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"Living Undocumented" Film and Discussion

03/02/2022 10:59:20 AM

Mar2

"Living Undocumented" is a 2019 documentary series on Netflix that follows the lives of eight undocumented immigrant families living in the United States. They come from six different countries, including one family from Israel, and have a variety of problems with their immigration status. The families participated at their own risk in the hopes that sharing their personal stories would move people to create change. In addition to the absorbing family stories, the documentary provides background information on the policies that have shaped the immigration experience.

As a story in New York magazine notes, “Living Undocumented goes inside the experience of life as an undocumented immigrant in the United States with unprecedented intimacy.” The series created so much interest that an internet search for “Living Undocumented” turns up a number of follow-up stories responding to viewer questions about “where are they now?”

Please join us for discussions jointly sponsored by the TBE Immigrant and Refugee Rights Action Team and the Dane Sanctuary Coalition. The first Zoom discussion will be on Tuesday, March 22, 7:00–8:30 pm and will cover episodes 1–3. The second will cover episodes 4–6 and will be held on Sunday, April 3, 3:00–4:30 pm. We hope people will choose to watch the whole excellent series, but we would certainly like participants to view at least one of the first three episodes and one of the last three. Register now for either or both discussions. If you’d like to participate but do not have access to Netflix, please contact Lynn Silverman or Erica Serlin.

Absentee Voting Update

03/02/2022 10:49:26 AM

Mar2

The spring election will be held on April 5, 2022. Local offices to be elected may include school board, city council, county supervisors, mayor, and more. State judicial offices include Court of Appeals judge in District IV, including Madison and surrounding counties, and Circuit Court judges in a number of counties, including Dane, Iowa, and Sauk. You can find information about your local ballot at MyVote Wisconsin.

Registered voters may request absentee ballots at MyVote Wisconsin. Any voter may request absentee ballots for the year. Voters who need to vote absentee due to disability, age, illness, or infirmity are allowed to certify that they are an indefinitely confined voter on their absentee ballot request. These voters will have ballots mailed to them for each election until they don’t return a ballot.

In the fast-moving current of election law changes, there are often new developments. In January the Wisconsin Supreme Court determined that drop boxes could be used to return absentee ballots for the spring primary election on February 15th, and voters could continue the practice of asking a person of their choice to mail or return their completed absentee ballot. However, the court is considering an expedited appeal of the case to determine the legality of drop boxes for future Wisconsin elections, including April 5.

***UPDATE (as of March 3) FOR APRIL 5 SPRING ELECTION***
Due to new rules, plan to return your absentee ballot by mail or by delivering it to your clerk's office rather than a drop box. Additionally, if possible, voters should plan on returning their own absentee ballot. Voters with disabilities may ask for accommodations to return their ballot. If you have questions about these changes, contact your municipal clerk.

Volunteer election observers needed: The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin is recruiting volunteers from across the state to serve as election observers during the April 5 election. Volunteer election observers help ensure we have a fair election by watching for signs of voter disenfranchisement and intimidation and by monitoring the way Wisconsin’s election laws and procedures are being applied. Even if you only have a couple of hours on Election Day, you can still make a difference. You don't need to be a League member to volunteer as an observer. To learn more and sign up, see the League of Women Voters website here.

Black women and the right to vote: For an interesting look at the role of Black women in the movement for women’s suffrage, check out the video “Black Women and the Right to Vote: The History You Didn't Learn,” by TIME Magazine. The History You Didn't Learn is a series that sheds light on past events that may have been omitted, misleading, or just downright wrong in our history education in school. This nine-minute episode looks at the work of Black voting rights activists throughout history and how they were often sidelined by the mainstream suffrage movement.

Schools Are Once Again Looking for Volunteers

03/02/2022 10:29:09 AM

Mar2

Over the last two years, most public schools have had strict protocols for visiting school buildings, and volunteer opportunities have been severely constrained. Many children have lost ground during this period, both academically and socially. Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) notes a strong need for classroom volunteers, tutors, playground monitors, and others to help students move forward.

MMSD states on its web page about volunteering: “MMSD has been diligently following safety protocols, and finding ways to keep students learning in-person. However, with COVID-19 cases surging in Dane County, and staffing levels approaching critical thresholds, we have reached a crucial juncture. We need your help! In order for us to continue operating our schools safely and keep students learning in-person, we must address unprecedented staff shortages. Therefore, we are asking for your assistance in doing what is best for our scholars and community: volunteer or apply for one of our temporary positions.”

If you are interested in working with students at the middle school level, the Urban League of Greater Madison runs a volunteer tutoring program for middle school students called Schools of Hope. Tutors focus on math and literacy, typically by listening to lessons in the classroom and then assisting students individually or in pairs. The minimum commitment is one hour per week during the school day, although volunteers may be absent a few times a semester if needed for vacation or other commitments. Urban League provides an initial orientation on site, and each of the schools has someone on site who can support and problem-solve with the volunteers. For more information, see the Urban League website or contact Betsy Abramson.

If you are interested in working with students in elementary school, MMSD has a well-run program for matching volunteers with students and providing the needed training. A number of volunteers from Jewish Congregations for Social Justice have worked with Emerson School on the near east side to provide math and literacy tutoring, and several are excited to go back now that they can. If you’re interested in working at Emerson, please contact Emily Powers, instructional coach. If you would rather work at the elementary school nearest you, just about any school will welcome your help!

For more information about volunteering in the Madison public schools and the kinds of work available, see this link. Although MMSD requires a background check, proof of vaccination, and several training modules, the process is quite streamlined. If you live outside Madison, check with your local district.

New Leadership for The Road Home

03/02/2022 09:37:07 AM

Mar2

by Cathy Rotter

Temple Beth El has been working with The Road Home Dane County for over 20 years, as they provide opportunities for homeless children and their families to achieve self-determined goals and affordable, stable housing. This January, the Road Home welcomed a new executive director, Georgia Allen. Ms. Allen has many connections to organizations in Dane County, including past work with the United Way and Soaring Independent Cooperative. She also has experience working on nonprofit boards. Read more about her and her personal mission “to inspire, engage, and equip individuals, businesses and organizations in achieving their highest potential to contribute to a better future for all.”

The Road Home began in 1999 as the Interfaith Hospitality Network, under the direction of then–Temple Beth El member Rachel Krinsky. As part of a network of overflow shelters for families experiencing homelessness, Temple Beth El welcomed families for four weeks out of every year. In 2018 The Road Home ended the shelter program and turned its focus to supplying permanent housing. The Road Home has continued to grow over the past 10 years under the direction of Executive Director Kristin Rucinski, and is now an organization with 23 staff members and 10 different housing programs, serving over 200 families a year. You can read about The Road Home’s housing programs here. The Temple Beth El community thanks Ms. Rucinski for her amazing leadership, compassion, and steadfast work toward The Road Home’s vision that “Every Child Deserves a Home.”

Healing House service opportunity: The Road Home also collaborates with Just Dane (formerly Madison Urban Ministry) by providing case management services for the Healing House, whose mission is to serve families experiencing homelessness who are in need of housing after an acute medical procedure or event. Temple Beth El members, along with members from other local congregations and businesses, provide meals every night for the families staying at the Healing House.

Our next week for cooking will be March 6–12. If you are interested in joining our group of cooks, please sign up here.

Sisterhood Shabbat Focuses on Refugee Resettlement

03/01/2022 04:43:45 PM

Mar1

At our Sisterhood Shabbat on February 11, guest speaker Becca Schwartz, resettlement director at Jewish Social Services of Madison (JSS), spoke on “Refugee Resettlement, Afghan Evacuation, and Beyond.”

Becca Schwartz painted a compelling picture of the struggles faced by the number of refugees who have arrived in the United States in a very short period of time and how JSS’s resettlement efforts have supported their attempts to gain asylum and a more stable life. She described how passage of the Afghan Adjustment Act can help these refugees gain a more permanent status in the United States. You can view the service and her remarks here. Her remarks begin around 57:45.

Refugee service opportunity: Since July 2021, JSS has resettled 82 children and adults from Afghanistan. Many volunteers from TBE have worked with Open Doors for Refugees to help in this resettlement process. TBE volunteers have participated in the setup of 17 households for these families, shopped for food for their first two weeks in Madison, and helped to provide them with culturally appropriate clothes and warm winter wear. We also helped families arriving from other places such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Syria.

Want to help with refugee resettlement? JSS is expecting many more refugees from all over the world in the months to come. If you are interested in welcoming our new neighbors to Madison or have questions about what we are doing to support refugees and immigrants, please contact one of the co-chairs of our Immigrant and Refugee Rights Action Team, Lynn Silverman or Erica Serlin. We will be happy to answer any questions you have.

Join Becca Schwartz and JSS in showing our support for millions of refugees through getting involved in the many ways in which our Temple is engaged in making refugees and immigrants welcome in our community. In particular, help with Community Action for Refugee Arrival (CARA) is a great way to contribute.

Uniting to Combat Climate Change through Dayenu Circle

03/01/2022 04:36:42 PM

Mar1

We have all been learning with alarm about the growing occurrence of climate-related disasters affecting millions of people around the world. Since 1981 the earth’s temperature has been rising at twice the rate than it did from 1880 to 1981. And it is now clear that our fossil-dependent economies are largely to blame.

Our Jewish values such as l’dor v’dor (generation to generation), shomrei adamah (protecting the earth), and tzedek tirdof (pursue justice) compel us to add our voices to the fight to address the climate crisis.

Dayenu is a national organization established to help us live these values, by building grassroots groups across the country that come together to advocate for change. We are in the process of building the Madison Dayenu Circle by creating a positive movement that is radical, smart, bold, and multigenerational. The goals of Dayenu are to:

Fight for climate-positive policies.
Have a Jewish voice that is heard by many.
Pay special attention to the effect of the climate crisis on historically marginalized communities.

The Madison Dayenu Circle invites you to form part of our local community. What this means is that you will occasionally receive emails prompting you to act in support of a specific action, if you choose. Click here to sign up for updates from Madison Dayenu Circle, or join us at one of our upcoming meetings or events. If you have any questions, please contact Marta Karlov.

Tu Bishvat Seder Celebrates Respect for Our Natural Environment

03/01/2022 03:53:11 PM

Mar1

by Sherie Sondel and Aleeza Hoffert

Tu Bishvat celebrates the birthday of the trees and represents the importance of preserving our environment and respecting nature. Tu Bishvat became a favorite holiday with the Kabbalists, celebrated during a formal seder that includes the fruits of the vines and the trees. This year, the rabbi and cantor led us in a beautiful and meaningful seder in honor of this important holiday, including two breakout sessions.
At one of the breakout sessions, organized by the Kesher Israel Committee in partnership with the Environment and Climate Change Action Team (ECCAT), we were fortunate to have Rabbi Michael Cohen, in Israel, present to us by Zoom about the Israeli approach to environmental issues. He noted, “Mitigating climate change, the promotion of renewables, addressing food and water scarcity, strengthening women’s rights, working towards less violent conflict worldwide including a just settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict, are challenges we face. They call for leadership, activists, and activism. At face value they may appear separate, but on another level they are interrelated.”
For 20 years, these issues have been addressed at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, a kibbutz in the southern Israeli Arava desert valley along the Israeli-Jordanian border. Rabbi Cohen said, “The institute is dedicated to preparing future leaders from Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and around the world, to cooperatively solve the regional and global challenges of our time by advancing cross-border environmental discourse and cooperation, regardless of political conflict.” For a great overview of the information he discussed, see this article. He also shared this article as well as this additional article in advance of his presentation.
At the other breakout session, also organized by the ECCAT, we turned to something we can do locally, through a quick and informative recycling crash course. The Jewish value of bal taschit tells us "don't destroy needlessly." Recycling reduces the need to draw further resources from the earth and gives new life to products we no longer need or want, keeping them out of landfills, where they would become excess greenhouse gases that lead to global warming and climate change.
Recycling is a community effort that’s most effective when everyone does their part. In 1990 Wisconsin passed a recycling law that bans certain recyclable and compostable items from the landfill. So, in Wisconsin we recycle not just because it’s a mitzvah to not harm the earth, but because it’s the law too.
In Madison, about 12.8% of what goes into recycling bins is actually trash, which is equivalent to placing over 2,000 tons of trash in the recyclables each year. Similarly, about 13% of material in the Dane County landfill could be recycled. Based on EPA calculations, diverting all the recyclable material from landfills could save the equivalent energy used by 219,000 typical households. Given the state of the Dane County landfill, the county department of waste management is in the early steps of proposing a new sustainability campus that would include a new landfill.
Since recycling first began, recycling technologies have changed. Always check your local municipality’s recycling guidelines, which are based on the technology they have available as well as current best practices, for how to put items into your curbside bin. There are often differences in what can be recycled curbside or recycled through drop-off sites or point-of-purchase collection sites.

Here are a few highlights of what we discussed; see the slides for more details and helpful resources.
• Recycle more, recycle right.

The more we recycle, the greater our positive impact on the earth can be, and it also helps businesses.
“Wish-cycling” (putting something in the recycling hoping it can be recycled when it can’t) is worse than just putting it in the trash. This causes added expense and contaminates our recyclables, making them less valuable.

• Know before you throw, and when in doubt throw it out.

Learn what you can recycle in your area, and how to recycle each product before putting it in the recycling. If you aren’t sure, it’s better to trash it. For Madison, you can check out the Recyclopedia for more details.

• Recyclables should be clean and dry.

Recyclables are like dishes—clean them and they can be used again.
Empty, clean, and dry recyclables before adding them to your cart.
Keep food and liquid (contaminates) out of your recycling. These reduce the quality of the recyclable material and erode the revenue municipalities receive.
Keep the lid on your recycling cart closed to keep wet weather and animals out of your bin, which can contaminate your recyclables.

• Size and shape matter.

Curbside recyclables should be larger than a standard sticky note (2″ × 2″). (See slides for shredded paper instructions.)
Paper (including cardboard) should be flat, while the rest of the items for recycling should be kept 3D, in their original shape (don’t crush your cans or cartons).
Replace lids on cartons to maintain shape. Remove lids from glass bottles and recycle separately.
Both refrigerated and shelf-stable cartons can be recycled if clean and dry, with their lids on.

• Keep it loose: Don’t bag your recyclables, and keep plastic bags out of your recycling cart.

Place recyclables loose into the cart!
Garbage should be bagged.
Bagged recyclables are contaminates.

If you must use a plastic bag for recycling, use a clear bag so sorters can identify what is inside as recyclable. If the bag is not see-through, it will be assumed to be trash.

Plastic bags and plastic film need special handling and do not go in curbside bins.
Do not place plastic bags or plastic film into your curbside recycling cart. (Reuse when possible.) They get tangled in the sorting equipment, slowing down the process.
Collect clean and dry plastic bags together and bring to point-of-purchase recycling collection spots.
Many stores offer take-back programs that will recycle these materials. For a list of the stores where you can return bags, visit the Plastic Bags page at www.cityofmadison.com/recycling.

• Periodically check your local guidelines for updates.

As of December 2021, Madison residents can now recycle empty and dry paper cups.
- Remove and discard any plastic lids and straws.
- Cardboard sleeves around takeout coffee cups should be removed and placed separately into the recycling.

• Recycle oral care products.

Artisan Dental recycling program is the first oral care products recycling program in the Dane County area.
The program is designed to help keep toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, floss containers, deodorant containers, soap wrappers, and mouthwash containers out of landfills.
This project supports Feeding America.

• Look for How2Recycle labels that provide clear instructions on how to recycle on item. Encourage companies to adopt this standard.

Supporting the South Side of Madison: Black Business Hub and Allied Wellness Center

03/01/2022 03:42:03 PM

Mar1

At our annual Shabbat honoring the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we welcomed Dr. Ruben Anthony, CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison, who offered a presentation on an exciting new project: the Black Business Hub and Black Business Accelerator, part of the exciting renaissance happening in South Madison.

South Madison has long been home to our communities of color—African American, Latino, Hmong—and is a cherished place of community and support, but sadly, as a city, we have also long underinvested in this area. That story is now changing, thanks to the leadership of people like Dr. Ruben Anthony, Kaleem Caire (One City Schools), Dr. Alex Gee (Nehemiah, Fountain of Life Church, and the new Cultural Center), Dr. Jack Daniels (Madison College), and others. You can learn more about the South Madison renaissance here.

The Black Business Hub will be devoted to incubating, accelerating, and networking Black and other entrepreneurs of color. The Hub will be a four-story, 76,000 square foot building located on Park Street near the Urban League and Goodman Library. It will house retail and other businesses ranging from start-ups to established businesses, including food, personal care, financial services, entertainment, technology, co-working space, and a rentable commercial kitchen. The Black Business Hub Accelerator will offer entrepreneurial supports including loans, grants, technical assistance, networking, and more.

If you’d like to hear Dr. Anthony’s presentation, go to the TBE YouTube page, where the presentation begins at 1:05:30. You can also read more here.

As part of our observation of this weekend, Temple Beth El also sponsored a collection for Nehemiah's Allied Wellness Center's Essentials Pantry, providing residents of the Allied neighborhood with critically needed health and hygiene products, such as toilet paper, toothpaste, deodorant, razors, diapers, tampons, and shampoo, as well as bus tickets, gas cards, and grocery cards.

This year Congregation Shaarei Shamayim joined in, and together our members donated over $2,200 in January! Nehemiah and the Allied Wellness Center are incredibly grateful to our community for the support, which, especially during these difficult economic times and COVID pandemic, have proven to be absolutely essential to the Allied neighbors. This drive is becoming a regular event, twice a year at MLK weekend and Juneteenth.

The New UW Center for DREAMers Offers Vital Support for Immigrant Students

03/01/2022 02:54:45 PM

Mar1

by Lynn Silverman

While navigating college admissions can be challenging for any student, imagine how much more difficult and stressful this is for students who are undocumented or DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients. These are students who also have to wonder how to answer questions about citizenship, who are faced with paying out-of-state tuition at Wisconsin state schools, who do not know if they are even eligible for any scholarships or loans, who feel unsupported and wonder if they even belong, and who end up questioning their own abilities and self-worth.

Erika Rosales, herself an undocumented immigrant and DACA recipient, is a first-generation college student who had to struggle with these issues on her own and wanted to support others who are facing these same obstacles. She joined forces with Erin Barbato, director of the Immigrant Justice Clinic at the UW Law School, to launch the Center for Dreamers. Erika is now the director of the center, which will provide services for the nearly 6,000 DACA recipients in Wisconsin. You can read about its services here.

