Our Year of Celebration

This past year, our congregation marked the impending retirement of our Rabbi after 35 years of leadership as well as the 350th Anniversary of Judaism in America. After many months of brainstorming and careful planning, we put together a full year of programming to celebrate these momentous events in the life of our congregation.

On September 11, 2004 we kicked off the year with the first guest in the Orenstein Family Speaker Series, Dr. Arbie Orenstein who spoke on Jewish American Music. The series came to our congregation as a gift from Rabbi Orenstein’s family as their way of saying thank you to the congregation for being part of the Orenstein family for 35 years. Throughout the year, each speaker helped us celebrate Rabbi Orenstein’s retirement while also focusing on various aspects of the Jewish experience in America. They spoke on everything from Jewish Humor to Benjamin Franklin and the Mussar Movement. Every event was both educational and entertaining and drew large audiences of all ages.

In mid-October, Aviva Orenstein, Rabbi and Sylvia's oldest daughter, took a serious look (with lots of amusing examples from her family's repertoire) at what constitutes Jewish humor in America. Aviva came to us as Part II of the Orenstein Family Speaker Series.

The Boston Zamir Chorale also highlighted the fall of 2004, with a tribute to Jewish American music and Rabbi Orenstein. One of the country’s pre-eminent chorale groups, The Boston Zamir was also joined by Kol Dodi, a community choir, Beth El’s own adult, teen and children’s choirs as well as five area Cantors who all paid tribute to Rabbi Orenstein.

In November, we experienced Mitzvah Day with Rabbi Orenstein leading the way. Over 100 congregants of all ages worked on various Tzedakah projects to honor the Rabbi for his exemplary commitment to Tzedakah, Tikun Olam and Mitzvot.

Dr. Mark Slobin, chairman of the music department at Wesleyan University came to Beth El in January 2005 as our Artist-in-Residence. Dr. Slobin spoke on such topics as "The American Cantorate over Three Centuries" and "American Klezmer: Its Roots and Offshoots". Shabbat services that weekend included liturgical music by American Jewish composers. In early May, the congregation hosted Dr. Jonathan Sarna, one of America’s foremost commentators on American Jewish history, religion and life. Both Dr. Slobin and Dr. Sarna were perfect choices to continue our celebration of the 350th Anniversary.

In December 2004, 55 congregants travelled to Israel, and experienced the country through the eyes of the Orensteins. In April 2005, over 100 congregants went to Washington, DC to hear our Rabbi give the opening prayer to the US Senate.



In February, the Beth El Sisterhood hosted an evening dedicated to our rebbetzin for her unique contributions to the life of our congregation. During that weekend, Sylvia presented her contribution to the Orenstein Speaker Series. Sylvia spoke both eloquently and with humor about The Fascinating Story of Jews in the South and the Midwest. Additionally, Sisterhood discovered a poster series on the Celebrate 350 website entitled Women of Valor. Eighteen posters were displayed during this event and for each of the Orenstein Family Speaker events to follow as well as the Celebrate 350 events. We appropriately named Sylvia Orenstein, "our woman of valor" in the introduction of the poster series and on the invitation to the dessert reception.

In March, both Deborah Mowshowitz and Solomon Mowshowitz, Sylvia’s brother and sister-in-law came to Beth El as part of the Orenstein Family Speaker Series. Deborah spoke on Benjamin Franklin and the Mussar Movement while Sol spoke on All My Bones: Shul Choreography.

On Shabbat HaGadol, Rabbi Debra Orenstein came to spend Pesach with her family and spoke to the congregation on American Passover: Ritual and Meaning across the Years. The following day, a special guest, Rafy Orenstein came to Beth El and spoke about Emergencies in the Bible and the Orenstein Household. Both Debra and Rafy were enlightening and very entertaining. It was a real treat for those who attended!

As the year was drawing to a close, the Gala Evening of Celebration took place on May 24th at the Crystal Plaza, as our congregation celebrated an incredible year as well as our final tribute to Rabbi and Sylvia Orenstein. The celebration was attended by over 400 congregants and included musical tributes by Cantors Fine and Vogel, The Gala Party Chorus led by Adele Lebersfeld and Carol Trinker, and of course, the Orenstein children – Aviva, Rafy and Debra had their say. A special video montage and other presentations highlighted the evening, co-chaired by Aaron & Claire Nierenberg and Mattye & Bob Gandel and their hard-working committee. The ad journal/directory in honor of the Orensteins raised over $125,000 due to the generosity of our members and the community.

At the end of May, our beloved Rabbi appropriately concluded the Orenstein Family Speaker Series with The American Rabbi.

The year as a whole has turned out far better than we could have ever imagined. Each event was executed flawlessly and achieved our goals -- of celebrating two very important milestones, of educating our congregants and the community on 350 Years of Judaism in America and of connecting to congregants of all ages and all levels of involvement. Many thanks to the Orenstein family, all the committee chairs and to the Year of Celebration co-chairs, Brenda Deener and Joan Bucholtz.

There truly was something for everyone during Congregation Beth El’s Year of Celebration.