|
Temple
Beth El Identity
Vision
Our
vision is to be an embracing, supportive, and vibrant community
which observes Judaism in the Conservative tradition and which
is devoted to the perpetuation of Jewish values and culture.
Temple Beth El honors the diversity of its members, and is
committed to their spiritual, intellectual, and religious
growth.
A
Short History of Temple Beth El
On a warm July evening in 1947, more than 100 men and women
gathered at the Jewish Community Center in Portland, Maine
to address the feasibility of organizing a Conservative congregation.
Portland's Jewish community, established after the Civil War,
had flourished until 1920, then experienced a gradual decline
until the 1940s.
The
desire to establish the first Conservative congregation in
a city and state with a strong Orthodox orientation was powerful.
The group which met that evening was eager to act. They decided
to hold High Holiday services that fall, seek a temporary
home, and name the new congregation Beth El, House of God.
In a borrowed hall, with a visiting rabbi, Congregation Beth
El became a reality on Rosh Hashanah, September 14, 1947.
More
fifty years later Temple Beth El has become the major regional
center of Conservative Judaism north of Boston. With more
than 500 member families and a religious school serving more
than 130 children, the Temple has stood the test of time.
A pioneer on issues ranging from social action to the equal
participation of women, Temple Beth El made its mark under
the leadership of Rabbi Harry Sky in the 1960s with its involvement
in human and civil rights issues, and in the 1970s when it
installed one of the first female congregational presidents
in the country.
Today
Temple Beth El remains in the forefront of Conservative Judaism.
With the hiring of Rabbi Carolyn Braun in 1995, Temple Beth
El became the largest Conservative synagogue in the nation
to be led by a woman. The addition of Cantor Ruth Ross and
Educational Director Avis Smith to the professional staff
in 1999 have further provided Temple Beth El with the distinction
of hosting an outstanding and committed team of Jewish women
in key leadership positions.
|