Temple Beth El’s Immigrant and Refugee Rights Action Team, together with Dane Sanctuary Coalition, was honored to host a presentation by Ms. Rosales and Ms. Barbato to discuss the importance of these supports and provide details about the services the center will provide. The goal of the center is to empower DACA and undocumented students to achieve their highest educational goals through access to culturally responsive legal representation (free and confidential), social services (including mental health), and educational and career services (including financial counseling).

Following this presentation, the speakers also gave us an update on recent immigration policy changes and continuing challenges. We then brainstormed ideas for future educational and action steps, including several volunteer opportunities. For anyone who missed this presentation, you can watch it here.

Dane Sanctuary Coalition meeting: If you’d like to be more involved with immigration issues, please join us for the next meeting of the Dane Sanctuary Coalition (DSC). DSC is holding a coalition-wide meeting on Sunday, March 13, 6:30 to 8:00 pm via Zoom. We will hear from a panel of our immigration partners with updates about their work for immigrant justice, opportunities for volunteering, and ideas for action. Congregations will have the opportunity to share their immigrant justice work as well as hear from the DSC Steering Committee about upcoming projects. Click here to RSVP.

At Social Action Shabbat, Learn How Dane County Is Taking Action on Climate Change

03/01/2022 02:36:46 PM

Mar1

This year, our Social Action Shabbat will focus on climate action. We'll hear from Dane County Executive Joe Parisi about how climate change is impacting Dane County and what Dane County is doing to increase climate resilience and reduce countywide emissions. Dane County has been recognized as one of the top local governments in the world for its environmental transparency and action.

County Executive Parisi will summarize efforts within county government operations as well as communitywide initiatives that create opportunities for businesses, nonprofits, local governments, and households to take action. You can read more about Mr. Parisi here.
In addition to the Shabbat service with Parisi’s remarks, our Environment and Climate Change Action Team invites you to:
• Enter the drawing for everyday items that can help you lead a more sustainable life:

Prize 1: Mesh produce bags: Lucky you! You can stop using plastic bags in the produce section at the grocery store if you win this door prize—a pack of see-through mesh produce bags in three different sizes that you can use at the grocery store or at one of Madison's summer farmer's markets. (Donated by Betsy Abramson.)
Prize 2: Sustainable, reusable bundle (two available): This bundle comes in a reusable tote bag that can be taken to the grocery store or any other store to replace a plastic or paper bag. It includes one roll of Reel bamboo toilet paper, one metal straw, one Swedish dishcloth, and one package of four mesh produce bags. (Donated by Liz Whitesel; most items sourced locally from Orange Tree Imports.)
Prize 3: “One: Pot, Pan, Planet” cookbook by Anna Jones: This book offers easy, creative, and delicious vegetarian recipes and includes informative sections on how to reduce food waste, eat sustainably, and save energy.
Drawing entries are now being accepted. Enter and find full details for the drawing here.

• Come in person to explore the Eco-Fair between 7:00 and 7:30 pm before the service. The Eco-Fair will showcase products and ideas that can help all of us reduce our adverse impacts on the earth and live more sustainably. We hope you will join us!
• Look for our online Eco-Portal, coming soon, with information and action you can take in your daily life to help our planet. We hope you'll take on one or more of these actions and make them a part of your regular behaviors, and revisit the portal when you’re ready to incorporate another action.
We look forward to ushering in Shabbat together in person or online. To view this event on livestream, go to this link on YouTube.
Sponsored by the Environment and Climate Change Action Team, part of the Social Action Committee. To join the Environment and Climate Change Action Team or learn more, contact Marta Karlov or Aleeza Hoffert, or join our monthly meeting on the fourth Wednesday of the month.

Celebrating our Member Milestones: Karen and Harry Roth

02/28/2022 10:42:48 AM

Feb28

Member Milestones is an initiative at Temple Beth El to spotlight our longtime members, who have provided a strong foundation for our community.

Check out other Member Milestones stories here.

Meet Longtime Members Karen and Harry Roth

Interviewed by Sue Center
Written by Samantha Gorelik and Karen Roth

Karen and Harry Roth arrived in Madison in 1965 to begin Harry’s residency in ophthalmology at the University of Wisconsin.

They had just returned from spending two years in Japan at Yokota Air Base, where Harry was a flight surgeon and Karen was a teacher. In 1964 Harry was sent on temporary duty to Bien Hoa Air Base, Vietnam, where he was awarded the Bronze Star.

In 1965 the couple joined TBE. They note that Rabbi Manfred Swarsensky’s outstanding sermons played a large role in their desire to join. The couple fell in love with the Temple, its vibrant community, and the beautiful stained-glass windows.

Karen remembers sitting next to the rabbi’s wife, Ida, at a Sisterhood luncheon years ago, when Ida told her the story of how she and the rabbi fell in love. Ida’s parents had sent her to Madison from her home in Chicago to attend summer school at the University of Wisconsin. Soon after arriving in Madison, she was injured in an auto accident and was admitted to University Hospital. Rabbi Swarsensky visited her on his hospital rounds, and they became friends. After she was discharged, they started to date—and the rest is history!

The Roths had two daughters, Sara and Julie, who became active members of the Madison Jewish community. Both attended Religious School at TBE from kindergarten through Midrasha, and Karen and Harry believe the foundation they received at TBE led them to become leaders within their own communities in adulthood. Sara, who sadly passed away five years ago, spent a semester at Tel Aviv University while she attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison and then received a law degree from DePaul University in Chicago. She later became involved with San Francisco’s Jewish community. She sent her children to Jewish schools, was an active member of her Temple, and successfully passed on Jewish values and traditions to her family. Julie attended the University of Michigan, went on to get an MBA at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, and is now the co-founder and CEO of the website PartySlate. She became very active in the Chicago Jewish Federation and led several trips to Israel. The Roths have six grandchildren, and all have had a bar or bat mitzvah.

Photo: Karen and Harry Roth with the Tree of Life sculpture

The Roths have many memories of special events and lasting friendships during their 57 years at TBE. They especially remember their close connection to Rabbi Kenneth and Helen Roseman and their children, Allison and Michael. Helen was Harry’s cousin, and the two families celebrated many Jewish holidays and birthdays together. When Harry’s father, Louis Roth, was very ill, the Rosemans brought an entire Passover dinner to the hospital waiting room to support the family.

As chair of the Temple Art Committee, Karen helped implement the Tree of Life sculpture that hangs in the Swarsensky Social Hall. She enlisted the help of local architect Don Richards, who suggested installing wood panels to continue the design of the sanctuary walls. Finding the best art for the empty space on the huge wall was challenging. At Lottie Frank’s suggestion, the committee contacted Madison artist Sylvia Beckman, and everyone was delighted with her ideas. Thanks to a generous gift from Sylvia and Henry Naiman in 2010, the tree was created in a Milwaukee studio. Karen remembers visiting the studio with Executive Director Heidi Lauhon, Rona Malofsky, and other committee members, and she even had the chance to paint some of the giant leaves that adorn the Tree of Life.

Photo: Karen Roth painting the Tree of Life sculpture in Milwaukee

Another project that Karen worked on with the Art Committee was the Holocaust memorial in memory of Ruth Frank’s parents, Martin and Eva Deutschkron, who survived World War II in Berlin while working as a tailor and a seamstress. They had some frightening escape stories, but they managed to survive and eventually came to Madison. A cabinet was constructed to house materials at TBE related to the Holocaust. Above it hangs a photograph of the Berlin Holocaust Memorial. Emerging from the dark slabs of the memorial is a boy wearing a bright red hat symbolizing the horrors of the past and hope for the future. Karen discovered the photo in a magazine and contacted the prize-winning photographer, Andrzej Bochenski, in Poland. He donated the image, titled “RIP,” at no cost to Temple Beth El when he was told how it would be used.

Outside of Temple Beth El, the Roths are involved in the Jewish community as supporters of Chabad, UW Hillel, Jewish studies programs at UW, the Jewish Federation of Madison, and the Beit Olamim cemetery. Beyond their Jewish community involvement, the Roths have many interests, including a passion for art and antiques. Harry is a member of the University of Wisconsin Chazen Museum of Art Council. He is also on the advisory board of the University of Wisconsin McPherson Eye Research Institute. Karen is a lifelong educator who is inspired by children. She loved teaching TBE Religious School with Bettine Lipman. She was a reading specialist in the Madison schools for 35 years, working with teachers and students to strengthen reading programs and implement best practices in reading for all students.

Karen and Harry now spend the winters in Marin County, California, helping with the care of their grandchildren. While in California they have stayed connected to the TBE community from afar. Through livestreamed and virtual events, they have been able to participate in countless Zoom services and musical programs. The Roths appreciate how well Rabbi Jonathan Biatch and Cantor Jacob Niemi have kept our community together with technology and creative programming.

This email series highlights members of 54 or more years who have been vital to building, growing, and sustaining the congregation. We thank the team of volunteers who have helped recognize these members by conducting interviews, writing their stories, proofreading, and more.

A video of our Membership Shabbat Reception, held on Friday, February 25, 2022, can be found here. You can find a link to the Milestone Members book featuring these stories on our Members Only page. (You must be logged in to view.)

May we continue to go from strength to strength!

Click the Donate button below to make a donation in honor of our Milestone Members. Select Member Milestone Honors for the donation type.

DONATE

Temple Beth El
2702 Arbor Drive
Madison, WI 53711

Celebrating our Member Milestones: Robert Pasch

02/28/2022 10:42:19 AM

Feb28

Meet Longtime Member Robert Pasch

Interviewed by Sue Center
Written by Staci Rieder

Bob Pasch joined Temple Beth El in 1946, when he was born to Maurice (Maury) and Janet Pasch, who were already embedded in our community. Maury served as Temple president from 1959 to 1961.

Maury and Janet met while both were students at UW–Madison, then spent time in Washington, DC, and subsequently returned to Madison. They lived next door to Janet’s sister, TBE member Edith Sinaiko, for many years. Bob attended Nakoma Elementary School, Cherokee Heights Junior High, and West High School, graduating in 1964. He grew up with two sisters, Ellen and Suzy. Ellen lives in California and has two daughters, and Suzy lives in New York and has a son.

Rabbi Manfred Swarsensky helped Bob prepare for his bar mitzvah. They would meet on Tuesdays leading up to the ceremony. He recalls with humor one session, when the rabbi wasn’t in the library at the designated meeting time. Bob went to look for him, and as he approached the kitchen, he heard a coffee cup shatter on the floor, followed by a curse word in English. Bob notes that Rabbi Swarsensky could curse in German, as well.

Bob recognizes that even though he rebelled against Religious School in his early years, his Temple Beth El experiences have shaped him. He admits that on at least one occasion, he entered the Temple for Sunday School, only to exit through the Knickerbocker doors seconds later to spend his time at the nearby Piggly Wiggly grocery store or Rennebohm’s pharmacy. He even remembers being caught there by Is Fine, who was the Religious School director at the time. Bob says Is reminded him of his transgression multiple times thereafter! Bob was close with the other eight students in the confirmation class, and there he forged a lifelong connection with Rick Sweet (son of Shirley Sweet, who worked in the Temple office for many years).

Bob left Madison in 1964 to attend Tulane University. He met Ina there, and they married in Dallas in 1968. They returned to Madison, and Bob spent six months in the Army Reserve before beginning law school. Bob and Ina raised two children, David and Andee. David lives in Chandler, Arizona, working as a sports broadcaster for ESPN and ABC. He is the voice of the Arizona Cardinals. He has raised three kids: Lexi, Zuzu, and Zeke. Andee is a senior vice president at Northern Trust Company in Chicago. She has a 21-year-old daughter, Sophie, and a son, Diego, who was born just days apart from his cousin Zeke.

Photo: Bob Pasch with granddaughter Sophie and daughter Andee

As young adults, Bob and Ina were part of the Young Married Couples group. He remembers monthly bridge games where they met other Temple members who became their friends. He joined the TBE Board of Trustees, participating on a committee reviewing membership contributions. He was the president of the board when Rabbi Kenneth Roseman officiated at David’s bar mitzvah. As board president from 1984 to 1986, he was involved with the 1985 rabbi search committee, chaired by Marj Tobias, which resulted in the hiring of Rabbi Jan Brahms.

Photo: Ina and Bob Pasch, co-chairs of TBE's 25th anniversary gala

When Bob spoke from the bimah as president, he recalls using the Goodman brothers (Madison philanthropists Robert and Irwin Goodman) as his focal point among the congregation, as he had first done years before at his bar mitzvah ceremony. They were large men, and they were a very comforting presence. He thinks of Marj Tobias, Mel and Pat Weinswig, and Sandy Dutch as leaders during that time. They had all served as recent presidents, and he strove to emulate their levels of commitment and service when it was his turn to lead.

Bob also served the larger Madison Jewish community. He joined committees of the Madison Jewish Community Council (MJCC, now the Jewish Federation of Madison) and became a trustee on the MJCC board.

Bob and Ina divorced in 1989. In 1991, fellow Temple members Ann Dee Brahms and Diane Krasnick each introduced Bob to fellow TBE member Janelle Blaustein. Rabbi Jan Brahms married Bob and Janelle in 1992. Janelle is a member of TBE Sisterhood, and she participates in Food-A-Rama. She has four children, the oldest of whom had already moved out when they married; Mindy is a retired Madison firefighter/paramedic. The younger three attended Temple Beth El’s Religious School while Larry Kohn was the education director. Michael now lives in El Salvador with his two daughters, Valentina and Eliza. Jesse and Sandra are still in the Madison area. Jesse paints houses, and he has a son named Jonah. Sandra is an assistant vice president at One Community Bank in Waunakee, and she is mother to Lily and Mackenzie.

Bob has fond memories of playing basketball in the social hall with Stan Mintz, Bill Spitz, Mark Krasno, Jack Novick, and Joel Kupferberg, among others. He emphasizes that Andee’s bat mitzvah is also a precious and proud memory. Bob chaperoned a school sleepover once, and one of the students, Andy Schwarz (son of longtime Temple members David and Shelly Schwarz) woke up stuck to the carpeting—by his braces!

Bob has been an attorney for 50 years, the last 37 with Murphy Desmond S.C. He practices with fellow Milestone Members Harvey Wendel and Chuck Center, as well as TBE members Daniel Lipman and Howard Goldberg.

Photo: Bob Pasch with grandson Diego and granddaughter Sophie

Bob has seen our Temple community grow in size from about 450 families in 1985, while he was serving as president, to a peak of over 700 families a short time later. Bob sees lots of new faces at Temple. He recognizes that families’ needs have grown, and he feels Temple Beth El has been accommodating, responding with improved programming and forward thinking.

He remembers Rabbi Swarsensky as “the most respected man in all of Madison.” He also states that “Rabbis Roseman and Brahms were wonderful rabbis, and each strengthened the congregation. It was a great pleasure to learn from them.” Now he appreciates Rabbi Jonathan Biatch and recognizes him as a wonderful storyteller.

Bob encourages current families to take advantage of our welcoming community.

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Temple Beth El
2702 Arbor Drive
Madison, WI 53711

Celebrating our Member Milestones: Judy Schreiber

02/28/2022 10:40:48 AM

Feb28

Meet Longtime Member Judy Schreiber

Interviewed by Sue Center
Written by Aleeza Hoffert

Judy Schreiber was born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut, where she was brought up at Temple Mishkan Israel, a Reform congregation.

After she received an undergraduate degree in teaching and a master’s degree in guidance and counseling, Judy taught third and fourth grade in Connecticut. She married Peter Schreiber in 1966. The couple moved to Brooklyn Heights, New York, where Peter worked on his dissertation and Judy was a guidance counselor for children with emotional disturbance in the Navy Yard. After getting beaten up a few times, Judy switched to a school in Bedford-Stuyvesant, where she caught whooping cough. Her final teaching job in New York was at the Brooklyn Ethical Culture School. Peter finished his dissertation and received eight job offers. Seven were on the East Coast, but the eighth was for a position in Madison. Peter fell in love with Madison and chose to take the job at the University of Wisconsin. In those days, the wife followed her husband, so even though Judy would have liked to stay closer to friends and family, the Schreibers relocated to Madison.

After 25 years of life on the East Coast, the move to Madison in 1968 was difficult for Judy. She perceived hesitancy among the local community toward developing close friendships with new professors and their families, when career changes might result in them moving away for another position. The transition was made easier when Judy and Peter became involved in the Young Couples Group soon after joining TBE. This group opened the door for them to meet a lot of people, form friendships, and have fun!

She remembers the Temple as warm and welcoming and very inclusive. From the very start of her membership, Judy was a part of Food-A-Rama. She was told that she could serve hot dogs on the line for only one year because it was a very coveted job. Judy ended up serving hot dogs every year through 2019 (the most recent in-person Food-A-Rama), and she loved every minute of it!

Judy recently found an old invitation to a Young Couples party, a Chinese food dinner. Susan Cohen (now Susan Lipp) and Ina Smolker were the cooks, but the party was such a hit that there was not enough food. Judy, Susan, and Ina had a good laugh recently, seeing the invitation and remembering how they had to send their husbands out to buy Chinese food from a restaurant during the party because they had not made enough.

Chinese food plays a prominent part in Judy’s memories. Rabbi Kenneth Roseman was around Judy’s age, and he thought it would be fun to have six people or so host cocktail parties in their homes, after which the groups would meet at the Grand Pagoda Chinese restaurant for dinner. Judy helped orchestrate this event and volunteered to host a party. Peter and Judy made whiskey sour cocktails, and when they got to the restaurant, every person from their group was a little noisy and out of control, and it became quite obvious to the rest of the group that anyone who had been at Peter and Judy’s before dinner was having an especially good time. Judy reflects that the Temple did so many things for the “young and medium-young couples,” and it made the place a very welcoming institution.

Photo: Judy Schreiber with her daughters, Beth Schreiber and Margaret Schreiber, and granddaughters, Ava Khan, Jessica Kahn, and Julia Sitz

Judy’s daughters, Margaret and Elizabeth (Beth), were born in Madison and grew up at Temple Beth El. Beth’s bat mitzvah in October 1985 was the last event that Rabbi Roseman officiated at TBE. Margaret’s confirmation class was during Rabbi Jan Brahms’s first year at TBE. Rabbi Brahms married both Beth and Margaret. Beth and her husband, Russell Kahn, moved back to Madison from New York after their daughters, Ava and Jessica, were born. Judy knows how fortunate she is that the Schreiber-Kahn family is local. They are also members of TBE. Margaret and her husband (Dave Sitz) and daughter (Julia) live in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Photo: Judy Schreiber (center) with her daughters, Margaret Schreiber (left) and Beth Schreiber

When Margaret was three and Beth a baby, Judy told Margaret’s teacher at Gan HaYeled that she would like to bring Margaret’s new little sister as “show and tell.” When she asked about a good time to come, Judy saw that the lesson plan book was empty. This observation prompted Judy to get involved in revamping Gan HaYeled. (Little did Judy know that she would have two granddaughters attend Gan HaYeled some 30 years later!) Judy is proud of all the wonderful people who kept making the school better.

