's Club Hosted Chris Jennewein on Re-Inventing Media for an Online World

by Emily Jennewein, President
I enjoyed joining the Men's Club when it hosted Chris Jennewein, my husband, at its Dinner Forum last week on the subject of Re-Inventing Media for an Online World. Here are four slides from Chris' presentation, including his recommendations for news websites to follow:

 

Youth Director Daniel Brenner Leads Camp Shabbat

Daniel Brenner

by Emily Jennewein, President

Beth Israel's new Youth Director Daniel has added wonderful ruach to the Camp Shabbat celebrations this summer. Daniel song-leads the weekly service that concludes the camp week along with talented musician and counselor Ben Brogadir, Rabbis Bernstein and Satz, Early Childhood Education Director Tammy Vener and all the teachers and counselors.

Each of the eight weeks of camp includes a variety of fun activities that conclude on Fridays with Shabbat. Campers and their families enjoy Shabbat prayers, song, and dance after Friday lunch.

  

A special treat for me when I visited Camp was to get to admire the 2011 organic garden, which is a project that all the campers enjoy along with counselor Penny Jennewein.

Staff Bids Farewell and Good Luck to Matt Cromwell

by Emily Jennewein, President

Beth Israel staff bid a fond farewell to Matt Cromwell last week. Matt, his wife  Melanie and their two adorable children, enjoyed pizza, salad and Bonnie Graff's homemade desserts at the farewell party. 

Susan Hutchison brilliantly decorated the party room with a camping theme that was so spectacular it took the breath away of everyone present.

Matt will be leaving Beth Israel to focus on finishing his Master of Arts in History at SDSU with the goal of moving into a doctoral program and eventually teaching at the college level. He will also be doing freelance website and graphic design work on the side.

For four years, Matt has been the very able assistant to Program Director Bonnie Graff. Matt will be very much missed. Beth Israel welcomes Zach Weinstein to the program department. 

100+ Congregants Celebrated Shabbat at Potluck

by Emily Jennewein, President
More than 100 congregants joined Membership Co-Chairs Cynthia Fram and Kaylee Brogadir at Beth Israel's summer potluck dinner after our Shabbat service last Friday. The courtyard was overflowing with congregants, many of whom enjoyed dining together afterward.

Betsy Wilinsky

With her ever-present warmth and enthusiasm, Betsy Wilinsky, Director of Membership Services and Caring Community, greeted every participant as they arrived with their potluck contribution. Delicious food was plentiful.

With such a successful outcome, the Membership Committee looks forward to sponsoring more potlucks in the coming months.

Membership Co-Chairs
Cynthia Fram & Kaylee Brogadir

If you didn't make it to last Friday's Shabbat potluck, please join us next time!

Congratulations to Beth Israel Leadership Institute Graduates!

Mitch Siegler, VP, Strategy

by Mitch Siegler, VP Strategy

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I'd like to recognize you and congratulate you on this milestone. Thank you to Rabbi Berk for leading the class and providing valuable information and education on Reform Judaism and our Temple. Thanks, too, to Cindy Polger, who has spearheaded this Leadership program that has enabled us to cultivate outstanding leadership at the Temple. 

On behalf of the Board, I would like to convey the Temple’s appreciation to each of you for giving your precious time to participate in this class. It’s an important part of the CBI community and it has produced excellent results for CBI. Nearly every graduate over the last three years has taken on a key role with a committee or become a member of the Board.

I am a graduate of the Leadership program and I think it’s one of the most important things we do at Beth Israel. In the past several years, I have joined the Board, become an officer, become involved with two committees and co-chaired CBI’s long-term strategic planning program.

In 1861, a handful of local Jews, convened in one member’s living room. Much like this group, that original group was a diverse group of people. They understood that San Diego was growing, the Jewish community would thrive and the synagogue was the center for Jewish life. Their dream grew from Beth Israel’s original temple, now a part of Heritage Park San Diego, to become the synagogue at 3rd and Laurel, and ultimately to become this fabulous campus in La Jolla, with 1,200 families as members.

