Sponsored by: Community You Can Believe In
Leadership
Leadership
Meet our Clergy... Officers... Board of Trustees... and Committee Chairpersons.
Clergy
Rabbi Jim Rosen
Rabbi Jim Rosen, a native of Minnesota, has been the Rabbi of Beth El since 1992. He has a brought to Beth El Temple a broad array of programs and learning opportunities designed to reach families and individuals of all ages and backgrounds. He has provided the vision to create a caring Jewish community of excellence that is inviting and warm to all.
Rabbi Rosen received his rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary and an M.S. in Social Work from Columbia University. Prior to arriving in West Hartford, he served for nine years as the Associate Rabbi of Chizuk Amuno Congregation in Baltimore, Maryland. His wife Nancy and children Dani, Ariella and Adina are the gems of his life.
In the field of communal service, Rabbi Rosen has served on a number of national and local committees including the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards of the Rabbinical Assembly, as well as the Chancellor's Cabinet of the Jewish Theological Seminary. He is a past President of the Connecticut Valley Region of the Rabbinical Assembly.
Rabbi Rosen has been sought-after as a speaker and written extensively in the areas of Disability and Judaism, Conversion, and contemporary interpretation of Classic texts. His interests include the ethical Mussar tradition in Jewish life, psychology, modern day Israel and the development of alternative models to Jewish growth.
Approachable and eager to meet and learn from all, he is also an avid runner who hopes his knees will last far into the future.
Contact Information:
(860) 233-9696, ext. 103
info@bethelwh.org
Rabbi Rachel Zerin
Rabbi Rachel Zerin is excited to join Beth El Temple as Assistant Rabbi. She is driven by her passion to cultivate sacred community, and to enable people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to access the wisdom of Jewish texts and traditions as sources of support when confronting life's joys and challenges.
A native of Massachusetts, Rabbi Zerin joins us after serving at Temple Emanu-El in Providence, RI for five years, where she grew youth and family programming, oversaw adult learning, created holiday programs for people of all ages, led spirited services, and more. In the broader community, Rabbi Zerin served on the RI Commission on Prejudice and Bias, worked for the Cambridge Inter-Faith Programme’s Summer School at Cambridge University, and was founder of If We Serve, an interfaith service-learning retreat.
Rabbi Zerin was ordained from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2015, where she also received her MA in Talmud and completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Prior to that, she studied at the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem, where she first fell in love with Talmud; and earned her BA in Voice Performance and Religion from Syracuse University.
When she isn't helping people connect to each other and our texts and traditions, Rabbi Zerin is usually spending time with her spunky six year-old Rivkah, cooking, playing board games, or drinking coffee. She hopes you will join her for one of those activities soon!
Contact Information:
(860) 233-9696, ext. 104
info@bethelwh.org
Cantor Joseph Ness
Cantor Joseph Ness is the composer, orchestrator, and arranger of hundreds of pieces of music spanning both the liturgical and concert genres. He has been commissioned by major musical figures such as Lukas Foss and Fred Sherry, and continues to compose and arrange for the leading hazzanim of our time. Many orchestras and ensembles have also commissioned him, including the Brooklyn Philharmonic, Los Angeles Jewish Symphony, Manchester Orchestra (England), American Symphony Orchestra, Jerusalem Great Synagogue Choir, The Group for Contemporary Music, and the Washington Festival Orchestra. Ness has conducted many choral-orchestral masterpieces such as “The German Requiem” (Brahms), “The Symphony of Psalms” (Stravinsky), “Choral Fantasy” (Beethoven), and “Elijah” (Mendelssohn), in addition to a wide variety of orchestral and chamber instrumental music.
Because of Cantor Ness’ creative programming and noteworthy performances, Beth El Temple is a three-time winner of the National Solomon Schechter Award for Excellence in the Performing Arts. As part of a series of musical interpretations of biblical stories, he composed “Jacob’s Ladder”. “The Akedah” was performed in 2005, and “Sarah & Hagar” was premiered at the University of Hartford in 2006. In 2008, Cantor Ness arranged and conducted "Shining Through Broken Glass: An Ecumenical Concert Of Memory And Hope, 70 Years After Kristallnacht". The program, which took place in Providence, Rhode Island, featured the Rhode Island Philharmonic, an ecumenical 200-voice adult and youth choir, cantorial soloists and narration by Leonard Nemoy.
In 2010, Cantor Ness appeared in the national film, "100 Voices-A Journey Home". This documentary, based on an historic mission to Poland in 2009 by members of the Cantors Assembly, chronicles a performance by the National Polish Opera Orchestra and Choirs and cantorial colleagues of pre-Holocaust music arranged and conducted by Cantor Ness.
In 2011, Cantor Ness composed liturgical Friday evening services for women’s choir which was performed at the annual meeting of the Cantors Assembly in Toronto, Canada.
Contact Information:
(860) 233-9696, ext. 107
info@bethelwh.org
Rabbi Howard Sowalsky
Ritual and Executive Director
Rabbi Howard Sowalsky is the full-time Ritual and Executive Director of Beth El Temple. He has been employed at Beth El since January 2000. Rabbi Sowalsky grew up at Beth El, having been President of Beth El's Jr. USY, President of Beth El's USY, Vice-President of Atid and Senior Affairs for Connecticut Region USY.