Judy’s strong background in education propelled her to get involved in the education program at TBE. Around 1978, Judy served on a committee to hire a new Temple educator to work closely with Rabbi Roseman. Judy recognized Larry Kohn’s strong skills in education and advocated to bring him into the role. Larry became our beloved Temple educator and stayed in that role for 35 years. Judy thinks fondly of Larry and the wonderful work he did with the school, the Shabbatons, and all of his contributions. Larry, a true mensch, continues to be special to Judy’s family and has been there for them through happy and sad situations.

Judy started her own company called RSVP Invitations and Stationery. She thrived as an event planner and seller of invitations, stationery, and gifts. Working in this field for 45 years, Judy helped with numerous b’nai mitzvah, weddings, and other celebrations. She also volunteered her time and expertise for many fundraisers, including the Sisterhood Centennial at the Marriott, the celebration of Rabbi Brahms’s 25th anniversary in the rabbinate, a brunch honoring Marj Tobias, the TBE 75th anniversary festivities, and Rabbi Jonathan Biatch’s “bar mitzvah” celebration marking 13 years at TBE. Judy always took pleasure in helping, saying, “It was done with great happiness.”

Judy has had the pleasure of getting to know all the Temple Beth El rabbis over the years, and she also has appreciated the help from TBE staff, who were always supportive and kind.

Coming from the East Coast, where 60 of her best friends were Jewish, to a community where the Jewish population was only about 3,000 was a culture shock for Judy. This inspired her to work hard to make the community more inclusive. She got involved in the Madison Jewish Community Council (MJCC), now the Jewish Federation of Madison (JFM). She was in the second cohort of the Young Leadership Group, which started a Welcome Wagon, later renamed Shalom Madison, welcoming new Jewish arrivals to Madison. Using a mimeograph machine, they made recipe boxes and lists of Jewish resources for the newcomers, helping them create a Jewish life in a new setting. Judy later joined the JFM leadership. She served as president and was campaign chair three times. She also served on the National United Jewish Appeal Young Women’s Board. From 1983 to 1984, Judy took on the MJCC interim executive director job while the community searched for someone to fill the position.

During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Hadassah was allowed to collect funds for Israel. Judy teamed up with Karen Venezky to organize an “Auction for Israel.” They raised $10,000, and with the leftover donated items they opened a consignment store in 1974, thinking the store might be open about three months, Collector’s Corner is still open and run by Hadassah volunteers.

Photo: Judy Schreiber, back row second from left, at TBE's 75th anniversary gala

Judy reflects on her involvement with the community-wide Hava Nagila Picnic. In 1980 Judy was president of the Women’s Service Organization, which brought together all the Jewish women’s organizations in Madison: ORT, Hadassah, the Temple Beth El and Beth Israel Center Sisterhoods, B’nai B’rith Women, and others. The first Jewish community picnic, organized by Judy and Tina Krasno, was held at Rennebohm Park in summer 1980. A contest was held to come up with the best name for the picnic, and only two people submitted a name—Vicki Stewart and Susan Pittelman. Both happened to choose the same name: Hava Nagila Picnic! To this day there is still a Hava Nagila Picnic organized by JFM.

Judy is happy that she worked so hard to bring shared experiences and build community for the Madison Jewish community. She feels that her children and grandchildren (and many others) have benefited, and now it is time to pass the torch. She hopes all TBE members will heed her call to be involved locally and to support Israel.

In the meantime, Judy wants everyone to know that with 45 years of experience under her belt, she is happy to volunteer her time to assist Temple Beth El members who are planning life-cycle events during the pandemic. She isn’t ready to give up community work quite yet!

Click the Donate button below to make a donation in honor of our Milestone Members. Select Member Milestone Honors for the donation type.

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Temple Beth El
2702 Arbor Drive
Madison, WI 53711

Celebrating our Member Milestones: Shelly Dutch

02/28/2022 10:38:48 AM

Feb28

Meet Longtime Member Shelly Dutch

Interviewed by Susan Ottmann
Written by Aleeza Hoffert

Photo: Shelly Dutch with her kids, Alex and Carly Dutch-Greene

Shelly’s Dutch involvement at Temple Beth El and in the Jewish community is deeply connected to her mother, Sandy Dutch.

Sandy was a “legend in herself,” with a strong presence at Temple. Sandy was one of the creators of Food-A-Rama. She was also a pioneer in the Reform movement and pushed for women to have equal rights. In particular, Shelly recalls her mother advocating against the prayer book’s use of “he” all the time. “She was just a really progressive thinker. I think she kept us all involved, whether we liked it or not,” Shelly said. She was always proud of her mother, who was her best friend until her death at age 67.

Photo: Sandy Dutch

Sandy and Sherman Dutch had three kids: Shelly, Greg, and David. All three have confirmation photos on the wall at Temple. Shelly’s brothers also became bar mitzvah with Rabbi Manfred Swarsensky; a bat mitzvah was not an option at the time. Shelly can still read the Hebrew that she learned in Sunday School, but her comprehension is not so great! Shelly remembers sitting through sermons and asking to go to the bathroom, and then running to get doughnuts at the grocery store with her brothers.

The Dutch kids all went to Camp Shalom. Later, Shelly taught kindergarten at TBE and worked at Gan HaYeled preschool.

For 10 years, Shelly lived in a variety of places—California, Oregon, Kentucky, and Illinois—before returning to Madison to be near her parents and get her life together.

Shelly has two children, Alex and Carly Dutch-Greene, and a wonderful husband, Chuck Callender. Like Shelly, her children attended Camp Shalom, and they attended Camp Interlaken as well. Both children became b’nai mitzvah at TBE. Carly is the senior visual designer at Sounds True in Denver and is currently in a remote-year program, living, working, and traveling in Europe and South Africa. Alex lives in Minneapolis, has a master’s in organizational health, and is currently working remotely from San Diego with his mom and Chuck.

Photo: Shelly Dutch and Carly Dutch-Greene at Carly's bat mitzvah

One bittersweet memory for Shelly is her son Alex’s bar mitzvah. She and her mother had spent years planning for it, as he was the first grandchild. Guests from all over the country were invited, and it was a very special time. Just before the big event, her mother wound up in the hospital. Two Temple members who were doctors, Jim Sosman and Jim Stein, went to see if they could help get her to the bar mitzvah. Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible. Shelly was devastated and couldn’t imagine having the bar mitzvah without her mom there. Alex, who was just 13, looked into her eyes and said, “Mom, Grandy would want us to go on and do a great job and make our family and friends proud.” He helped Shelly in that moment to step up and realize what was important. With the support of some of their friends at Temple and Rabbi Jan Brahms, they got through the bar mitzvah, a beautiful Havdalah service. Larry Kohn, as both Temple educator and friend, was also a pivotal part of their family’s life.

Photo: Alex Dutch-Greene at the bimah during his bar mitzvah with Rabbi Brahms

Shelly was more involved in Sisterhood when her mom was alive; she enjoyed socializing and enticing people with the dessert cart for Food-A-Rama for many years.

Along with her mother’s influence, the friendships with other couples that developed when her kids were growing up have kept her connected to the Jewish community. She is still close with some of them, including Cari and Steve DiTullio, Jim and Missy Sosman, and Rozan and Brian Anderson, along with her brother Greg Dutch and Sandy Estep.

Shelly is an avid cyclist and participated in a cycling fundraiser with the Madison Jewish Community Council (MJCC, now the Jewish Federation of Madison). Nine years ago Shelly and her husband, Chuck Callender, went on a group bicycling trip through Israel. Seeing the Red Sea, the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee, and much more on this trip was one of the greatest experiences of her life.

As a person in long-term recovery from alcohol and drugs, Shelly became a therapist and started her clinic, Connections Counseling, in 2003. With over 40 staff, they work with all ages doing outpatient mental health and substance use disorder treatment. She was the director of the clinic until 2021. Now, she is trying to decrease her responsibilities and enjoy slowing down on the work front.

Shelly also started Horizon High School, an alternative high school for adolescents in recovery, and she is the founder of the Recovery Foundation, a nonprofit with a volunteer board that raises money for scholarships for those who cannot afford treatment. In partnership with MJCC, she was active in starting the Jewish Alcoholics, Chemically Dependent Persons and Significant Others (JACS) group.

Shelly emphasizes that it’s a myth that Jewish people don’t suffer from these issues. She works to counteract shame about substance use disorders and tries to be very open about her recovery, as it takes a village. Shelly is very proud of this work, both personally and professionally. She strives to be available to people who need support in the Jewish community.

Acceptance, equity, and diversity are areas where she has seen changes over the years. She mentions how TBE is really trying to welcome all people into the synagogue and help them feel part of a community.

Shelly feels it’s extremely important to carry on Jewish traditions and support our Jewish culture. She recognizes that young people are doing more of their own things these days, and she hopes we can all “be the change and live in the solution and not the problem to keep the traditions of our Jewish culture strong.”

“The beautiful thing about Madison is it’s not that large of a community, and when you grow up here, you really get to know the Jewish community,” Shelly says. She feels so fortunate that almost anywhere she goes, she runs into people that she knows or who knew her mother or father or know her brother Greg, who works as a lawyer in Madison and is involved in the community.

It warms Shelly’s heart and gives her such joy to have such long-term connections with people in our community.

Click the Donate button below to make a donation in honor of our Milestone Members. Select Member Milestone Honors for the donation type.

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Temple Beth El
2702 Arbor Drive
Madison, WI 53711

Celebrating our Member Milestones: Freda and Jim Blair

02/28/2022 10:36:34 AM

Feb28

Meet Longtime Members Freda and Jim Blair

Interviewed by Susan Ottmann
Written by Aleeza Hoffert

Before meeting her husband James (Jim) Blair in Madison, Wisconsin, Freda Vodovosoff witnessed history in the making.

She was born February 2, 1938, in Tel Aviv, during the British Mandate. Her grandmother, Fayga Levinson, was from Russia and had ten children, seven boys and three girls. Freda’s mother, Sylvia, was the second youngest of the girls. The youngest girl, Freda, died from tuberculosis. Freda Vodovosoff Blair is named for her.

When Fayga left Russia, she took her family to St. Louis, Missouri, always hopeful that there would be a Jewish state. Fayga heard Golda Meir speak in Milwaukee to recruit American support for the formation of a Jewish state in British Palestine. This reinforced her desire to go to Palestine and work for the establishment of a Jewish state. Fayga left her seven oldest children in Missouri with her husband, and took the three youngest, including Sylvia, to Palestine.

Freda’s father, Leon, had escaped from the Bolsheviks by fleeing across Russia to Vladivostok. From there he went to Paris and later to Tel Aviv, where he met and married Sylvia and they had Freda. The family lived in Palestine through World War II and the War of Independence in 1948. Despite being a child, Freda still remembers the War of Independence. Like her grandmother, she is a strong supporter and lover of Israel.

Photo: Freda Blair enjoying the sunset in Israel in 2009

After the war they took a ship to the U.S. via Egypt, but Leon had a fatal heart attack in Alexandria and was buried there. Sylvia didn’t know whether to return to Israel or to go on to America. She asked Freda, who answered that she wanted to go to America “to see the escalators.” So they went on to New York, and from there to St. Louis, where Freda graduated from Washington University with a teaching degree. The family joked that Sylvia always had one foot in Israel and one foot in St. Louis, and always talked about reuniting the family, which over the years has spread out all over America.

James (Jim) Blair was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, but his family moved quite a bit. He spent the summer of 1941 in Bermuda before ending up in Kansas City, Missouri, where he lived until he graduated from Rockhurst, a Jesuit college (now Rockhurst University).

Jim and Freda came to Madison from opposite ends of Missouri. Jim was a graduate student at UW–Madison, having received a National Science Foundation scholarship, and Freda was spending the summer here. The only thing Jim knew about Madison was that some UW professors had written a textbook on physical chemistry that he liked. Upon arriving, he quickly learned there was a big lake. He had never been on a sailboat, but he rushed to join the Hoofers sailing club and has been sailing ever since. He has taught sailing for the Hoofers for many years. Joe Silverberg, another Milestone Member, also taught sailing for the Hoofers.

Photo: Freda Blair leaning in to right the sailboat with Jim Blair steering

Freda and Jim met at the July 4 Hoofers picnic in 1958. He offered her a watermelon, the prize of a contest that hadn’t taken place yet. Fortunately he won, and was able to keep his word. They married on January 21, 1961. After Jim received his PhD in chemistry and Freda received her MS in library science from UW, they moved to New Jersey, where Jim worked for DuPont. After two years, they moved back to Madison, where he taught chemistry at Milton College near Janesville. They bought the house they still live in today, and joined Temple Beth El in 1966 during Rabbi Manfred Swarsensky’s time.

Freda met three couples at Temple who quickly became her closest friends: Barbara and Chuck Gordon, Lowell and Julie Lakritz, and Lois and Norton Stoler. Together they formed a gourmet club and got together monthly to prepare and enjoy an extravagant meal, often with a cultural theme. Julie was a Holocaust survivor who had escaped to the Dominican Republic, where she learned Spanish, which enabled her to teach Spanish when she came to the United States. They had a lot of fun together and formed a close bond.

Over the years the Blairs enjoyed seders at Temple, where they got to know other members. They loved the singing and dancing programs in particular, especially Israeli folk dancing and Israeli music. The Blairs enjoyed Sisterhood programs and speakers on current events as well as the Jewish Social Services Lechayim Lunch programs before the pandemic. Freda remembers having a lovely conversation at one lunch with the woman seated next to her. Late in the conversation Freda realized she was the mother of Robert Fassnacht, who had been killed in the Sterling Hall bombing and whose funeral Rabbi Swarsensky officiated.

Freda and Jim had two children: Leon, named after Freda’s father, and Cynthia (Cindy), named after Freda’s grandmother. Both children were named at TBE by Rabbi Swarsensky, attended Religious School, and were confirmed at Temple. Their photos appear in the gallery of confirmation class pictures, four years apart. Leon had his bar mitzvah at Temple; bat mitzvah was not a common practice at that time.

June 23, 1983 is forever etched into the Blairs’ minds. Their world flipped upside down that day when their son accidentally shot himself at age 21. Leon had been playing basketball with a friend at a park near the lake. It was a hot day, and the water fountain at the park was broken, so they rode their bikes to the friend’s girlfriend’s apartment nearby. The friend went into the kitchen to get the drinks. Leon walked into the living room, where the girlfriend had been packing up to leave. Leon spotted a purple Crown Royal whiskey bag. He picked up the bag, but it contained the girlfriend’s gun, not alcohol. Lacking adequate safety training, she had thought it was unloaded. It turned out to have one bullet left, and Leon accidentally shot himself. He died in the hospital shortly after. “It was horrible, horrible.”

This awful time brought the Blairs closer to Temple. Freda’s gourmet club friends came to comfort her, and Rabbi Kenneth Roseman was an amazing source of support. In Freda’s words, “Rabbi Roseman was just outstanding. He was so good, he lifted me up spiritually, and even physically.” Rabbi Roseman continued to play a role in their lives.

The Blairs will never forget the first Rosh Hashanah after Leon’s death, when Rabbi Roseman devoted his sermon to Leon. There was an empty chair on the bimah. When it came time for the sermon, Rabbi Roseman walked over to the chair and said, “This is the chair that would have been occupied by Leon Vodovosoff Blair, son of Freda and James Blair, and I want to tell you what happened to him because he died in an accident that could have been prevented.” Rabbi Roseman was trying to warn students and parents to prevent future accidental deaths by guns. The tears flowed down Freda’s cheeks. This moment continues to mean so much to the Blairs and strengthened the connection they always felt they had with Temple. Freda cherishes the memorial plaques that hang on the Temple wall for her parents and her son.

Years later, when Freda was in the hospital recovering from surgery, Cantor Deborah Martin and others from the Jewish community visited her. Jim and Freda feel blessed to have such a community around them that they can call on when needed, especially because their family isn’t nearby.

Photo: Jacki Friend, Lois Stoler (also a Milestone Member), and Freda and Jim Blair

The fact that Freda knew and spoke Hebrew and had a degree in library science came in handy when she was offered a job at the University of Wisconsin library. The library had bought a Hebrew typewriter, but no one knew how to use it. Freda said she could help out, as she could type and use the Hebrew alphabet. She loved her job in the catalog department on the third floor of the library and worked there for many years.

Jim taught at Milton College for 13 years, until it closed, then taught at Edgewood College for two years before working for a private company and finally for the State Laboratory of Hygiene until his retirement.

Freda and Jim feel we should all be proud Jews and raise our children to be proud Jews. They also feel that teaching our children about World War II and the 6 million Jews who died in the Shoah is very important. Antisemitism needs to be fought wherever it appears. Having a Jewish state and celebrating Jewish holidays is also important to them. They encourage everyone to visit Israel and experience the feeling of Judaism being all around you. “When stores are closed and flags fly on Jewish holidays and Shabbat, you know this is a Jewish state. It’s a special feeling.”

They encourage you to support Israel not just with your dollars, but by raising proud Jews who know Israel is there for them.

Click the Donate button below to make a donation in honor of our Milestone Members. Select Member Milestone Honors for the donation type.

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Temple Beth El
2702 Arbor Drive
Madison, WI 53711

Celebrating our Member Milestones: Howard and Sandra Goldberg

02/28/2022 10:34:04 AM

Feb28

Meet Longtime Member Howard Goldberg

Interviewed by Susan Ottmann
Written by Aleeza Hoffert

Howard Goldberg was born in 1937, two years before Temple was founded by his parents and others on November 20, 1939.

Howard has remained a TBE member his whole life, even when he has moved elsewhere for school or, as in recent years, when he has split his time between Madison and Sarasota, Florida.

He treasures the friendships he made within the Jewish community through grade school, high school, the AZA youth group, and a bowling league that was popular at the time. The Madison Jewish community was small, which he views as a plus: “In addition to all the good things I had going for me in Madison, I had the Jewish community, the people and events.” He does not remember experiencing antisemitism in Madison and never felt that being Jewish was viewed negatively here.

Howard’s mother, Beatrice (Babs), was born in Omaha, Nebraska. His father, Mark Goldberg, immigrated to the U.S. from Russia and found his way to Madison to join relatives here. Mark attended the University of Wisconsin and met Babs through his roommate, who was engaged to Babs’s sister. They ended up having a double wedding.