Today, we are here to celebrate your accomplishments in the leadership class. You’re the keepers of the flame for the original founders of CBI of 150 years ago.

As most of you already know, leadership program is a first step for involvement in CBI. Many of you are already very involved:

• Janet Perlman is very active in WBI and her mother was a founder of the Israel committee.
• Debbie Mishek is a longtime choir member who has served on the religious school committee
• Jana Rudnick has chaired the preschool committee
• Heather Keith chairs the Religious School parent committee
• Eric Breier serves on the 150th anniversary public relations committee
• Patty Cohen and Debra Block have raised children in our religious school

And there are numerous opportunities to become involved -- in our schools, adult education, in our Men’s Club and Women of Beth Israel, in religious services, in our Israel Committee, at the Hunger Project -- and many more.

I’d like to leave you with the thought that your temple needs you and to thank you for being involved. I think you’ll find that you also need Beth Israel and your connection to our Jewish community. I hope the leadership program has inspired you to become more involved, and help you realize your potential as a Jew and a member of our community

 

Ohr Shalom Dedicates Building at Third & Laurel

by Emily Jennewein, President

Rabbis Michael and Aliza Berk, my husband, Chris Jennewein and I attended Ohr Shalom Synagogue's dedication of its beautiful building, along with a number of Beth Israel congregants and Ohr Shalom congregants and guests on Sunday June 5.


Ohr Shalom is a Conservative synagogue that occupies our former synagogue home on 3rd and Laurel in downtown San Diego. We very much enjoyed attending the celebration of the completion of the major renovation of our former synagogue home.


San Diego City Councilmember Todd Gloria thanked the congregation for preserving the beautiful jewel for the benefit of the whole city of San Diego.
Among those attending were Beth Israel's historian Stan Schwartz, Laurel Schwartz, Jerry Sampson, Bob Metz, Nadine Finkel, Eileen Wingard, Al Kohn and many others.

 

Chavurot Define Community at Our Congregation

by Emily Jennewein, President

Friday night's Chavurah Shabbat shined a bright light on Beth Israel's many "second families" that are the source of such warm communities in our congregation.

Representatives of many chavurot celebrated at a Shabbat dinner preceding the service. Then, during the service, we heard from three longtime chavurah members about what their chavurah means to their families.

Gayle Wise, Larry Krause and Heidi Gantwerk each delivered beautiful remarks to the congregation:


Remarks by Gayle Wise, Orli Chavurah:


Our Chavarah was created by Bonnie Graff as an “empty nesters” group. Most of us of a similar age found ourselves, as many do, missing family and longing to make the connections that enhance the “mature” years.


On May 20, when Rabbi Cantor Bernstein elaborated on Rabbi Berk’s interpretation of the word...”Rabbi,” she made the association to the word, “friend...” We can obtain friends in one of two ways according to the Talmud...one way is by purchase, and the other is by free association and choice.


Orli became a Chavarah about 12 years ago...and filled by choice...in a way that has meant more to George and to me...than I can ever say.


Many of you know that last December 14 was the beginning of a medical odyssey for George. What was to be a serious, yet uncomplicated procedure...ended up being one of those things that we often call...”Our lives changed in an instant.”

The early morning of his surgery found one couple from Orli at our door with lunch for all of us as we would be waiting...along with a dinner invitation for me and my daughter....they insisted we not be alone that night.


Rabbis Berk and Satz visited...and their patience and prayers meant so much to both of us.


After his surgery, he was in rehab for about three weeks...during that time he was visited daily by various members of Orli...with everything in hand to cheer him...from hot chocolate mix, best sellers...and to MY delight and chagrin...many, many boxes of Sees candies. Again, I received dinner invitations and calls...all asking, “How are YOU doing...”


Members in the medical field called...to check on him and to tell me...”If there’s anything you need to know...or just to ask questions, I am here for you.”


Their presence served to cheer him...and let him know he would come back. “good as new.” The food kept coming...from one member who knows I have an aversion to raw onions...two versions of her famous egg salad...one with onions for George...and one without for me!


He did come home...tired and “gimpy, “ but convinced he would be fine.