As a young child, Howard went to Sunday School all over Madison, wherever space was available, because the new congregation didn’t have its own building. In those days, Rabbi Manfred Swarsensky taught all the classes. Howard’s mind was often elsewhere, and he recalls being a poor student. He never learned to speak or read Hebrew, though it was not Rabbi Swarsensky’s fault. He had special tutoring sessions at Rabbi Swarsensky’s apartment, where he would see the rabbi’s mother, who lived with the rabbi. She was the shortest lady he’d ever seen, and he doesn’t remember her name; she was always called “Mother Swarsensky.” He recalls that she was a wonderful lady.

Sam Stein, who owned the Quality Service Laundry company on Regent Street, led the charge to construct a Temple building and was instrumental in overseeing the arrangements. After schlepping all over the city to attend Temple events and programs, Howard really enjoyed the experience of gathering at the new building, starting in the fall of 1950. Howard remembers the dedication of the building fondly, as he was involved in recording it on a Magnecord reel-to-reel tape recorder. “It was quite an experience, which I’ll never forget.” Howard notes there have been a lot of physical changes to Temple since the building was constructed. The area at the back of the sanctuary used to include a stage, and that was the bimah. The building has grown significantly over time.

Howard’s confirmation class photo hanging in the Temple hallway includes these friends: Toby Heilprin and her cousin Larry Heilprin, Gail Chechik, Nancy Wagner, Penny Haines, and David Boner. David Boner moved to San Diego in the early 1950s, and they’ve always stayed in touch, including a phone call one week before this interview. Through AZA youth group activities, Howard got to know the Beth Israel Center kids as well.

After graduating high school, he went to Pomona College in California. He was in ROTC in college, and after graduating with a BA in economics he went into the army, commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant. He served as a platoon leader in the Transportation Corps at Fort Eustis, Virginia. After his active duty, he went to the University of Wisconsin to study marketing, but then he began selling life insurance and never completed that degree. Instead, he decided to learn more about the tax laws around life insurance. He received a law degree from UW and eventually joined the Madison law firm of Murphy Desmond S.C., which he is still with after all these years.

One of the best things that happened to Howard was when he started dating a girl at UW after returning from his active duty in the army. They attended High Holy Day services at TBE early in their relationship. In one of his sermons, Rabbi Swarsensky mentioned a gentleman in Eau Claire, who turned out to be his date’s uncle. In 1961, Sandra (Sandy) and Howard were married in Wausau, where Sandy had moved in high school after growing up mainly in Appleton. They’ve been married for over 60 years.

Photo: Howard Goldberg, Phyllis Lefcowitz, and Jerry and Vicki Stewart at TBE's 75th anniversary gala

Howard served on the TBE Board of Trustees when Rabbi Swarsensky retired and Rabbi Kenneth Roseman was hired, as well as on the board of the Madison Jewish Community Council (now the Jewish Federation of Madison). Howard and Sandy were involved in creating and setting up Gan HaYeled preschool. Judy Ladinsky and Francie Saposnik were also part of this effort. During its first few years the school was held in Neighborhood House. It then moved to Beth Israel Center, to Temple Beth El, and finally to its current home at the Jewish Federation building. Sandy and Howard’s three children all attended.

Howard enjoyed traveling to Spain with Rabbi Jan Brahms on an Ayelet Tours trip right after the 9/11 attacks. Many who had signed up to go decided to cancel. The remaining travelers joined a group from Rochester, New York. They learned a lot about Jewish history in Spain, much of which was not pleasant. “The Jewish cemeteries were destroyed and the headstones were used to pave the roads,” Howard notes. “The government, at the time that we were there, was trying to encourage Jewish tourism.” They went to Barcelona and visited other Jewish communities in that area, as well as Madrid, Toledo, Seville, and Granada.

Music is a big part of Howard’s life, and he appreciates that music is an area that has changed a lot at Temple. He is impressed with the musical development at TBE. “It’s become excellent!” he says.

Howard makes it a point to be at Temple Beth El every summer for his mother’s yahrzeit as well as to attend High Holy Day services at TBE.

Howard and Sandy’s three kids—Julie White, Mark Goldberg, and Deborah Leonard—all grew up at Temple, and his two daughters and their families still reside in Madison, while his son lives in Florida with his wife. His grandsons attended Sunday School at Temple Beth El. He was overjoyed to welcome his great-granddaughter, Sloan Ashe Montgomery, into the family in October 2021.

Photo: Howard Goldberg and family. Front row: Gretchen Montgomery, Deborah Leonard, Sandy Goldberg, Julie White. Back row: Devon Montgomery, Joe Leonard, Howard Goldberg, Josh Eastmead.

Being active in the Jewish community continues to be important to Howard, and he encourages others to be involved as well, noting that it’s “a great way to meet people when you move into a new community.”

Howard and Sandy have made many new friendships through the congregation they are involved with in Sarasota, Florida. Howard is currently serving as the Volunteer Committee coordinator there, and is also on their Bulletin Committee and Membership Committee. He was the chair of their Endowment Fund for seven years as well. As the Volunteer Committee coordinator, his primary task is to get new members involved in a committee or group as quickly as possible to begin building friendships and having a stake in the congregation. “If you participate in a committee, you’re going to participate in your Temple and you will meet friends.”

Howard has enjoyed many social gatherings at people’s homes over the years, and he encourages everyone to make connections and get involved.

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Temple Beth El
2702 Arbor Drive
Madison, WI 53711

Celebrating our Member Milestones: Marjorie Tobias and Amy Fields

02/24/2022 10:01:01 AM

Feb24

Meet Longtime Members Marjorie Tobias and Amy Fields

Interviewed by Sue Center
Written by Harvey Wendel and Aleeza Hoffert

Photo: Amy Fields and Marj Tobias at the 2018 Sisterhood kallah

Marjorie Tobias has made the most of her almost 93 years of life, most of which has been spent in Madison and involved with Temple Beth El.

Marj was born in Chicago, Illinois, and graduated high school in 1946. She was confirmed at Temple Isaiah Israel in Chicago, where her confirmation picture is still on the wall. She joined Temple Beth El when she married Harry Tobias at age 20 in 1949. Harry’s parents, Vivian and Joseph Tobias, were founding members of TBE. Marj graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1950, living up to her end of a deal she made with her father: that she would finish college if she could marry at age 20.

Harry and Marj’s four daughters—Lynn, Cathy, and Judy Tobias and Amy Fields—were all confirmed at Temple Beth El. Harry was president when Lynn was confirmed; Marj was president when Amy was confirmed. Harry was part of the first confirmation class (whose names, not photos, appear in a frame in the hallway). Amy was part of Rabbi Manfred Swarsensky’s final confirmation class. Harry’s sister Ilene, who predeceased him, was also confirmed at Temple. Harry passed away in 2017.

The family has a long history of Temple presidencies. Joe Tobias was president from 1951 to 1952, followed by Harry (1966–1968), Marj (1974–1976), and Amy (2010–2012). Marj was the first female president of Temple Beth El, and is proud to have paved the way for so many more.

Sisterhood presidency also runs in the family. Vivian, Marj, and Amy all were Sisterhood presidents. Amy served twice, the second time as co-president with Lottie Frank. Marj was also TBE’s first district president for Sisterhood and served on the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods board (now the Women of Reform Judaism North American Board of Directors).

Amy and Marty Fields were married by Rabbi Kenneth Roseman in 1983. Amy and Marj both have fond memories of Rabbis Swarsensky, Roseman, and Brahms, and have developed a close bond with Rabbi Jonathan Biatch. Amy remembers Rabbi Roseman, with his tall stature (especially compared to the much shorter Amy and Marty), leaning toward Marty and talking with him about taking good care of Amy, while they were signing their ketubah (marriage contract).

Photo: Marjorie and Harry Tobias with daughter Amy Fields at TBE's 75th anniversary gala

Marj and Harry’s close friends were all Temple families who had kids around the age of their daughters. This was both by choice and by necessity. During the years when their family was growing, Jews were still excluded from various clubs and organizations.

As active as Marj was with Temple (including chairing a rabbi search committee), she was just as active, or more, outside of Temple. A partial list of her activities includes PTA, Brownie and Girl Scout leader, volunteer driver for Shorewood Hills Ambulance, United Way cabinet, YWCA women of distinction, and the boards of Shorewood Bank and Valley Bank. She received the Madison Rotary Senior Award. And she got her pilot’s license! Today she is very involved with Capitol Lakes, where she resides.

Amy’s involvement in the Madison community is similar to her mom’s. She has been active with Gan HaYeled, Camp Shalom, PTO, Westmorland hockey, and Madison area lacrosse. Amy is currently on the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra board. In the ’90s, Amy and Marty bought Interstate Periodical Distributors from the family and transformed the business into Interstate Books4School.

Photo: Amy Fields, third from right, at the TBE 75th anniversary gala with (from left to right) Milestone Member Judy Schreiber, comedian Cory Kahaney (who provided the evening's entertainment), Heidi Lauhon (then executive director), Julie Swedarsky, and Lottie Frank

Marj remembers when the Temple community was small enough so that she knew everyone. Amy is proud to see how Temple has grown to increase its focus on inclusion and youth.

Amy and Marj agree that Temple should continue to make education a priority. Amy appreciates how TBE has modernized its education program, continuing to innovate and keep youth interested and connected by providing positive experiences with Temple. They both recognize that Jews in Madison feel less of a need to affiliate today, and that long-term connections are less common. Amy worries that, in 54 years, there might not be long-term members to interview for a project like this one. She sees this as a major change from the TBE where she grew up, and she sees the need to ensure that the community is vibrant decades into the future.

They both value the wide variety of meaningful programs at Temple and the options to participate in person or virtually. Their advice: don’t wait for someone to approach you; go introduce yourself. And don’t wait to be asked to volunteer; go volunteer.

Amy and Marj are forever grateful to the Temple Beth El community for the abundance of memories provided by worship experiences, life-cycle events, programs, and connections.

This weekly email series highlights members of 54 or more years who have been vital to building, growing, and sustaining the congregation. We thank the team of volunteers who have helped recognize these members by conducting interviews, writing their stories, proofreading, and more.

Please join us to celebrate all our members—new, longtime, and in between—at our Membership Shabbat Reception on Friday, February 25, where we will debut a special publication featuring these stories and more. You can find a link to the Milestone Members book on our Members Only page. (You must be logged in to view.)

May we continue to go from strength to strength!

Click the Donate button below to make a donation in honor of our Milestone Members. Select Member Milestone Honors for the donation type.

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Temple Beth El
2702 Arbor Drive
Madison, WI 53711

Celebrating our Member Milestones: Vicki and Jerry Stewart

02/21/2022 10:01:14 AM

Feb21

Meet Longtime Members Vicki and Jerry Stewart

Interviewed by Sue Center
Written by Aleeza Hoffert

Jerry and Vicki Stewart have a wealth of fond memories of their many years at Temple Beth El.

Jerry joined as a kid with his family in 1940, before there was a Temple building, when Temple members met at the First Congregational Church on the corner of Gorham Street and Wisconsin Avenue. Confirmation was held in the Woman’s Club Building on Gilman Street. He was in the Temple’s second confirmation class, the first one to have a class picture, which now hangs on the wall near the sanctuary. The TBE building was constructed while Jerry was in the army.

Vicki, who grew up in Milwaukee, became a member of TBE when she married Jerry in 1957. Their wedding took place at Temple Emanu-El in Milwaukee, which required that one of their own rabbis participate in the ceremony, so Rabbi Joseph Baron of Temple Emanu-El and Rabbi Manfred Swarsensky of TBE co-officiated their wedding. The two rabbis were friends and were both of German descent. Vicki likes to say they were “twice married” because two rabbis officiated.

Jerry and Vicki’s two daughters, Lisa and Tracy, grew up at Temple Beth El.

Photo: Lisa and Tracy Stewart

One of Jerry’s favorite memories from his early years at Temple is when Rabbi Swarsensky was gifted a car by the congregation. In Germany, before the Nazi reign, Jews of high esteem didn’t drive their own cars; they had someone drive them. So, when Rabbi Swarsensky was given the car, he didn’t know how to drive it. Temple members participated in teaching him to drive. Jerry, as a teenager with a license, was part of this group, and his tasks included driving with the rabbi to the veterans’ hospital in Tomah. They drove along old Highway 12 toward Baraboo. When they reached the long, narrow bridge that crosses the Wisconsin River, Rabbi Swarsensky didn’t want to drive across it. With some encouragement, Jerry finally convinced the rabbi to drive over the bridge. When they got to the other side, poor Rabbi Swarsensky was soaking wet from the effort and quite upset. So he relinquished the wheel, and Jerry drove from then on.

Photo: Vicki and Jerry Stewart dance at their wedding.

While Jerry and others successfully taught Rabbi Swarsensky to drive, they didn’t teach him how to change a tire. When Rabbi Swarsensky was driving to Milwaukee years later to marry Vicki and Jerry and got a flat tire, he had to wait for a kind soul to help him change it. Everyone was ready and waiting for him when he finally arrived at the wedding.

More recently, while the Stewarts were talking with Rabbi Swarsensky’s son Gerald, he mentioned, “You know, I drive funny. I drive with my left foot instead of my right foot, and my father taught me how to drive.” Jerry responded, “That’s because I taught him how to drive with his left foot instead of his right.”

One of Vicki’s fond memories of TBE is of the dinner dances or “dinner and a show” evenings that were special Temple events. Alma Baron would direct and create a script, and Harlen Smith was the musical director. Vicki had such fun with these events, and she lights up just thinking about them.

Vicki was involved with the Council of Jewish Women that met at Temple. She was an active member of Sisterhood and was on the board of directors. While she was on track to be president at one point, that didn’t happen. During the year she would have been named president, she became a founding member of the Madison Repertory Theatre and didn’t have the time to do both. She had a long career both as a volunteer and in a professional capacity with the Rep, only retiring when Jerry retired from the life Insurance business that his father had started and Jerry had continued to run. In retirement, Jerry and Vicki spent winters in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Photo: Vicki Stewart, Rona Malofsky, and Judy Schreiber (also a Milestone Member) at Food-A-Rama in 2011

Food-A-Rama holds a special place in Vicki’s heart, as it was a catalyst for her, and many others, to get involved in Temple life.

She enjoyed the cooking sessions and packaging the homemade baked goods with Lucy Williams, who ran the bakery. She started at cooking sessions with Sue Blotner and Sandy Dutch. In later years Vicki volunteered on the buffet line or as a cashier. She also enjoyed working with Judy Schreiber, who decorated and prepped the room. Even this past year, while living at Capitol Lakes, Vicki participated in Food-A-Rama. She coordinated a food order for 13 residents that Amy Fields delivered to Capitol Lakes, where many met in a common room to have their own Food-A-Rama luncheon. Vicki fondly remembers another Sisterhood activity: meeting in Ida Swarsensky’s library to record textbooks for visually impaired UW students.

The Stewarts cherish memories of many family milestones at Temple Beth El, including their two daughters’ life-cycle moments, from their confirmations to their weddings. For the wedding of their younger daughter, Tracy, Vicki had arranged for some UW graduate students to play the processional music. The bridal party entered and arrived at the bimah, and the students kept on playing. It seemed the students weren’t sure when to stop playing. Finally, Tracy’s older sister, Lisa, the matron of honor, motioned with a swipe of her hand, and the music stopped. Without missing a beat and with a serious face, Rabbi Jan Brahms said, “And now for their next selection.” “That was just his fabulous sense of humor,” Vicki reflects.

Rabbi Jonathan Biatch would often come to Scottsdale for a conference of midwestern rabbis, and he would always reach out to the Stewarts along with other congregants, including the Spitz, Roth, and Malofsky families, and they would get together for a meal, which everyone enjoyed.

Photo: Vicki and Jerry Stewart (second and fourth from left) with Karen Roth (also a Milestone Member) and Rona Malofsky at TBE's 75th anniversary gala

Many of their close friends were from Temple. Vicki was part of a TBE wives’ mah jongg group, and Jerry played poker with a bunch of TBE guys. They were also involved in the Madison Jewish Community Council (MJCC, now the Jewish Federation of Madison), whose women’s division organized fundraisers and functions that Vicki and her dear friends all had turns leading. Jerry served as president of the board. Many other MJCC leaders became their lifelong good friends as well.

Vicki was involved with the Downtown Rotary Club, which gives an annual award in Rabbi Swarsensky’s honor. Vicki is proud to have chaired the committee that gives out the award, and she was so pleased that Sharon Swarsensky and her husband would come to the luncheons to hear all the good things people shared about her father, Rabbi Swarsensky.

They have loved seeing the Jewish community evolve, commenting that “it’s a wonderful thing.” They have enjoyed being members of the Madison Jewish community and are proud TBE members. This involvement made it easy and important for them to share their Jewishness with their secular neighbors and friends.

Vicki and Jerry know that everyone must get started somewhere when joining Temple, and they encourage everyone to become involved. They recommend that you participate in a way that’s true to yourself: Rather than only tagging along to something your partner or children are doing, engage as yourself, too.

Click the Donate button below to make a donation in honor of our Milestone Members. Select Member Milestone Honors for the donation type.

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Temple Beth El
2702 Arbor Drive
Madison, WI 53711

Celebrating our Member Milestones: Jane and Evan Pizer

02/17/2022 10:01:46 AM

Feb17

Meet Longtime Members Jane and Evan Pizer

Interviewed by Linda Reivitz
Written by Samantha Gorelik

Evan and Jane Pizer weren’t strangers to Madison when they returned to the city in the early 1960s.

Evan had attended medical school at UW–Madison, and Jane received a master’s degree in counseling from UW–Madison. They married, while students, in 1957. After Evan completed his medical internship elsewhere, along with two years of army service, the couple found themselves back in Madison with two young children in tow.

Over the next few years, they became increasingly more involved in the Jewish community because of their children, joining Temple Beth El in 1966. Jane notes that membership was the logical step because of her desire to raise a Jewish family and for the kids to have a Jewish education. When she reflects on her early years as a member, Jane recalls the constant pickups and drop-offs for their four young children who regularly attended Temple events, Religious School, and training for Jewish life-cycle occasions.

One theme in particular comes to mind when Jane thinks about what Temple Beth El stands for: compassion. “A thread that continues and is extremely important to me, my family, and so many is the emphasis on humanity. It’s about reaching out to people.” She has always been drawn to the compassion and empathy Temple Beth El teaches, and while the building and the people inside it have changed, this theme remains a core part of Temple’s philosophy. People show up for each other.

Jane believes that Rabbi Manfred Swarsensky truly set the tone for the rabbis that would follow, by focusing on humanism and interdenominational values. Growing up, Jane had little Jewish background. At age 9, Jane asked to stop having Christmas trees in her home and began a decades-long journey of exploring her Jewish faith. Jane’s mother died when she was 14. After her father married a Baptist woman, Jane was asked to attend church services regularly. So, in some ways, Jane was more knowledgeable about Christianity than Judaism. But because of her interfaith background, she has always valued interdenominational principles and appreciated Rabbi Swarsensky’s commitment to interfaith relationships and dialogues.

She describes a challenging incident that illustrates Rabbi Swarsensky’s values and guidance. When Jane and Evan’s children were young, the Madison Jewish Community Council (MJCC, which later became the Jewish Federation of Madison) wanted schools to understand that some children practiced religions other than Christianity. During the holiday season, MJCC sent a note to all the principals in the district to encourage conversation about Hanukkah and other holidays. At Shorewood Hills Elementary, where Jane was PTA president, the principal posted it in the teachers’ lounge. Some parents and teachers misinterpreted the message as an attack on them and on Christmas. They began to blame Jane, as an assumed spokesperson for the Jewish community, thinking she was responsible for the letter. As the situation escalated, a local pastor phoned Rabbi Swarsensky, who was his friend, saying that this didn’t sound like the Jewish values he’d learned from the rabbi. Rabbi Swarsensky agreed, of course. He counseled Jane on how to approach the situation and encouraged her to talk directly with the principal. Ultimately, with the rabbi’s guidance, she attended a school meeting, where she explained to parents and teachers that the letter was not meant as an attack on Christmas but as a reminder that not all students are Christian.

Jane remembers that the situation even led a kindergarten classmate of her youngest son to threaten him as a result of the rumors. She simply couldn’t believe a child so young could experience such hatred. Jane’s close Temple friend Rona Malofsky (of blessed memory) shared a message that Jane has carried with her all these years: “You might forget you’re Jewish, but the world never will.”

Jane fondly looks back at Rabbi Swarsensky’s words and wisdom that guided her through this difficult time, recalling the many ways he championed and taught inclusivity. Over the years she appreciated his insightful sermons, which covered a variety of meaningful and inspiring topics. In fact, she purchased a book of them, titled Intimates and Ultimates (available in the TBE library), and she attended interfaith classes and programs that Rabbi Swarsensky led at Edgewood College.

Photo: Jonathan Pizer's bar mitzvah at Temple Beth El in 1977. From left: Jane, Steven, Alan, Evan, Jonathan, Laura.

One of her most memorable experiences at Temple was the wedding of her eldest son, Steven. Rabbi Jan Brahms had been hired but had not yet moved to Madison. Due to a variety of circumstances, they had a month or less to plan the wedding. She called Rabbi Brahms shortly before he moved to Madison to see if he could help with the last-minute nuptials. “Hi, I’m Jane Pizer. I’m going to ask you something, and I’m expecting you to say no, and I’ll understand. Would you be willing to do this interfaith wedding (your second week on the job)?” Rabbi Brahms was eager to help and even met with the couple a few times before their big day.

Jane never thought she and her family would be lifelong Madison residents. But she and Evan have spent 61 of the 65 years they’ve been married here. She’s watched the Jewish community grow and evolve and is proud to see how much easier it’s become for members to connect with Judaism and stay active. “In terms of accessibility to Judaism, I think it’s wonderful. It’s at your fingertips, what you want to know.” That said, she acknowledges that antisemitism is still an issue, and, depending on where you live within this country or even this state, you may experience it to different degrees.

Photo: Pizer family in August 2021 following grandchild Zoe’s bat mitzvah, which was at TBE.

Without a doubt, Jane is certain that the Jewish upbringing and education her children experienced at TBE has stayed with them well into adulthood.

Two of her children had their b’nai mitzvah as youth, but one son had his bar mitzvah in his 20s, and her daughter had her bat mitzvah in her early 40s. “I believe that the basis of education that they received helped them have some idea of what it means to be Jewish. It formed a basis for them to later make their own decisions about life-cycle events, which in their case was more meaningful because they chose it.”

In the end, it all comes back to that thread of humanity, a word Jane repeats often when discussing the decades she’s spent as a member of Temple Beth El. Connecting with each other and reminding ourselves that we are all humans, no matter where we come from, is what it’s all about.

Click the Donate button below to make a donation in honor of our Milestone Members. Select Member Milestone Honors for the donation type.

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Temple Beth El
2702 Arbor Drive
Madison, WI 53711

Celebrating our Member Milestones: Greg Dutch

02/10/2022 10:02:46 AM

Feb10

Meet Longtime Member Greg Dutch

Interviewed by Linda Berman
Written by Linda Berman

Greg Dutch has had, in his words, “good memories, good thoughts and good family all wrapped around TBE and the Madison Jewish community.”

Born and raised in Madison, Greg grew up in a family and community committed to strong Jewish values.

Along with his sister, Shelly, and his brother, David, Greg and his parents (Sherman and Sandra Dutch) have been part of a long legacy of TBE supporters and members including the Sweet, Dutch, Shapiro, Frank, Rotter, and Schvid families.

Photo: Siblings David, Shelly, and Greg Dutch (clockwise from top left)

Greg’s grandmother, Rachel Sweet Dutch, was one of eleven children. Her brother, A.J. Sweet, and his children, Sheldon Sweet and Muriel Sweet Rotter, as well as her cousin Henry Sweet, who married Sylvia Dutch, were all TBE members along with their families.

One of Rachel Sweet Dutch’s nieces, Sara Shapiro, was the mother of Marshall “Marsh” Shapiro and grandmother of Ragen Shapiro, who is a current TBE member along with her family. Marsh was a well-known local TV personality and longtime owner of the Nitty Gritty restaurant. Greg recalled, “We all appeared on his afternoon show, ‘Marshall the Marshal,’ where he did silly things and showed cartoons.”

The Frank and Schvid families were also related to Greg’s grandmother. For more about the family tree and early TBE families, Greg recommended From Generation to Generation: The Story of the Madison Jewish Community, 1851–1955 by Rabbi Manfred Swarsensky.

TBE has been at the center of Greg’s life, where he celebrated religious and educational milestones such as his bar mitzvah (1970) and confirmation (1973). Equally important, Greg was a very active Temple youth group member, even serving on the search committee that chose Rabbi Kenneth Roseman as Rabbi Swarsensky’s successor. Since he graduated early from West High School, Greg chose to participate in Ma’ayan, a Hebrew immersion program held at OSRUI (Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute). The program was directed by Gary Zola, who is now a well-known rabbi, professor, and archivist at Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion. Some of Greg’s instructors at Ma’ayan included Jewish singer-songwriter Debbie Friedman and Hannah Rosenthal, who was the 2019 Swarsensky scholar at TBE and was the former special envoy and head of the Office to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism in the Obama administration and past president and CEO of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.

Photo: Ma'ayan participants at OSRUI, a Reform movement camp in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Greg Dutch is in the middle row, second from the left, and Hannah Rosenthal is in the top row, second from the left.

Greg said that he was always linked to TBE Sisterhood, which his mother had been president of, because Sisterhood paid a grant for him to attend the Ma’ayan program.

TBE provided many connections for Greg and his family. Many of Greg’s long-lasting friendships began at TBE. He grew up in a close community where the parents stayed friends and so did their children. Then the spouses of the second generation became friends, and so did the children of the next generation. Greg has also shared with his wife, Sandra Estep, and many family members and longtime friends many joyous occasions at TBE for their daughter, Rachel, including her baby naming, bat mitzvah, and confirmation.

Although he does not have clear memories of his first meeting with Rabbi Swarsensky at 10 days of age, Greg remembered a notable time when he was a freshman in college and teaching Hebrew at TBE. His teacher Hannah Rosenthal enlisted Greg and another student to help pick up, from the Truax Field airport, a Torah scroll that Hannah’s father had arranged to come to Madison. This precious scroll, from a concentration camp, had been shipped in an enormous coffin-like crate. They delivered it to TBE, where Rabbi Swarsensky, dressed in a long-sleeved white shirt, tie, and belted dress pants, surveyed the situation, then left the office and returned with a crowbar that was half his size and weight. The scene of the mild-mannered, formally dressed rabbi swinging the heavy crowbar to break the lock on the crate has remained vivid for Greg after all these years. (The precious cargo was safely delivered and has since been housed at UW Hillel.)

Greg also related that Rabbi Swarsensky’s sermons were very lengthy. Even with help from Greg’s cousin Shirley Sweet, who “edited out pages or hours of sermons,” the rabbi still spoke for an hour and a half. Greg sometimes used the sermons as opportunities to wander over to Millin’s Market, the grocery store on the corner of Knickerbocker and Monroe. He recalled trying to get Gerald Swarsensky, the rabbi’s son, to go with him. Greg even remembered a doughnut run during a Rosh Hashanah sermon. In his teens, during one of the infamously long sermons, Greg led some friends under TBE into the tunnels that ran under Monroe Street and into Rennebohm’s, which was across Monroe Street and a block away. As alarms went off in the old pharmacy, the police arrived. Greg was returned to TBE to face his parents and the rabbi.

After college at UW (1980) and UW Law School (1986) and living in California for a decade, Greg moved back to Madison with his family as soon as he could. As an adult, Greg served together on the board of TBE with his mother and eventually followed her footsteps as president of the TBE Board of Trustees. Greg has also been very active in the Jewish Federation of Madison, thanks to the encouragement of one of his law partners, Jim Youngerman. For about 15 years, Greg chaired or participated on committees for Midrasha and Camp Shalom and was on the board of Hillel.

Photo: Sandy Dutch (center) serving as a greeter at TBE's 25th anniversary celebration, with Dave Fantle (left) and Jim Porter

Greg notes how, as time has gone by, TBE has gone from a “traditional” Reform congregation under Rabbi Swarsensky, with mostly English liturgy and Morris Schwartz volunteering as a cantorial soloist, to Rabbi Roseman, Rabbi Jan Brahms, and Rabbi Jonathan Biatch. Now, there’s more Hebrew and an ordained cantor. Greg really likes the music component, which has been elevated since his youth. He’s happy that now all ages of congregants are “singing Debbie Friedman’s songs,” as he put it.

Greg sees TBE still thriving with new staff and is hopeful that TBE will continue to be strong. He notes that there are lots of programs for younger people and the Kesher Israel Committee provides movies that the more mature members can enjoy. For someone new to TBE, Greg suggests that they go to a Shabbat service and chat with members at the Oneg Shabbat. “We are a friendly and welcoming group.”

Click the Donate button below to make a donation in honor of our Milestone Members. Select Member Milestone Honors for the donation type.

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Temple Beth El
2702 Arbor Drive
Madison, WI 53711

Celebrating our Member Milestones: Harriet Hyman

02/03/2022 10:01:01 AM

Feb3

Meet Longtime Member Harriet Hyman

Interviewed by Lillian Abrams
Written by
Steve LaBelle and Linda Reivitz

Harriet’s father, Aaron Scher, and her mother, Sarah Rubin, both came to the U.S. from Russia after World War I.

Aaron Scher could not enter the U.S. when he first tried to do so, so he went to Amsterdam and then to Argentina for a year.

He was a furniture worker there, and his boss was Juan Perón. When he was able, he settled in New York. Sarah settled in Madison. They met and married in Madison, where Harriet was born in 1929. Harriet, raised in New York until she was ten, did not have a very religious upbringing but spoke Yiddish at home.

When the family settled back into life in Madison, they joined the Conservative Jewish community, attending Agudas Achim, the synagogue that would eventually become Beth Israel Center.

They lived in the Vilas neighborhood surrounded by cousins, aunts, uncles, and other Jews. Everything revolved around the synagogue. Harriet remembers all the dinners and auctions related to religious life, as well as the Jewish bakers, butchers, and other businesses in the neighborhood. At Agudas Achim the women sat upstairs, the men sat downstairs, and prayers were read from a bimah in the center of the shul. Harriet especially loved Kol Nidrei services and began teaching Sunday School at age 14, calling upon her parents’ and grandmother’s life stories as a foundation.

Harriet met her husband, Alan Hyman, at a UW Hillel campus fund drive after he returned home from World War II. Alan came from a solidly Reform family, and Harriet’s father often joked that she had married “out of her faith.”

Alan’s parents, Jesse and Edna Hyman, came to Madison in 1941. Jesse operated the Emporium department store, which Alan and his brother, Jesse Jr., inherited and ran until it was sold in 1985.

Photo: J. Jesse Hyman (Alan's father) and Rabbi Swarsensky

Jesse was instrumental in the founding of Temple Beth El. He was involved in planning the construction of the building and served as TBE’s president for four years, the first to serve in the building. Harriet became very close with the Hyman family.

Rabbi Manfred Swarsensky officiated at Harriet and Alan’s wedding in 1950. The newlywed couple planned to drive to New Orleans for their honeymoon, with a stop in Chicago first. Rabbi Swarsensky needed to get to Detroit to officiate at an interfaith wedding, as he was the only rabbi in the Midwest willing to do so. He hitched a ride with the just-married couple to Chicago and caught a flight from there to Detroit.

Harriet and Alan had two children, Richard (Dick) and Cindy. When Dick was born, Alan felt that a doctor should perform the bris, according to his Reform customs. But Harriet’s father, Aaron, believed it was important that a mohel be used, in the Conservative tradition. Rabbi Swarsensky stepped in to officiate at the bris so a doctor could perform the circumcision. That was enough to placate Harriet’s father.

Alan Hyman would always provide the robes for the confirmation classes at no cost. But in 1969, Cindy’s confirmation class rebelled against wearing robes. The parents voiced their opinion in favor of robes, and the students adamantly refused. It was a big hullabaloo at the time, Harriet says. The rabbi wasn’t happy about it but went along with the kids’ demand. Theirs is one of only a few confirmation photos on the wall where the students are not wearing robes.

Photo: Jim Porter and Harriet and Alan Hyman at TBE's 25th anniversary show

Harriet found Rabbi Swarsensky to be incredibly smart and forward thinking. She especially appreciated how he tried to calm the violence during the 1960s antiwar riots in Madison. He was so respected in the community that he was asked by the family of the Sterling Hall bombing victim to officiate at the victim’s funeral.

Harriet was active in Sisterhood, and she remembers when the women would cook dinner once a month for the Men’s Club. When Irv Stein was president of Men’s Club (before he became TBE president), Frank Lloyd Wright was the speaker. He came with his cape, black hat, and flowing white hair. He told Irv, while sitting next to him at dinner, “I’m leaving,” which scared Irv. Then Irv realized he just meant he was going to the bathroom. He returned and spoke on his frustration with Madison for not acting to build his convention center design yet.

With Sisterhood, Harriet also was part of the initial Food-A-Rama in 1966. She was also a member of Hadassah and the Council of Jewish Women. She fondly recalls the fashion shows and Israeli clothing sales that would help raise money.

Photo: Milestone Members Lenora Goldstein, Harriet Hyman, and Marjorie Tobias at Shabbat Honoring Our Seniors in 2019

Dick was the first person to become bar mitzvah at TBE (Reform practices focused on confirmation at that time). This achievement made his grandfather Aaron very proud, as he had never been able to have a bar mitzvah when he was a boy in Russia. Harriet remembers that fancy bar mitzvah parties were not the norm back then; instead, a caterer might be hired to serve punch and sandwiches.

Over the years the family has experienced many life-cycle events at Temple Beth El. Rabbi Swarsensky officiated at both Jesse’s and Edna’s funerals.

Photo: Harriet and Alan Hyman enjoying one of Temple's 75th anniversary celebrations

Rabbi Jan Brahms consecrated Harriet’s granddaughter Shaina (Cindy’s daughter), and Rabbi Jonathan Biatch officiated at Shaina’s marriage last summer.

Alan died in 2019, after 69 wonderful years of marriage, and Harriet is so grateful that she got to be part of a loving and extended Jewish clan on both sides of her family. Although she may not be as observant as she once was, she still maintains ties to Judaism that are important to her, such as lighting candles and observing yahrzeit dates.

Harriet is 92 and has seen it all at Temple Beth El, literally from its start. She and her family have been involved in both the Conservative and Reform Jewish communities in Madison.

As Harriet looks back on her life’s journey, she believes it is not important how observant you are or how often you attend services, but that you cherish and appreciate Judaism and pass it on to your family and to others.

Click the Donate button below to make a donation in honor of our Milestone Members. Select Member Milestone Honors for the donation type.

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Temple Beth El
2702 Arbor Drive
Madison, WI 53711

Celebrating our Member Milestones: Harvey and Bonnie Wendel

01/27/2022 10:01:02 AM

Jan27

Meet Longtime Members Harvey and Bonnie Wendel

Interviewed by Staci Rieder
Written by Staci Rieder and Harvey Wendel

Harvey and Bonnie Wendel have been valued members of Temple Beth El for 58 years. They joined Temple in 1963, shortly after Harvey's graduation from law school.

Harvey remembers that Rabbi Joseph Baron at Temple Emanu-El in Milwaukee encouraged him and Bonnie to meet Rabbi Manfred Swarsensky in Madison. After doing so, the Wendels joined Temple Beth El.

Harvey was born and raised in Milwaukee, and he came to UW–Madison to complete an undergraduate degree in business. He remained in Madison for law school, earning his JD in June 1963. Bonnie was born in Minneapolis, grew up in Wausau (where her father owned a pharmacy), and came to UW–Madison for college.

She met Harvey soon thereafter, marrying in June 1962. They have three daughters—Lisa, Amy, and Jennie—and seven grandchildren.

Photo: Harvey and Bonnie with six of their seven grandchildren

Harvey became involved in Temple soon after joining. His colleague Dave Novick was a former Temple president, and Harvey joined the board right away. He served on the Board of Trustees from 1964 to 1970, serving as secretary and vice president under presidents Al Goldstein and Laurence Weinstein.

Harvey is currently of counsel at the law firm Murphy Desmond S.C. He has served on the Wisconsin Supreme Court advisory committee, is a past president of the Senior Lawyers Division of the Wisconsin Bar Association, and currently serves on the Appointment Selection Committee of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. During his five-year tenure as president of Friends of Madison School and Community Recreation (MSCR), he co-chaired golf outings to raise money for MSCR programs, including the MSCR pontoon boat program, where he has volunteered as a captain for over 20 years. Harvey served on the advisory board of the Madison Jewish Community Council (now the Jewish Federation of Madison) as well.

Photo: Harvey and Bonnie with their oldest twin granddaughter at her graduation in summer 2021

Harvey and Bonnie remember Rabbi Swarsensky as a leader who helped shape their values. Bonnie took the rabbi's classes at Edgewood, and because she found the classes so enlightening and stimulating, she recruited non-Jewish friends to attend with her.