January 16 brought a setback...the kind one doesn’t wish on their worst enemy...and again, Orli swung into action. From our beloved neighbors who locked our house and saw to the dogs when I had flown out to follow the paramedics...to the couple who actually sneaked into the ICU at Scripps La Jolla...without the password assigned to anyone who wanted to check on him! We were touched beyond belief.


Home again...and temporarily unable to drive...he has been blessed with the “chauffeur” services of our Chavarah and other close friends....all from other Chavarot.


We had a brief scare again on April 27th...again, our Chavarah neighbors came to our aid...and my gratitude again...is boundless.


I believe we are at the place in our lives...when sadly, many of us have suffered the loss of parents...and perhaps siblings...and we fill those places with friends...and those friends take on greater meaning...because we all know, we “chose” them...and perhaps the coinage we use...is hoping that we can give back everything they provide to us...support, love, and most of all the confidence....that we are not alone.

Remarks by Heidi Gantwerk, Chavurah 613:


When my husband Andy and I first came to San Diego, we planned to stay for 2 years while he completed his post-doc. It was hard to imagine leaving the East Coast and our extended families, with whom we celebrated holidays, simchas and other major events. We drove out here in August, taking our time to start a new life on the other side of the country. After landing in Solana Beach from Brooklyn, and getting over the amazing fact that apartments here come with parking, all of a sudden the High Holidays were upon us.


I will never forget our first Rosh Hashanah. We went to services at a congregation of strangers, and came home to an empty condo. I had ordered an apple cake from Baked by Etta. The smallest one you make, I told them. And I swear that cake would have fed 20 people. I sat staring at the cake, feeling terribly alone, wondering if we would ever find a Jewish community and a mishpucha in this foreign land.


Fast forward 18 years, three kids and a minivan, and I can say we have found our mishpucha, and it is our congregation and in particular, our Chavurah. I had never heard of Chavurot before coming to CBI. But we connected with a friend of a friend, who invited us to join them. And all of a sudden, every holiday we were surrounded by a community. Every Chanuka, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and many many Shabbat evenings, our Chavurah has gathered, often with other friends and members of CBI, to celebrate together.


Our Chavurah has evolved over the years, as most Chavurot do. Families on occasion come and go, and after taking a break we reformed several years ago into a group of people that have shared the highest highs and some more challenging times together. A short list of the things our Chavurot have experienced together:


Births: several babies were born in our Chavurah, including two of mine, and my children have no experience of not being part of a Chavurah. We have a few years until the birth of grandchildren, but I expect to be there to share that too!


Deaths: My husband’s parents both died and our Chavurah was there, supporting us, feeding us, sitting shivah and coming together when we needed them


Bar and Bat Mitzvot: We have been lucky to be part of a community celebrating the b’nai mitzvot of some truly incredible teens who we have watched grow up together


Unexpected tragedy: When the Cedar fire hit, one of the members of our Chavurah lost their Scripps Ranch home. This group of people came together to do whatever we could to support them through that terrible time.


Leadership: Our Chavurah has tied our members to CBI in many ways and many have taken leadership roles. We serve on the board, chaired the Women of Beth Israel, served on committes, planned events and most recently, we have watched one of our own become the president of the congregation, and we wish her a lot of luck! And we promise, we’ll still be there for her when its over.


Music: Everyone in our Chavurah is connected in some way to the musical life of CBI, through the youth choir or the chai band, and in many cases both, and music is an integral part of our experience and our connection


Israel: our entire Chavurah was together on the Youth and Teen Choir trip to Israel, an experience that solidified and expanded our relationship with each other and other choir families, and eventually led to gatherings and community experiences like the 613 and friends dinner that has morphed into a community wide event.


And the smaller moments in life: the difficult times and the smaller pleasures. We have watched our kids perform in shows together, commiserated about the stresses of work and parenthood, spent Valentine’s day and Memorial days together, studied Torah together, hiked together, disagreed vehemently about all sorts of things, taken many many pictures and eaten a lot of good food.