Other important memories for the Wendels include two trips with Rabbi Jan Brahms: one to Israel, and another to Eastern Europe as a Holocaust remembrance. Rabbi Brahms also presided at Lisa's and Jennie’s weddings. Today, Harvey and Bonnie appreciate the relationship they have with Rabbi Jonathan Biatch and the way he represents the Jewish community in Madison. The Wendels have seen the Madison Jewish community grow during the time they have been involved in it, increasing both in numbers and in depth. They note the number of rabbis now serving our community and the Levy lecture series as examples of this growth.

Harvey and Bonnie have two simple suggestions for new members, or any members, who want to live Temple life to the fullest: Get involved! Give back!

Click the Donate button below to make a donation in honor of our Milestone Members. Select Member Milestone Honors for the donation type.

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Temple Beth El
2702 Arbor Drive
Madison, WI 53711

Celebrating our Member Milestones: Russ and Ruth Frank

01/20/2022 10:00:46 AM

Jan20

Meet Longtime Members Russ and Ruth Frank

Interviewed by Sue Center
Written by Staci Rieder

Russ and Ruth Frank have been Temple members since 1947 and 1951, respectively, when each of them was born into the Temple Beth El family.

Rabbi Manfred Swarsensky was the rabbi at that time, and Russ’s parents, Lloyd and Esther Frank, and Ruth’s parents, Martin and Eva Deutschkron, were already active in Temple life.

The Deutschkrons had known Rabbi Swarsensky in Berlin. Martin and Eva survived the Holocaust by hiding in and around Berlin. They came to the U.S. in 1947, arriving in Madison in 1948. Lloyd’s father, Sol, and Sol’s brother, Ezra, were the patriarchs of the family, and they were also members. Russ’s siblings are Marc Frank, Andy Frank, and Amy Keleny.

Russ and Ruth were married by Rabbi Swarsensky in 1970, and they raised two children in the Temple community. Their son, Aaron Frank, is married to Dawn, and they have two children, Caitlin and Megan. Their daughter, Melissa Osborne, is married to Dan, and their children are Zoe and Aleks.

Photo: Russ and Ruth Frank at their wedding in the TBE sanctuary, with the stained glass behind them.

Russ recalls fondly what it was like to come to Temple Beth El as a child. He remembers an easier way of life, before we had security guards and police by the door. One of his earliest memories is hiding under the stage in the old social hall with a bagel that he had lifted from the Breakfast Club. Rabbi Swarsensky found him there with his contraband, and thought it was perfectly acceptable.

He also remembers his bar mitzvah, thinking he was probably the only person who would be familiar with the reading. But then he “accidentally” skipped a part of the reading, and behind him he heard “oyyyyyy” from Rabbi Swarsensky. That “oy” was preserved on the recording of the bar mitzvah (there were no videos at that time), and therefore it remains in Russ’s memory forever!

Russ went on to be confirmed at Temple Beth El. What he remembers most about being a teen in the Temple community is how open the Temple was, and how easy it was to talk to clergy and staff. He used to walk home from West High School to the Nakoma neighborhood, and he would often stop to warm up in the social hall. When Rabbi Swarsensky saw him, he would motion him into his office. The rabbi always had time to chat. He would assign Russ honors in the service on a regular basis. One day, when Russ asked why he was chosen so frequently, Rabbi Swarsensky replied, “Because I always know where you are!”

Both Russ and Ruth always appreciated the depth of the Torah discussions during services at TBE. And they were touched to have Aaron’s bris performed by Rabbi Swarsensky at the hospital. The bris was the first time Aaron’s grandparents held him.

Rabbi Kenneth Roseman was very supportive when Russ’s father passed away. Russ had come to see his dad at Meriter Hospital, not knowing that he had already died. Rabbi Roseman was at the hospital within 10 minutes to talk to the nursing staff and support Russ, making sure that he was given some private time with his father. Rabbi Roseman stayed with Russ and accompanied him out of the hospital, offering comforting and uplifting words, which stuck with him. Ruth and Russ also remember Rabbi Jan Brahms’s first service, which was on Ruth’s father’s first yahrzeit.

As a young adult, Ruth worked at Martin’s, which was her father’s clothing store and tailor shop at 427 State Street. After that, she started her own business, Yarn It All, which she ran for 12 years. She stepped away from working for two years to help care for her first granddaughter, bringing her to Sisterhood meetings and cooking sessions for Food-A-Rama. Then she came to work with Russ at Madison Top, where they both worked until retirement.

Russ started his career in his family business as well, at Hamilton Beverage and Frank Beer Distributors. He worked for a while as a stockbroker until Ruth’s brother asked him to take over Madison Top, which Russ owned and ran for many years and now has passed on to Aaron. Madison Top has been supportive of Temple and of the Madison Jewish community over the years, thanks to the Frank family.

Photo: Melissa (Frank) Osborne's bat mitzvah rehearsal

The Franks reminisce about early relationships with other families, and how such close and lifelong friendships grew out of family outings after Sunday School, the Young Marrieds group, Sisterhood, and programming such as an art auction and visiting comedians.

They remember joining families after Sunday School at the park for picnics and recreation. Sometimes a pickup baseball game would erupt, or people would fish in the lake. Russ met his good friend Larry Shapiro during these gatherings, and they became AZA (youth group) advisers. Ruth bonded with her Temple Sisterhood friends over cooking sessions for Food-A-Rama, and she still uses some of the recipes today.

Russ and Ruth enjoyed participating in TBE’s Mitzvah Day, when they cooked for the Ronald McDonald House and painted inside community centers, among other projects. They would love to see more opportunities like this, along with, perhaps, a genealogy group or family gatherings similar to what they experienced after Sunday School.

They found a meaningful way to give back to Temple Beth El by making a donation in 2021 designated to help bring a Torah scroll to TBE from the Czech Republic through the Memorial Scrolls Trust. Ruth reminds us that “these rescued scrolls will be another way for all of us at TBE to remember the 6 million Jews, which included my grandparents, aunts, and uncles.”

Photo: Ruth and Russ Frank donated a rescued scroll to memorialize the millions lost in the Shoah.

Click the Donate button below to make a donation in honor of our Milestone Members. Select Member Milestone Honors for the donation type.

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Temple Beth El
2702 Arbor Drive
Madison, WI 53711

Celebrating our Member Milestones: Laurel B. Hefty

01/13/2022 11:00:47 AM

Jan13

Meet Longtime Members Laurel B. Hefty

Interviewed by Lillian Abrams
Written by Steve LaBelle

Laurel Hefty has led an intriguing life’s journey from her early childhood in Racine to her current status as a Temple Beth El congregant living in Albany in Green County.

Along the way, she has witnessed some incredible changes both in her life and in the Temple community in general.

Laurel’s father, Bernard Howards, was from Milwaukee, and her mother, Annette, grew up near the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. They both enlisted in the Marines and met while stationed in San Diego. They married in New York City and moved to Milwaukee, where Bernard sold cars, insurance, and shoes, while Annette stayed home, raising Laurel and her brothers.

Laurel’s maternal grandmother was from Romania but left her religious upbringing behind once in the U.S. and didn’t speak much about her past (although rumor has it she had some connection to gangster Bugsy Siegel!). Annette had to learn a lot about having a Jewish home; she did not know Hebrew, and when she first married, the home included a Christmas tree.

Laurel’s family moved to Madison in 1966, when Laurel was four, and things started to change. Annette became very active in TBE’s Sisterhood, and this interaction with other women became the focus of her social life. She was involved in Sunday School, baked cookies, and made matzah balls. Shabbat candles and wine were set out on Friday nights.

Laurel’s early TBE memories include pinching her fingers in a toy kitchen refrigerator, playing on the stage with the velvet curtains and in the storage area in the social hall, going to Sunday School in a room with sliding walls, and watching her father make shadow figures during Shabbat services as she fell asleep. She also would fall asleep whenever Rabbi Manfred Swarsensky read from the Torah, prompting her parents to apologize for her snoring. Rabbi Swarsensky said that it was okay, and it was probably the best sleep she had all week!

There were some tougher issues during this part of Laurel’s Jewish journey. When the family first arrived in Madison, her father put the mezuzah on the inside door of their house so as not to stand out. There were only five other Jewish students in Laurel’s elementary school, and she recalls being singled out by her second grade teacher, doing “different” crafts or skits during Christmas, and not going on a trip because her perfect attendance as a crossing guard was marred by missing school for Yom Kippur. So Laurel got involved with Temple youth groups and “grew up” at Camp Shalom, feeling empowered by the Jewish environment there. That motivated Laurel to go beyond being confirmed, like some of her peers, and to become a bat mitzvah, with Rabbi Swarsensky officiating. She is still friendly with members of that b’nai mitzvah class.

Laurel admired Rabbi Swarsensky as a leader who was always reaching out to the non-Jewish Madison community, especially through his ties to Edgewood. He was willing to perform interfaith weddings, including for both of her brothers.

Laurel’s interest in the field of education led her to pursue teaching as a career. At 21, Laurel married Bert, in a short outdoor ceremony on a hot day in July. Rabbi Kenneth Roseman officiated, and as he was balancing a wine cup, a microphone, and a prayer book, he sped up his Hebrew as he and everyone began to sweat.

Laurel had two children, Zachary and Melanie, and eventually moved to Albany in Green County, where she is one of three Jews there (that she’s aware of).

It was a priority to come to Madison for her children to attend Hebrew and Religious School, and she met many other congregants through Zachary and Melanie. She also began teaching at TBE as well; Laurel taught 6th grade Religious School for 18 years, emphasizing history, especially its division into “fact, fiction, and faith.” She took pride in being very creative with her students. This included building and destroying a graham cracker ancient temple and reading Chaucer to her students, pointing out some of the antisemitism of his time. She made connections with the Wisconsin Historical Society and other nonprofits.

Her goal was to be a positive influence on her students’ Jewish education and spark their imagination throughout their Midrasha years.

Photo: Laurel’s grandchildren at the April 26, 2019, Shabbat service with Governor Tony Evers, who was the speaker

She made lasting connections with her students and her assistants. And sometimes her mother would pop into her classroom on her way to the Temple kitchen.

Through teaching and membership, Laurel got to know both Rabbi Jan Brahms and Rabbi Jonathan Biatch well. Laurel was nervous about carrying the Torah in public, but Rabbi Brahms would always ask her to, and a week before he left, she finally accomplished it. She appreciates Rabbi Biatch’s wonderful communication skills: he can even make fish talk. (It’s an inside joke. He can tell you about it!) She has been grateful to see TBE evolve into a place that is more open, vocal, and socially engaged, and to know that the Madison Jewish community is involved with many social issues and is a prominent voice in civil and human rights.

Photo: Laurel's granddaughter helping Rabbi Biatch dress the Torah

Laurel cherishes her connection to Madison’s Jewish community. Melanie and Zachary still have cultural connections here, and Laurel has brought her grandchildren to TBE.

She admires the increasing inclusiveness of TBE and the outreach to interfaith and LGBTQ families. She hopes we will continue to draw people in.

Laurel’s Jewish philosophy? “Try different things. Try different shuls to find how to connect and meet your needs. And be respectful of others, but never let anyone tell you they’re right and you’re not.”

Certainly Laurel’s journey is one we can all celebrate, respect, and appreciate.

Click the Donate button below to make a donation in honor of our Milestone Members. Select Member Milestone Honors for the donation type.

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Temple Beth El
2702 Arbor Drive
Madison, WI 53711

MLK Shabbat: Dr. Ruben Anthony to Speak on Exciting Developments in South Madison

01/11/2022 12:07:27 PM

Jan11

On January 14, join us for our special Shabbat worship incorporating readings and prayers that reflect the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We are honored to welcome Dr. Ruben Anthony, chief executive officer of the Urban League of Greater Madison. Dr. Anthony will be presenting about an exciting new project of the Urban League, the Black Business Hub and Black Business Accelerator, cornerstones of an exciting renaissance happening in South Madison.

South Madison has long been home to our communities of color—African American, Latino, and Hmong—and is a cherished place of community and support, but, sadly, as a city, we have also long underinvested in this area. That story is now changing, thanks to the leadership of people like Dr. Ruben Anthony, Kaleem Caire (One City Schools), Dr. Alex Gee (Nehemiah, Fountain of Life Church, and the new Cultural Center), and Dr. Jack Daniels (Madison College), among others. See here for a great story about the South Madison Renaissance.

Dr. Anthony has been the president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison since March 2015. During that time, the Urban League has increased its job placements by 39%, and the organization has made over 1,400 placements to date. Previously Dr. Anthony served as a senior manager in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, including service as the deputy secretary and chief operations officer of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation from 2003 to 2010. He has particular expertise in developing job placement strategies and minority business development.
You can join us in person or online—the link to the livestream is here.

Volunteer opportunities

01/10/2022 05:02:06 PM

Jan10

Donations Needed for Refugees from Afghanistan and Elsewhere

Open Doors for Refugees partners with Jewish Social Services of Madison to help resettle incoming refugee families and to prepare apartments for them. Here is their December report on the current need for donations:

With the steady inflow of families, our stocks of many furniture and housewares have been depleted, we’re expecting several new families to arrive early in the new year. We have a lot of storage space available right now and hope to fill it. Specifically, we need:

Furniture: sofas less than 80-84″, dining sets, especially tables 42″ wide or less, stuffed living room chairs (no rockers), dressers, end/coffee/TV/bedside tables, and good, complete, sturdy bunkbeds. We don’t take mattresses or other bed frames.
Housewares: towel sets, twin size blankets, new kitchen waste baskets, new bed pillows, dish drainers, and first-aid kits.
Other: lamps (especially floor lamps), moderate-size flat screen TVs (with remotes and antennas if possible), vacuums, and area rugs.

To donate any of these items, please email OpenDoorsDonations@gmail.com, and please include a picture of any furniture items if you can. For a complete and impressive list of what we put into an apartment, and what we do and don’t accept, please see our webpage on Giving Furniture and Household Items. And thank you for keeping the flame alive.

Serving Meals at the Catholic Multicultural Center

One of TBE’s many initiatives to feed those in need is done in partnership with Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC). The CMC provides free meals every day to approximately 80 south side community members and people experiencing homelessness. Since 2019 TBE members have been assisting in this effort by providing volunteer services before the COVID pandemic, and by cooking thousands of meals during the pandemic. Since June 2020, approximately 40 Temple cooks have stepped forward and cooked nearly 4,000 meals for hungry neighbors. We are so grateful for all that they have done!

Until the CMC is able to return to in-person service, TBE will continue to cook meals every other Wednesday for CMC to hand out. Cooks prepare a hot dish for 20, using a provided recipe, and a TBE member collects the dishes and delivers them to CMC. If you would like to participate in this effort, please join us by using the sign-up form! Please contact Sue Levy at slevy51@gmail.com for the recipes or if you have questions.

Winter Wish Lists from Our Community Partners
As the temperatures plummet, our community partner organizations are requesting donation of toiletries and other supplies:

Healing House Wish List (housing for people recovering from illness and surgery): https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050b4aafab28a4fa7-healing5
JustDane Member Care Kits (people returning from incarceration): https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050b4aafab28a4fa7-member
Porchlight (emergency shelter and affordable housing): https://porchlightinc.org/donate-items/

Thanks for Thanksgiving!

01/10/2022 04:45:40 PM

Jan10

In November, a dozen TBE volunteers delivered turkeys, plus all the other ingredients of a Thanksgiving dinner, to 60 families with children at Thoreau School. TBE volunteer coordinator Vic Levy received this note back from the school social worker:

“This is amazing!!! Thank you so so much! I got lots of happy texts on Friday :) You have no idea what this means to our families. We are still in a pandemic and the financial impact is hurting our families. This meal means the world to them as it shows the community has their back and it’s one less thing to worry about. Now they can gather with their family and enjoy the day together. Thank you so much!!”

Thank you to all those who donated to our annual Goodman Thanksgiving Food Collection and to our Mitzvah Core students for counting the items and loading them up for delivery. Upon delivery, Goodman Community Center staff noted that they had been running short on stuffing and cranberries and were very excited to how much of each we had for them in addition to the other items. Our contribution helped them reach their goal of providing a holiday dinner for 4,000 families—that’s 25,000 Dane County residents (including 10,000 children!). Mazel tov to the 4th graders for bringing 101 cans of vegetables. Our 5th graders came in second with 69 containers of broth. We look forward to continuing this partnership between the Social Action Committee, our Religious School, and the Goodman Community Center next year, to continue to bring families together around the table.

Swarsensky Weekend: Social Justice Implications of a Dual-Gendered Name of God

01/10/2022 04:25:00 PM

Jan10

by Erica Serlin

At the Shabbat service during our Swarsensky Memorial Weekend in November, Cantor Jacob Niemi introduced us to the feminine God language available to us when we pray, helping us to experience our relationship to a God that is neither exclusively male nor gender-neutral but who integrates male and female aspects equally.

Resident scholar Rabbi Mark Sameth followed with a fascinating d’var, speaking about the implications of such a God. Drawing on his extensive research, Rabbi Sameth outlined the archeological and written evidence supporting the thesis of his book The Name about the unpronounceable name of God (the four-letter Hebrew word יהוה that is transliterated as YHWH). His thesis is that this tetragrammaton was originally understood by the ancient Israelite priests to be a cryptogram that, read backward (and translated as “He/She”), reflected a dual-gendered name of God. According to Rabbi Sameth’s research, this understanding of the Divine was repeatedly acknowledged and lost again throughout history.

This theme was further explored in Saturday’s Torah study and panel presentation. Saturday’s panelists began to consider how the concept of a dual-gendered God might be useful when applied to our own lives and the pursuit of tikkun olam. Cantor Niemi described his own personal and theological journey and exploration of gender-expansive language and experiences as a gay Jew and member of the clergy. Recognizing that every word we use to try to understand the Divine can only be a metaphor that is inherently limiting, Cantor Niemi offered a solution in using a variety of metaphors to expand our understanding of God as a deity who actually transcends gender.

In my remarks, I highlighted the idea that a dual-gendered God could have significant social justice implications for society’s treatment of LGBTQIA individuals and especially for the healthy psychological development of nonbinary and transgender youth and adults. I pointed out that, as a retired psychologist, I have been pleased to see significant progress in societal acceptance of homosexuality and gender fluidity, but recognize that LGBTQIA individuals still face additional mental health challenges due to societal discrimination and oppression, family rejection, bullying from peers, and all kinds of abuse.