My extended CBI family is warm and wonderful, and Andy and I and our kids feel lucky to be a part of this congregation. Our Chavurah is at the core of that experience, and we look forward to many more years together.

Remarks by Lawrence Krause, Chavurah Kol Emet

Sallye and I had no family in the area when we moved to San Diego in 1987.  We had always affiliated with a Temple wherever we were living, and in short order we joined Congregation Beth Israel.  However, since my appointment and assignment at the University of California, San Diego was to help build a new graduate school, that task occupied all of our time and that included Sallye who helped turn a collection of scholars into a department.  We seldom made religious services at CBI.  In time my academic work began to ease and we could do other things.  We were introduced to the idea of a chavurah and we joined Kol Emet where we have remained a member ever since.

Chavurah Kol Emet did several things for us.  It massively expanded our circle of Jewish friends, indeed our closest friends are in Kol Emet.  It introduced us to individual spirituality through the Havdalah service that was written by someone in the chavurah and for the chavurah as we meet on Saturday evenings.  The chavurah also opened up another side of CBI to us, and we availed ourselves of other opportunities to participate in Temple activities that were originally designed as Kol Emet events.  After reaching Emeritus status at UCSD and the free time that implies, we became regular and frequent participants in all of the activities at CBI.  Congregation Beth Israel is our second home, and our chavurah was the path that enabled us to reach it, for which we will always be grateful.

Let's Ensure Beth Israel Flourishes as an Inclusive Community of Congregants

by President Emily Jennewein

The coming year is a golden moment in Beth Israel’s history. Our synagogue will celebrate 150 years of service to the Jewish community and to San Diego. Our stunning campus serves San Diego as an important religious, cultural, educational, and intellectual center. What a journey it has been from the minyan of Jewish pioneers who reached out to bond with each other in the frontier settlement of San Diego.

To mark Beth Israel’s 150th anniversary, we will host unforgettable celebrations, present learned speakers, and offer fascinating programs. A wealth of commemorative events will come to life under the capable leadership of Rabbi Michael Berk, Chair and Past President Mary Ann Scher, Executive Director Lesley Mills, Program Director Bonnie Graff, and the involvement of dozens of congregants.

As your president in this 150th anniversary year, it’s my objective to make sure that Beth Israel flourishes not just as an institution and a magnificent environment, but as a community of congregants. What I mean is that our congregation is more than its history and its buildings; it is a community of people who come together under the name of Beth Israel to pursue our shared interests and goals. As we celebrate our anniversary, we must ensure that that we build on this inclusive community, and indeed build upon the many communities that make up our large congregation.

A few examples of communities of people within Beth Israel are:

• Young families who are making the commitment to raise Jewish children and need the support of a welcoming congregation to achieve this goal
• Families embarking on the journey toward a child’s bar or bat mitzvah
• Teens who have completed their bar or bat mitzvah and will strengthen their Jewish identity by participating in lively and engaging youth programming Singles who seek the company of other Jews and an affirmation of Jewish values
• Chavurot – small communities of families and individuals who become a second family for each other.
• Interfaith couples who seek the traditional warm welcome of Reform Judaism –– Older congregants who seek to increase their knowledge through classes, speakers, daytime programming and lifelong learning
• Those who worship together, whether it be on Erev Shabbat – at Tot Shabbat, Family Service – or Shabbat morning, to welcome the b’nai mitzvah into our community, or who worship in our minyan
• The youth and adult choir and band members who do so much to bring artistic beauty to our worship
• Those who work together to fulfill our social responsibilities and act together to improve the world. 

Our inclusive congregation consists of many additional communities not named here. If you do not feel as connected to Beth Israel as you once did or as much as you'd like to be, please know we want to renew our relationship with you, to find out how we can better meet your needs, to learn what stirs your passions, Jewishly, and how we can make you feel more at home here.

From all the many communities we build our robust congregation and a spiritual, cultural and educational Jewish legacy.

I hope that in this 150th anniversary year we will celebrate with an eye on fortifying the communities of people that encompass Beth Israel. As we do we will ensure that Beth Israel will be a vibrant, relevant, inclusive community for another 150 years.

DayTimers' Grand Finale, "Live in Concert with Heidi Gantwerk & Andrew Mayer" Was a Big Hit!

by Emily Jennewein, President

Longtime CBI and Chai Band members, Heidi Gantwerk and Andy Mayer entertained about 100 members and guests of DayTimers in the Foster Family Chapel at Beth Israel on Thursday. Heidi and Andy poured their musical hearts into an eclectic mix of songs, including selections from Yiddish theater, American stage, jazz and R&B classics, with a little rock'n roll thrown in.

In addition to the singing, piano accompaniment and composing that Heidi and Andy regularly contribute to Beth Israel, Heidi also serves on the temple board and is co-chair of our 2011 Strategic Planning process.

Attendees enjoyed delicious desserts in the Price Family Courtyard after the concert.
The afternoon was co-sponsored by Brandeis National Committee: San Dieguito Chapter. DayTimers' Co-Chair Barbara Gellman delivered a beautiful introduction on behalf of the committee and her co-chair, Sima Oppenheimer.

Program Director Bonnie Graff invited everyone to attend the Chavurah Shabbat coming up on June 3.

Religious School End of Year Picnic a Big Hit With Families

by Emily Jennewein, President

Parent Association Chairs Heather Keith and Michelle Breier put on a smashing picnic for Religious School families last Sunday to mark the last day of the Religious School year.

Dozens of families brought picnics and enjoyed a relaxing lunch while being serenaded by the Beth Israel Youth Choir.

Just before, the Religious School community enjoyed songs by several of the younger grade students and Rabbi Katz promoted each grade level of students up a year.

Rabbi Katz presented a beautiful bouquet to retiring first grade teacher Carole Wilinsky on her many years of service to Beth Israel. By coincidence, Carole was actually Rabbi Katz's own 2nd grade teacher in New York state many years ago.  

Several parents delivered tributes to Rabbi Katz including Beth Tabor, whose remkars are below, and Education Co-Chairs Meryl Maneker and Greg Markow.

Beth Tabor's Tribute to Rabbi David Katz

by Beth Tabor, member of Beth Israel's Education Advisory Council

It is with gratitude and sadness I come to thank you for your dedication to our religious school families and to personally thank you for the opportunity to work together on several projects over the last three years.  

Rabbi David Katz

Thank you for bringing enchantment and creativity as well as rigor to our school.  From that first leaning tower of honey cake and the day the staff and clergy dressed as bible heroes to welcome our children to religious school  to help us learn about Torah, to The Hebrew Kids' Choice Awards and Lehrhaus where we discovered that we could learn together in personal, informal spaces as well as the classroom.  You created the magic that brings a sense of excitement to Jewish learning.

Since day one, community building has been a top priority for you.  You developed EAC, a think tank and sounding board that gave parents a bigger voice.  You revitalized the parent organization giving parents more opportunity to get  involved in their children's education.  Yes, most of your ideas did need that 'village', but in that 'village' community was being built.  You are creative and think 'outside the box'.  My hope is, that those seeds you have planted to build community and to think creatively about education will continue to grow.

I am sorry to see the curtain fall, but we thank you for a wonderful performance.  We sincerely wish you and Nancy all the very best.  Thank you again for all you have done to make CBI Religious School a better place, and for lighting a spark in our children to embrace Jewish learning.

Tribute to President Ron Simon

by Emily Jennewein, Incoming President

May 19, 2011 -- The board and staff of Congregation Beth Israel thank Ron Simon for the wisdom and intelligence he brought to the leadership of our synagogue over the past two years.

As president, Ron set an outstanding example for us all. He brought his significant talents and experience to the leadership of every aspect of our congregation.  For 37 years, Ron has been an active member of Beth Israel.

Ron Simon

Watching Ron guide board meetings has been to learn from a true mensch, someone who cares deeply about Beth Israel and what’s best for our synagogue.  He approaches every challenge with wisdom and patience, and with his eye on the big picture.

I’d like to repeat those words: wisdom and patience. Ron has brought to the leadership of our congregation the wisdom to set important goals and the patience to focus and achieve them.