The Saturday program ended with thoughts from Gwen Costa Jacobsohn and her 10th-grade child, Theo, who identifies as nonbinary and pansexual and uses “they/them” pronouns. They talked about the process of education that has occurred as Theo worked tirelessly with their family to make school and Temple more inclusive and safe places for gender-nonconforming youth. It was wonderful to hear how they made significant changes in the language surrounding their b’nai mitzvah and their successful advocacy for gender-inclusive bathrooms and camp cabins to be more congruent with self-defined identities. It was also gratifying to hear Theo express genuine pleasure at Temple’s progress and permission for other youth to become more of their authentic selves.

Sunday morning’s keynote address by Rabbi Sameth delved more deeply into the implications for social justice and tikkun olam of embracing the metaphor of a dual-gendered God. Three particular areas of relevance were highlighted: helping to enfranchise and empower girls and women, supporting the current gender revolution, and, most surprisingly, bettering prospects for world peace. Rabbi Sameth acknowledged that endorsing this metaphor of the Divine in itself will not accomplish these expansive goals but can certainly support a process of positive change.

Rabbi Sameth pointed out that a dual-gendered notion of God already resonates with many religious Americans today: 42% of those surveyed rejected the idea that God is exclusively male. As Rabbi Sameth posited, rather than continuing to perpetuate a myth that’s no longer supported even by the majority of religious believers, “we could embrace alternative God language which reflects our collective, evolved, and reasonable understanding and puts girls and women on par with boys and men.” Throughout history, many societies have recognized more than two genders, and, in fact, the rabbis of the Talmud knew of six! A dual-gendered interpretation of God could certainly be helpful to LGBTQIA individuals who “might see themselves reflected and affirmed in this old-new understanding of the Divine.”

Rabbi Sameth argued that suggesting that gender equality is a quality of divinity is a powerful message for bettering the prospects for world peace. Policy analysts have demonstrated a direct correlation between gender equality and a nation’s security: the enfranchisement and empowerment of girls and women increases the likelihood that a state will be at peace and vice versa. In other words, there is compelling evidence that the likelihood a state will be at war is significantly reduced in countries where girls and women enjoy physical security and legal equity and where women participate in high-level decision-making.

Rabbi Sameth ended by connecting the dual-gendered notion of God and the unfolding of the age of “New Modernity,” which “takes into account both individual, discrete bounded realities and the larger, fluid unbounded reality within which those individual realities exist.” He explained how this worldview might serve as an important counter to both dangerous individualism and rampant tribalism, by encouraging respect for individual differences within an inclusive whole. This idea certainly melds nicely with Reform Judaism’s increasing pursuit of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

These points and more are expanded in Rabbi Sameth’s excellent book The Name. I highly recommend it if you haven’t yet had the privilege of reading it.

The Ongoing Fight to End Gerrymandering and Voter Suppression

01/10/2022 03:59:57 PM

Jan10

On December 11, TBE Sisterhood and Men’s Club welcomed speaker Matt Rothschild to a packed Zoom room to speak about the fight to ban gerrymandering and limit dark money in political campaigns. He is the executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and author of the recent book Twelve Ways to Save Democracy in Wisconsin.

Mr. Rothschild said that gerrymandering has long been practiced by both political parties, and it’s wrong no matter who does it. In today’s partisan environment, it is making government less representative than ever. Chief Justice John Roberts noted that although hyperpartisan gerrymandering is “incompatible with democracy,” it is nonetheless “non-justiciable,” or outside the review offered by federal courts. Given the unwillingness of the US Supreme Court to address the issue, it falls to Congress and the state legislatures to address the problem. In Wisconsin, there is unlikely to be any relief from either the Wisconsin Supreme Court or the state legislature.

Mr. Rothschild noted the many other attacks currently brewing against the nonpartisan administration of elections, including efforts to remove members of the Wisconsin Elections Commission and dilute their powers, threats of prosecution against city clerks, and baseless investigations of the last election. Yet he remains “at least a little hopeful” because of the grassroots activism taking place in the youth, Black Lives Matter, and climate movements. He urged each member of the audience to talk with two or three people who don’t agree with us and try to find some common ground around the facts. The talk concluded with excellent questions from moderator Marc Herstand.

If you’re interested in pushing back on these antidemocratic practices, the Civic Engagement Action Team has some suggestions for action on partisan elections administration, gerrymandering, voting rights, and supporting local elections:

Ask your legislators to oppose the anti–Wisconsin Elections Commission resolution: State Assembly Representative Joe Sanfelippo is proposing a resolution demanding the resignation of five members of the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC), plus the WEC administrator and assistant administrator. The resolution also threatens legal action and possible criminal charges against them. Please contact your legislators and urge them not to support the resolution. You can look up your legislators using “Find my Legislator” on the legislature’s home page.
Ask the Senate and president to pass the Freedom to Vote and Voting Rights Advancement Acts: Join the Union for Reform Judaism’s Religious Action Center (RAC) in calling on senators and the White House to urge them to work together to reform the filibuster and pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Together, these bills would restore protections against racially discriminatory laws and move us toward a democracy for all Americans. Join the RAC and make calls today! See here for signup information. This action will be part of a national voting rights mobilization around Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Become a poll worker: Wisconsin is still in need of people like you to serve as paid poll workers for the 2022 elections! Being a poll worker means you help people practice their freedom to vote and ensure as many people as possible can cast their ballot. Poll workers check in voters, help people register to vote, check photo IDs, and process absentee ballots. Your local clerk will provide you with training prior to Election Day for the job you will be doing.
Help people register to vote: Voter registration efforts will take place throughout 2022. We will work with the League of Women Voters, BadgersVote, Voter ID Coalition, and others to help staff voter registration drives at locations across Dane County. September 22 will be National Voter Registration Day.

UW Opens a New Center for DREAMers

01/10/2022 03:38:46 PM

Jan10

On Tuesday, January 25, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, we will welcome Erin Barbato, director of UW Law School's Immigrant Justice Clinic, and Erika Rosales, director of the Center for DREAMers. They will join us to discuss the new Center for DREAMers in Madison, which will coordinate services for the nearly 7,000 DACA recipients in Wisconsin. They will also give us a brief update on recent immigration policy changes and challenges. Following the presentation, the Immigrant and Refugee Rights Action Team will brainstorm ideas for future educational and action steps. Anyone can join in—we value your ideas and input!

This event is co-sponsored by the Dane Sanctuary Coalition. Please register here for what promises to be a stimulating event!

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August 4, 2025
10 Av 5785

Worship Schedule

All Events

Friday ,
AugAugust 8 , 2025

Shabbat Worship
Friday, Aug 8th 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

MORE INFO
Saturday ,
AugAugust 9 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Aug 9th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

MORE INFO
Saturday ,
AugAugust 9 , 2025

Lea Levi Bat Mitzvah
Saturday, Aug 9th 10:30 am to 1:00 pm

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Friday ,
AugAugust 15 , 2025

Shabbat Worship
Friday, Aug 15th 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

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Saturday ,
AugAugust 16 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Aug 16th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Friday ,
AugAugust 22 , 2025

Shabbat Worship
Friday, Aug 22nd 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

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Saturday ,
AugAugust 23 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Aug 23rd 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
AugAugust 23 , 2025

Lillia Berger Bat Mitzvah
Saturday, Aug 23rd 10:30 am to 1:00 pm

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Friday ,
AugAugust 29 , 2025

Shabbat Worship
Friday, Aug 29th 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

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Saturday ,
AugAugust 30 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Aug 30th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

Register Now

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Saturday ,
SepSeptember 6 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Sep 6th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Friday ,
SepSeptember 12 , 2025

Shabbat Worship
Friday, Sep 12th 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm

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Saturday ,
SepSeptember 13 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Sep 13th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
SepSeptember 13 , 2025

Gathering and S’lichot Worship
Saturday, Sep 13th 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
The service of S’lichot inaugurates our Jewish season of repentance. Join us at 7:00 pm for a wine and cheese schmooze. We begin with Havdalah and then explore our responsibilities of seeking forgiveness, granting forgiveness, and dedicating ourselves to improving our behaviors and relationships in the new year.
MORE INFO
Friday ,
SepSeptember 19 , 2025

Shabbat Midor Lador
Friday, Sep 19th 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm
A musical service for the whole Temple family, with Les Goldsmith and the Promised Band.
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Saturday ,
SepSeptember 20 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Sep 20th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Monday ,
SepSeptember 22 , 2025

T’filat K’hilah: Erev Rosh Hashanah Community Worship
Monday, Sep 22nd 5:30 pm to 6:45 pm
Rosh Hashanah evening worship for the whole Temple community.
MORE INFO
Tuesday ,
SepSeptember 23 , 2025

T’filat Gan: Rosh Hashanah Worship for Families with Children Ages 0–6
Tuesday, Sep 23rd 8:45 am to 9:30 am
Rosh Hashanah worship for families with children ages 0–6.
MORE INFO
Tuesday ,
SepSeptember 23 , 2025

T’filat K’hilah: Rosh Hashanah Community Worship
Tuesday, Sep 23rd 10:30 am to 1:00 pm
Rosh Hashanah morning worship for the whole Temple community, led by our clergy and the Temple Beth El choir.
MORE INFO
Tuesday ,
SepSeptember 23 , 2025

T'filat Noar: Rosh Hashanah Youth Worship and Program for Ages 7–12
Tuesday, Sep 23rd 10:30 am to 1:00 pm
Rosh Hashanah worship for ages 7–12 including music and sounds of the shofar. Worship is followed by snack and a program.
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Friday ,
SepSeptember 26 , 2025

Shabbat Shuvah Worship and Dedication of New Memorial Plaques
Friday, Sep 26th 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
During this Shabbat service we will dedicate memorial plaques added to our Wall of Remembrance in the previous year. We honor the memory of our loved ones who still inspire our lives today.
MORE INFO
Saturday ,
SepSeptember 27 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Sep 27th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Wednesday ,
OctOctober 1 , 2025

T’filat K’hilah with Kol Nidrei: Erev Yom Kippur Community Worship
Wednesday, Oct 1st 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm
Yom Kippur evening worship (Kol Nidrei) for the whole Temple community, led by our clergy and the Temple Beth El choir.
MORE INFO
Thursday ,
OctOctober 2 , 2025

T’filat Gan: Yom Kippur Worship for Families with Children Ages 0–6
Thursday, Oct 2nd 8:45 am to 9:30 am
Families with children ages 0–6 will gather for Yom Kippur worship including music and a story, led by our clergy. Little ones will learn what is special about this day and practice forgiving and being forgiven.
MORE INFO
Thursday ,
OctOctober 2 , 2025

T’filat K’hilah (Shacharit): Yom Kippur Morning Community Worship
Thursday, Oct 2nd 10:30 am to 1:00 pm
Yom Kippur morning worship for the whole Temple community, led by our clergy and the Temple Beth El choir.
MORE INFO
Thursday ,
OctOctober 2 , 2025

T’filat Noar: Yom Kippur Youth Worship and Program for Ages 7–12
Thursday, Oct 2nd 10:30 am to 1:00 pm
Yom Kippur worship for children ages 7–12, followed by a program and optional snack.
MORE INFO
Thursday ,
OctOctober 2 , 2025

T’filat K’hilah (Minchah, Yizkor, and N’ilah): Yom Kippur Afternoon Community Worship
Thursday, Oct 2nd 3:00 pm to 6:30 pm
Yom Kippur afternoon worship for the whole Temple community. This will include Minchah (the afternoon service), Yizkor (a memorial service especially, though not exclusively, for those who have lost loved ones in the last year), and N’ilah (the concluding service of Yom Kippur).
MORE INFO
Friday ,
OctOctober 3 , 2025

Shabbat Worship
Friday, Oct 3rd 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm

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Saturday ,
OctOctober 4 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Oct 4th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Friday ,
OctOctober 10 , 2025

Shabbat Worship
Friday, Oct 10th 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm

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Saturday ,
OctOctober 11 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Oct 11th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Monday ,
OctOctober 13 , 2025

Simchat Torah Celebration
Monday, Oct 13th 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm
Join us to celebrate Simchat Torah, as we conclude the annual reading of the Torah and begin the cycle again. At this service we also celebrate the consecration of our students who are beginning their formal Jewish education this year.
MORE INFO
Tuesday ,
OctOctober 14 , 2025

Sukkot Festival Services with Yizkor (Memorial Service)
Tuesday, Oct 14th 10:30 am to 11:30 am

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Friday ,
OctOctober 17 , 2025

Shabbat Midor Lador
Friday, Oct 17th 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm
A musical service for the whole Temple family, with Les Goldsmith and the Promised Band.
MORE INFO
Saturday ,
OctOctober 18 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Oct 18th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Friday ,
OctOctober 24 , 2025

Shabbat Worship
Friday, Oct 24th 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm

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Saturday ,
OctOctober 25 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Oct 25th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Friday ,
OctOctober 31 , 2025

Shabbat Worship
Friday, Oct 31st 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm

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Saturday ,
NovNovember 1 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Nov 1st 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Friday ,
NovNovember 7 , 2025

Likrat Shabbat (Welcoming Shabbat)
Friday, Nov 7th 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
The first Friday of each month is an all-ages Shabbat service with participation by Religious School students. Join us in welcoming Shabbat as students from each grade participate by leading a portion of the worship.
MORE INFO
Saturday ,
NovNovember 8 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Nov 8th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Friday ,
NovNovember 14 , 2025

Shabbat Worship
Friday, Nov 14th 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm

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Saturday ,
NovNovember 15 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Nov 15th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

MORE INFO
Friday ,
NovNovember 21 , 2025

Shabbat Midor Lador
Friday, Nov 21st 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm
A musical service for the whole Temple family, with Les Goldsmith and the Promised Band.
MORE INFO
Saturday ,
NovNovember 22 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Nov 22nd 9:00 am to 10:00 am

MORE INFO
Friday ,
NovNovember 28 , 2025

Shabbat Worship
Friday, Nov 28th 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm

MORE INFO
Saturday ,
NovNovember 29 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Nov 29th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

MORE INFO
Friday ,
DecDecember 5 , 2025

Likrat Shabbat (Welcoming Shabbat)
Friday, Dec 5th 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
The first Friday of each month is an all-ages Shabbat service with participation by Religious School students. Join us in welcoming Shabbat as students from each grade participate by leading a portion of the worship.
MORE INFO
Saturday ,
DecDecember 6 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Dec 6th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
DecDecember 13 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Dec 13th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
DecDecember 20 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Dec 20th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

MORE INFO
Saturday ,
DecDecember 27 , 2025

Torah Study
Saturday, Dec 27th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

MORE INFO
Saturday ,
JanJanuary 3 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Jan 3rd 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
JanJanuary 10 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Jan 10th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
JanJanuary 17 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Jan 17th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
JanJanuary 24 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Jan 24th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
JanJanuary 31 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Jan 31st 9:00 am to 10:00 am

MORE INFO
Friday ,
FebFebruary 6 , 2026

Likrat Shabbat (Welcoming Shabbat)
Friday, Feb 6th 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
The first Friday of each month is an all-ages Shabbat service with participation by Religious School students. Join us in welcoming Shabbat as students from each grade participate by leading a portion of the worship.
MORE INFO
Saturday ,
FebFebruary 7 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Feb 7th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
FebFebruary 14 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Feb 14th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
FebFebruary 21 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Feb 21st 9:00 am to 10:00 am

MORE INFO
Saturday ,
FebFebruary 28 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Feb 28th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

MORE INFO
Friday ,
MarMarch 6 , 2026

Likrat Shabbat (Welcoming Shabbat)
Friday, Mar 6th 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
The first Friday of each month is an all-ages Shabbat service with participation by Religious School students. Join us in welcoming Shabbat as students from each grade participate by leading a portion of the worship.
MORE INFO
Saturday ,
MarMarch 7 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Mar 7th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
MarMarch 14 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Mar 14th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
MarMarch 21 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Mar 21st 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
MarMarch 28 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Mar 28th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Friday ,
AprApril 3 , 2026

Likrat Shabbat (Welcoming Shabbat)
Friday, Apr 3rd 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
The first Friday of each month is an all-ages Shabbat service with participation by Religious School students. Join us in welcoming Shabbat as students from each grade participate by leading a portion of the worship.
MORE INFO
Saturday ,
AprApril 4 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Apr 4th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
AprApril 11 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Apr 11th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
AprApril 18 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Apr 18th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
AprApril 25 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Apr 25th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

MORE INFO
Friday ,
MayMay 1 , 2026

Likrat Shabbat (Welcoming Shabbat)
Friday, May 1st 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
The first Friday of each month is an all-ages Shabbat service with participation by Religious School students. Join us in welcoming Shabbat as students from each grade participate by leading a portion of the worship.
MORE INFO
Saturday ,
MayMay 2 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, May 2nd 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
MayMay 9 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, May 9th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
MayMay 16 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, May 16th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
MayMay 23 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, May 23rd 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
MayMay 30 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, May 30th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
MayMay 30 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, May 30th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
JunJune 6 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Jun 6th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
JunJune 13 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Jun 13th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
JunJune 20 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Jun 20th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
JunJune 27 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Jun 27th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
JulJuly 4 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Jul 4th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
JulJuly 11 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Jul 11th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
JulJuly 18 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Jul 18th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
JulJuly 25 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Jul 25th 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Saturday ,
AugAugust 1 , 2026

Torah Study
Saturday, Aug 1st 9:00 am to 10:00 am

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Engage with us!