Of course, Ron brought a successful financial executive’s perspective to the temple’s financial challenges. During the past two years he has strengthened the financial foundation of our synagogue, laying the groundwork for the 150th anniversary endowment campaign. He has personally cultivated generous endowment gifts.

If you ask Ron why he has loved being president -- as you know he clearly has from that certain smile you can count on always to be on his face -- he would tell you that the best part has been the opportunity to work closely with Rabbi Berk, Lesley Mills, and all the people of Beth Israel, and to move the temple forward. 

To know Ron well is to know that the single goal that’s most important to Ron for Beth Israel’s future, is that we advance one of the Five Big Ideas identified in last fall’s Strategic Visioning process – and that is to make Beth Israel a second home to our future: the congregation’s youth.

And that may be why Ron seemed, to me, to enjoy most of all the opportunity to set an outstanding example for his grandchildren. Ron and Anne’s three children became b’nai mitzvah and were married at Beth Israel, and his seven grandchildren all received their Jewish names in our congregation.

Surely one of the happiest point of the last two years was watching Ron beam with pride at his four granddaughters -- all lined up in the front row at the Civic Theatre -- for services last Rosh Hashanah morning, and watching them gaze back at him with keen interest and pride.

Ron, we are immensely grateful for all the wisdom you have given Beth Israel.

Introducing Rabbi Arlene Bernstein - A Report from the Ordination

by Emily Jennewein, President

May 20, 2011 -- Cantor, and now Rabbi, Arlene Bernstein was ordained along with 12 other rabbinic ordinees of Hebrew Union College at a beautiful and moving ceremony at the Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles last Sunday morning.  

Rabbi/Cantor Arlene Bernstein

Many of you know that for seven long years, Cantor has been driving several times a week to Los Angeles for classes and seminars. I understand that studying for the rabbinate is hard enough if you’re a full-time student. I can’t imagine how difficult it was for Cantor Bernstein to pursue her studies in addition to performing her duties as Cantor at Beth Israel. But she did so beautifully for seven full years.

This was my first time visiting Wilshire Boulevard Temple. It is a stately, historic building whose Byzantine revival exterior architecturally resembles our old synagogue on Third and Laurel. The bimah and the entire sanctuary are paneled in dark wood, and gilded fresco paintings illustrating Jewish history surround the dome. 

As the service began, our Rabbis – Rabbi Berk, Rabbi Satz, Rabbi Katz and Rabbi Aliza Berk – processed along with dozens of other clergy from across the West.  Beautiful cantorial music graced the entire service.

Each student was presented by a rabbi mentor and then blessed by Rabbi David Ellenson, president of Hebrew Union College -- who will speak here next April toward the end of our 150th year. Cantor Bernstein was presented for ordination by Rabbi Jonathan Stein, who was her rabbi when she decided to become a rabbi, and who is currently president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.

In his introduction of Rena Sarah bat Yosef u’Masha, Arlene Sandra Bernstein, Rabbi Stein noted that our Cantor has an “extraordinary ability to connect with people of all ages and stages…. How fortunate for the Jewish people that you decided to become a Cantor and now a Rabbi. You could have been a therapist, musician, teacher, singer, or coach,” he said. “Arlene is a Jew with a flexible spirituality, open to new ways of expression, welcoming to all while maintaining high standards…. Her innate ability to understand others, her good judgment, considered opinions and gentle support and encouragement have made her a loyal mentor and role model.”

Rabbi Ellenson then took Cantor Bernstein by the hand, led her up several steps to the open ark, and blessed her under a historic ordination canopy – a special chuppah. And then she was handed her s’meechah, ordination certificate, and introduced as Rabbi Arlene Bernstein, at which point the sanctuary erupted with applause.

Rabbi Ellenson told the new rabbis that in their work it isn’t what you say -- or even what you do -- but how kind you are. People will remember your kindness. That message of kindness truly reflects how we think already of Rabbi Bernstein. We congratulate Rabbi Arlene Bernstein on her magnificent and sacred achievement.