All Events

Wednesday ,
AugAugust 6 , 2025

Singles Creating Community Dinner
Wednesday, Aug 6th 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Join the Singles Creating Community group for a dinner gathering.
Register Now

MORE INFO
Thursday ,
AugAugust 7 , 2025

House Committee Meeting
Thursday, Aug 7th 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

MORE INFO
Thursday ,
AugAugust 7 , 2025

Social Action Committee Meeting
Thursday, Aug 7th 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Social Action Committee meetings are held at 7:00 pm on the first Thursday of most months at Temple Beth El.
MORE INFO
Friday ,
AugAugust 8 , 2025

ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out)
Friday, Aug 8th 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

MORE INFO
Friday ,
AugAugust 8 , 2025

Pre-Shabbat Discussion on the Ongoing Conflict in Israel and Gaza
Friday, Aug 8th 5:00 pm to 5:45 pm
Please join Rabbi Prosnit for a discussion where we can share our feelings and emotions about the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza.
MORE INFO
Sunday ,
AugAugust 10 , 2025

Healing House Meal Volunteers Needed
Sunday, Aug 10th (All day)
Healing House provides respite care to persons experiencing homelessness who are recuperating from surgery, illness, or childbirth. TBE and other congregation volunteers cook meals for the residents and staff on a quarterly basis and drop them off at 5:00 pm each day at Healing House, 303 Lathrop St., Madison, WI 53726.
MORE INFO
Tuesday ,
AugAugust 12 , 2025

Board Meeting
Tuesday, Aug 12th 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm

MORE INFO
Wednesday ,
AugAugust 13 , 2025

Sisterhood "Monthly Mingle" Lunch
Wednesday, Aug 13th 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Join us for a Sisterhood lunch!
MORE INFO
Thursday ,
AugAugust 14 , 2025

Congregational Book Club
Thursday, Aug 14th 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm
Join us in reading and discussion of challenging, but accessible, contemporary Jewish writings.
MORE INFO
Thursday ,
AugAugust 14 , 2025

Sisterhood Exec Committee Meeting
Thursday, Aug 14th 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

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Friday ,
AugAugust 15 , 2025

Singles Creating Community Coffee Klatch
Friday, Aug 15th 9:00 am to 10:30 am
Please join the Singles Creating Community group for breakfast.
Register Now

MORE INFO
Sunday ,
AugAugust 17 , 2025

Magic Pride Festival
Sunday, Aug 17th 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Temple Beth El is partnering with Beth Israel Center and Congregation Shaarei Shamayim to host a table at the festival. Don't forget to stop by our booth if you're attending the festival!
MORE INFO
Monday ,
AugAugust 18 , 2025

Fiber Arts Schmooze
Monday, Aug 18th 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Join friends at TBE for an evening of knitting, crocheting, stitching, and friendship!
MORE INFO
Tuesday ,
AugAugust 19 , 2025

Environment and Climate Change Action Team Meeting
Tuesday, Aug 19th 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Join our action team as we make plans to engage the congregation in activities that raise awareness about environmental issues. We meet on Zoom.
MORE INFO
Thursday ,
AugAugust 21 , 2025

Learn and Play Mahjong with Sisterhood
Thursday, Aug 21st 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Join Sisterhood for a fun afternoon of Mahjong!
MORE INFO
Friday ,
AugAugust 22 , 2025

Senior Shabbat Dinner
Friday, Aug 22nd 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Enjoy Dinner together after the 6:00 pm Shabbat worship.
Register Now

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Sunday ,
AugAugust 24 , 2025

New Religious School Family Orientation
Sunday, Aug 24th 10:00 am to 11:30 pm

Register Now

MORE INFO
Monday ,
AugAugust 25 , 2025

Sisterhood Exec Committee Potluck
Monday, Aug 25th 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

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Monday ,
AugAugust 25 , 2025

Men's Club Book Group
Monday, Aug 25th 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm
The Men's Club Book Group will gather to discuss "James: A Novel" by Percival Everett.
MORE INFO
Thursday ,
AugAugust 28 , 2025

Monthly Meditation
Thursday, Aug 28th 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Please join us as we continue the growth in our community around spiritual practice and meditation.
Register Now

MORE INFO
Monday ,
SepSeptember 1 , 2025

Office Closed for Labor Day
Monday, Sep 1st (All day)

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Thursday ,
SepSeptember 4 , 2025

House Committee Meeting
Thursday, Sep 4th 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

MORE INFO
Thursday ,
SepSeptember 4 , 2025

Social Action Committee Meeting
Thursday, Sep 4th 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Social Action Committee meetings are held at 7:00 pm on the first Thursday of most months at Temple Beth El.
MORE INFO
Friday ,
SepSeptember 5 , 2025

Singles Creating Community Coffee Klatch
Friday, Sep 5th 9:00 am to 10:30 am
Please join the Singles Creating Community group for breakfast.
Register Now

MORE INFO
Friday ,
SepSeptember 5 , 2025

Camp Shabbat and End of Summer Celebration
Friday, Sep 5th 5:15 pm to 7:00 pm
Join us for Shabbat Across Madison as we celebrate the end of another beautiful summer in Madison.
Register Now

MORE INFO
Sunday ,
SepSeptember 7 , 2025

Play Mahjong with Sisterhood
Sunday, Sep 7th 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Join Sisterhood for a fun afternoon of Mahjong!
Register Now

MORE INFO
Monday ,
SepSeptember 8 , 2025

ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out)
Monday, Sep 8th 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

MORE INFO
Tuesday ,
SepSeptember 9 , 2025

Board Meeting
Tuesday, Sep 9th 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm

MORE INFO
Thursday ,
SepSeptember 11 , 2025

Sisterhood "Monthly Mingle" Lunch
Thursday, Sep 11th 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Join us for a Sisterhood lunch!
MORE INFO
Thursday ,
SepSeptember 11 , 2025

Security and Usher/Greeter Training Specific to TBE
Thursday, Sep 11th 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Join us to learn about our current security procedures and how we can all contribute to a safe environment at Temple Beth El. Open to members only.
Register Now

MORE INFO
Saturday ,
SepSeptember 13 , 2025

Paddling into the Days of Awe: A High Holy Day Gathering on Lake Wingra
Saturday, Sep 13th 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Join us as we welcome the High Holy Day season with a unique and spiritual experience on the water. Bring your kayak, canoe, paddleboard—or anything that floats—and meet us in the center of Lake Wingra for a brief, meaningful gathering to mark the entrance to the Days of Awe, including hearing the shofar.
MORE INFO
Sunday ,
SepSeptember 14 , 2025

Tots and Tunes
Sunday, Sep 14th 10:45 am to 11:45 am
This song and craft program for families with children ages 0–5 is open to the entire Madison Jewish community.
Register Now

MORE INFO
Sunday ,
SepSeptember 14 , 2025

MJND Apples and Honey Cook-off and Tasting
Sunday, Sep 14th 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Join Madison's Jews Next Dor (20s and 30s group) for our apples and honey cook-off and tasting!
Register Now

MORE INFO
Monday ,
SepSeptember 15 , 2025

Fiber Arts Schmooze
Monday, Sep 15th 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Join friends at TBE for an evening of knitting, crocheting, stitching, and friendship!
MORE INFO
Tuesday ,
SepSeptember 16 , 2025

Environment and Climate Change Action Team Meeting
Tuesday, Sep 16th 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Join our action team as we make plans to engage the congregation in activities that raise awareness about environmental issues. We meet on Zoom.
MORE INFO
Thursday ,
SepSeptember 18 , 2025

CANCELED: Play Mahjong with Sisterhood
Thursday, Sep 18th 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Join Sisterhood for a fun afternoon of Mahjong!
MORE INFO
Monday ,
SepSeptember 22 , 2025

Office Closes at 12:00 pm
Monday, Sep 22nd 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm

MORE INFO
Tuesday ,
SepSeptember 23 , 2025

Office Closed for Rosh Hashanah
Tuesday, Sep 23rd (All day)

MORE INFO
Tuesday ,
SepSeptember 23 , 2025

Tashlich
Tuesday, Sep 23rd 1:15 pm to 2:15 pm
Following the Rosh Hashanah morning service, we proceed to Lake Wingra to symbolically cast away sins and regrets from the past year.
MORE INFO
Wednesday ,
SepSeptember 24 , 2025

Singles Creating Community Dinner
Wednesday, Sep 24th 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Join the Singles Creating Community group for a dinner gathering.
Register Now

MORE INFO
Thursday ,
SepSeptember 25 , 2025

Social Action Committee Meeting
Thursday, Sep 25th 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Social Action Committee meetings are held at 7:00 pm on the first Thursday of most months at Temple Beth El.
MORE INFO
Thursday ,
SepSeptember 25 , 2025

CANCELED Monthly Meditation
Thursday, Sep 25th 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Please join us as we continue the growth in our community around spiritual practice and meditation.
MORE INFO
Friday ,
SepSeptember 26 , 2025

Kever Avot: A Days of Awe Cemetery Visit, Forest Hills and Beit Olamim
Friday, Sep 26th 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
As we prepare our hearts for the High Holidays, join us for a brief Kever Avot service—a sacred tradition of visiting the graves of loved ones before Rosh Hashanah.
Register Now

MORE INFO
Wednesday ,
OctOctober 1 , 2025

Office Closes at 12:00 pm
Wednesday, Oct 1st 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm

MORE INFO
Thursday ,
OctOctober 2 , 2025

Office Closed for Yom Kippur
Thursday, Oct 2nd (All day)

MORE INFO
Thursday ,
OctOctober 2 , 2025

Yom Kippur Afternoon Discussion
Thursday, Oct 2nd 1:15 pm to 2:00 pm
Join us for a Yom Kippur afternoon discussion with Rabbi Jim Prosnit, father of Rabbi Jon Prosnit.
MORE INFO
Thursday ,
OctOctober 2 , 2025

Families with Young Children Break-the-Fast Potluck
Thursday, Oct 2nd 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm
Families with young children (2nd grade age and younger) are invited to attend a potluck break-the-fast meal to end the Yom Kippur holy day at a member’s home near Temple.
Register Now

MORE INFO
Thursday ,
OctOctober 2 , 2025

Break-the-Fast
Thursday, Oct 2nd 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Join the community as we break the Yom Kippur fast together.
MORE INFO
Friday ,
OctOctober 3 , 2025

Singles Creating Community Coffee Klatch
Friday, Oct 3rd 9:00 am to 10:30 am
Please join the Singles Creating Community group for breakfast.
Register Now

MORE INFO
Sunday ,
OctOctober 5 , 2025

Sukkah Building with Men’s Club
Sunday, Oct 5th 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Join the TBE Men's Club and friends as we set up the Paul S. Gratch Sukkah in preparation for Sukkot. Everyone is welcome! No previous experience or skill required. Please bring work gloves and a 6' ladder or cordless drill if you have one.
Register Now

MORE INFO
Sunday ,
OctOctober 5 , 2025

Play Mahjong with Sisterhood
Sunday, Oct 5th 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Join Sisterhood for a fun afternoon of Mahjong!
MORE INFO
Monday ,
OctOctober 6 , 2025

Office Closes at 12:00 pm
Monday, Oct 6th 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm

MORE INFO
Tuesday ,
OctOctober 7 , 2025

Office Closed for Sukkot
Tuesday, Oct 7th (All day)

MORE INFO
Thursday ,
OctOctober 9 , 2025

Sukkot Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Jon Prosnit
Thursday, Oct 9th 11:45 am to 1:00 pm
Join Rabbi Jon Prosnit for a Sukkot bring-your-own lunch and learn at Temple Beth El.
Register Now

MORE INFO
Thursday ,
OctOctober 9 , 2025

Sisterhood Exec Committee Meeting
Thursday, Oct 9th 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

MORE INFO
Thursday ,
OctOctober 9 , 2025

Board Meeting
Thursday, Oct 9th 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm

MORE INFO
Saturday ,
OctOctober 11 , 2025

Sukkot Havdalah Under the Stars
Saturday, Oct 11th 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Join us as we gather in the sukkah to mark the end of Shabbat and celebrate the joy of Sukkot together!
Register Now

MORE INFO
Sunday ,
OctOctober 12 , 2025

Tots and Tunes
Sunday, Oct 12th 10:45 am to 11:45 am
This song and craft program for families with children ages 0–5 is open to the entire Madison Jewish community.
MORE INFO
Sunday ,
OctOctober 12 , 2025

Stitchin' in the Sukkah
Sunday, Oct 12th 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Join us with your needlework or craft projects, and bring a dish to pass so we can fulfill the obligation of eating in the sukkah while we stitch and schmooze and enjoy a beautiful afternoon outside.
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Sunday ,
OctOctober 12 , 2025

MJND Pizza in the Hut
Sunday, Oct 12th 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Join Madison’s Jews Next Dor (20s & 30s group) for some pizza and schmoozing in the sukkah at Temple Beth El.
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Monday ,
OctOctober 13 , 2025

Office Closes at 12:00 pm
Monday, Oct 13th 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm

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Monday ,
OctOctober 13 , 2025

Pizza Buffet Before Simchat Torah
Monday, Oct 13th 4:45 pm to 5:30 pm
Join us for a casual pizza dinner before our Simchat Torah celebration.
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Tuesday ,
OctOctober 14 , 2025

Office Closed for Simchat Torah/Sh'mini Atzeret
Tuesday, Oct 14th (All day)

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Thursday ,
OctOctober 16 , 2025

Play Mahjong with Sisterhood
Thursday, Oct 16th 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Join Sisterhood for a fun afternoon of Mahjong!
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Sunday ,
OctOctober 19 , 2025

Sukkah Take Down with Men's Club
Sunday, Oct 19th 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Join the TBE Men's Club and friends as we take down the sukkah after the conclusion of Sukkot. Everyone is welcome! Everyone is welcome! No previous experience or skill required. Please bring work gloves and a 6' ladder or cordless drill if you have one.
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Monday ,
OctOctober 20 , 2025

Sisterhood "Monthly Mingle" Lunch
Monday, Oct 20th 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Join us for a Sisterhood lunch!
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Monday ,
OctOctober 20 , 2025

Men's Club Book Group
Monday, Oct 20th 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm
The Men's Club Book Group will gather to discuss "Serving Herself: The Life and Times of Althea Gibson" with the author, Ashley Brown.
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Tuesday ,
OctOctober 21 , 2025

ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out)
Tuesday, Oct 21st 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

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Tuesday ,
OctOctober 21 , 2025

Environment and Climate Change Action Team Meeting
Tuesday, Oct 21st 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Join our action team as we make plans to engage the congregation in activities that raise awareness about environmental issues. We meet on Zoom.
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Wednesday ,
OctOctober 22 , 2025

Singles Creating Community Dinner
Wednesday, Oct 22nd 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Join the Singles Creating Community group for a dinner gathering.
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Thursday ,
OctOctober 23 , 2025

Monthly Meditation
Thursday, Oct 23rd 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Please join us as we continue the growth in our community around spiritual practice and meditation.
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Saturday ,
OctOctober 25 , 2025

Blessing of the Animals
Saturday, Oct 25th 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm
In celebration of Parashat Noach, which highlights the sacred responsibility of caring for all of God’s creatures, bring your (well-behaved) pets for an outdoor ceremony where clergy will offer blessings for the animals in our lives.
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Sunday ,
OctOctober 26 , 2025

Joel Pedersen Memorial Lecture with Jonathan Patz
Sunday, Oct 26th 10:00 am to 11:30 am
Please join us for the Joel Pedersen Memorial Lecture on tikkun olam and the environment.
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Sunday ,
NovNovember 2 , 2025

Play Mahjong with Sisterhood
Sunday, Nov 2nd 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Join Sisterhood for a fun afternoon of Mahjong!
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Thursday ,
NovNovember 6 , 2025

House Committee Meeting
Thursday, Nov 6th 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

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Thursday ,
NovNovember 6 , 2025

Social Action Committee Meeting
Thursday, Nov 6th 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Social Action Committee meetings are held at 7:00 pm on the first Thursday of most months at Temple Beth El.
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Friday ,
NovNovember 7 , 2025

Singles Creating Community Coffee Klatch
Friday, Nov 7th 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Please join the Singles Creating Community group for breakfast.
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Friday ,
NovNovember 7 , 2025

Likrat Shabbat Family Dinner
Friday, Nov 7th 5:15 pm to 6:00 pm
Join us for a light dinner preceding our Likrat Shabbat (Welcoming Shabbat) service on the first Friday of the month, November–May. Dinner is $18 per family unit/household. Please note: there is not a special Likrat Shabbat service on the first Friday in January.
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Tuesday ,
NovNovember 11 , 2025

Office Closed
Tuesday, Nov 11th (All day)

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Thursday ,
NovNovember 13 , 2025

Board Meeting
Thursday, Nov 13th 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm

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Sunday ,
NovNovember 16 , 2025

Tots and Tunes
Sunday, Nov 16th 10:45 am to 11:45 am
This song and craft program for families with children ages 0–5 is open to the entire Madison Jewish community.
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Tuesday ,
NovNovember 18 , 2025

Sisterhood "Monthly Mingle" Lunch
Tuesday, Nov 18th 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Join us for a Sisterhood lunch!
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Tuesday ,
NovNovember 18 , 2025

Environment and Climate Change Action Team Meeting
Tuesday, Nov 18th 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Join our action team as we make plans to engage the congregation in activities that raise awareness about environmental issues. We meet on Zoom.
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Wednesday ,
NovNovember 19 , 2025

ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out)
Wednesday, Nov 19th 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

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Wednesday ,
NovNovember 19 , 2025

Singles Creating Community Dinner
Wednesday, Nov 19th 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Join the Singles Creating Community group for a dinner gathering.
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Thursday ,
NovNovember 20 , 2025

Play Mahjong with Sisterhood
Thursday, Nov 20th 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Join Sisterhood for a fun afternoon of Mahjong!
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Wednesday ,
NovNovember 26 , 2025

Office Closes at 12:00 pm
Wednesday, Nov 26th 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm

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Thursday ,
NovNovember 27 , 2025

Office Closed for Thanksgiving
Thursday, Nov 27th (All day)

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Thursday ,
DecDecember 4 , 2025

House Committee Meeting
Thursday, Dec 4th 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

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Thursday ,
DecDecember 4 , 2025

Social Action Committee Meeting
Thursday, Dec 4th 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Social Action Committee meetings are held at 7:00 pm on the first Thursday of most months at Temple Beth El.
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Friday ,
DecDecember 5 , 2025

Singles Creating Community Coffee Klatch
Friday, Dec 5th 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Please join the Singles Creating Community group for breakfast.
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Friday ,
DecDecember 5 , 2025

Likrat Shabbat Family Dinner
Friday, Dec 5th 5:15 pm to 6:00 pm
Join us for a light dinner preceding our Likrat Shabbat (Welcoming Shabbat) service on the first Friday of the month, November–May. Dinner is $18 per family unit/household. Please note: there is not a special Likrat Shabbat service on the first Friday in January.
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Tuesday ,
DecDecember 9 , 2025

Board Meeting
Tuesday, Dec 9th 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm

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Thursday ,
DecDecember 11 , 2025

ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out)
Thursday, Dec 11th 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

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Thursday ,
DecDecember 11 , 2025

Sisterhood Exec Committee Meeting
Thursday, Dec 11th 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

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Tuesday ,
DecDecember 16 , 2025

Environment and Climate Change Action Team Meeting
Tuesday, Dec 16th 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Join our action team as we make plans to engage the congregation in activities that raise awareness about environmental issues. We meet on Zoom.
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Wednesday ,
DecDecember 17 , 2025

Sisterhood "Monthly Mingle" Lunch
Wednesday, Dec 17th 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
Join us for a Sisterhood lunch!
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Wednesday ,
DecDecember 24 , 2025

Office Closes at 12:00 pm
Wednesday, Dec 24th 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm

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Thursday ,
DecDecember 25 , 2025

Office Closed
Thursday, Dec 25th (All day)

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Wednesday ,
DecDecember 31 , 2025

Office Closes at 12:00 pm
Wednesday, Dec 31st 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm

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