Rabbi Sowalsky graduated in 1976 from Union College in Schenectady, New York, having majored in Political Science with a minor in Judaic Studies. Rabbi Sowalsky spent a summer in Israel in 1970, a semester living on Kibbutz K'far Etzion in 1974, and has made other numerous trips to Israel. Rabbi Sowalsky has studied at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles, has participated in the National Chevra Kadisha conference, spent three years in intensive Mussar study and continues to study it daily.
Rabbi Sowalsky received his ordination from the Vaad HaRabbonim of America in the Summer of 2006, under the supervision of Rabbi Mordechai Yitzchak Friedman.
Contact Information:
(860) 233-9696, ext. 102
info@bethelwh.org
Michelle Konigsburg
Education Director
Michelle has served as director of synagogue religious school programs and administrator of day schools in her decades-long career as a Jewish educator. Most recently Michelle served as educator in our own SULAM Beth El. Her passion is building relationships, honoring diversity, and working to help humanity to be kinder, more caring and compassionate. Michelle holds an MS in Educational Leadership and a BA in Education. She completed coursework towards an MA in Jewish Studies and Rabbinic Literature.
Contact Information:
(860) 233-9696
info@bethelwh.org
Limor Shefer
Hebrew Learning Coordinator
Limor’s focus is on Hebrew as both the language of our past and the language of our present. A popular teacher at Solomon Schechter Day School and at previous synagogue schools, Limor is designing a Hebrew curriculum that will integrate Jewish values, holidays, and prayers. She will regularly assess our children’s progress and supervise our educators in the implementation of this curriculum.
Contact Information:
(860) 233-9696
info@bethelwh.org
Officers
Sandra Stanfield, 1st Vice President
Leah Katz, 2nd Vice President
Stuart Wachtel, Treasurer
Jeremy Kempner, Assistant Treasurer
Meryl Danitz, Financial Secretary
Marsha Fisher, Assistant Financial Secretary
Ellen Sanders-Nirenstein, Secretary
Board of Trustees
Jonathan Alter (Past President)
Ron Apter
Lee Ann Benadiva
Alison Bluestone
Sam Borden
Judith Borus
Ann Brandwein (Past President)
Alisha Cipriano
Meryl Danitz
Sharon Efron
Len Eisenfeld
Marsha Fisher
Gerald Garfield
Shera Golder
Leah Katz
Jeremy Kempner
Justin Kudler
Diane Lieberfarb (Past President)
Janel MacDermott
Mina Nemirow
Elliott Pollack
Steve Rabb
Judy Resnick
Glen Rosenfeld
Judy Rosenthal (Past President)
Ellen Sanders-Nirenstein
Michael Schenker (Past President)
Sandra Stanfield
Gary Starr (Past President)
Stuart Wachtel
Auxiliary Representatives
Arthur Freedman, Men's Club President
Michelle Kunzman, Women's Network Chairwoman
Committee Chairpersons
Our committees work together to create a warm and inviting environment for our entire membership to enjoy. (To view our committee leadership, members must first log in.)
Tue, January 31 2023
9 Shevat 5783
Upcoming Events
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Sunday ,
FebFebruary 12 , 2023Morning Minyan & the World Wide Wrap with Men's Club!
Sunday, Feb 12th 8:45a to 9:30a
We invite you to join us for the mitzvah of wrapping tefillin in a minyan service. All our welcome in person. Breakfast will follow (RSVP Required). Cantor Joseph Ness will be speaking at the breakfast. Minyan attendees are encouraged to bring their own set of tefillin, but one will be provided if needed. Each minyan includes Kaddish for those in mourning and those observing yahrzeit and incorporates some English readings. We read Torah on Monday and Thursday mornings, as well as on Rosh Chodesh (the new month). At each service we read a list of names of those loved ones for whom yahrzeit is being observed. Our minyans are very welcoming to those who are saying Kaddish or simply want to sit in the comfort of a prayer community. -
Friday ,
FebFebruary 24 , 2023Shababa
Friday, Feb 24th 5:30p to 7:00p
We invite you and your kiddos to welcome Shabbat at Beth El! Shababa is a fun, engaging evening for our youngest generation. Geared toward children 0-8 and their families, we invite you to experience the joy of Shabbat with dancing, singing, stories, and prayers, followed by a joyful Shabbat dinner experience for all (including dinner for the kids, and food for grown-ups, too!). RSVP below to join Rabbi Rachel Zerin and Jason Kay for this fun program. -
Sunday ,
FebFebruary 26 , 2023Breakfast Program with Doron Sheffer, UConn Huskies and Israeli Retired Professional Basketball Player
Sunday, Feb 26th 9:15a to 11:30a
Join us for a breakfast program with Doron Sheffer, Israeli Retired Professional Basketball Player! Sheffer is a father of five and lives with his family in Moshav Amirim in the Galilee, Israel. Since 1988, basketball has been an inseparable part of his life. He played for the UConn Huskies from 1993-1996 under coach Jim Calhoun. In his first season, Sheffer was the Big East Conference Rookie of the Year. While at UConn, Sheffer formed a trio (with fellow starters Ray Allen and Kevin Ollie) that won the Big East basketball championship in three straight years. He is the only player from UConn with 1,000 points and 500 assists, in three varsity seasons. He has also played on several Israeli teams including the Israeli National team. In 2002, following a diagnosis with cancer, Sheffer thoroughly changed his way of life on all levels: physically, mentally and spiritually. Today, he is a writer & speaker, life coach and workshop presenter. He gives talks and workshops that appeal to a wide range of audiences of all ages, in which he tells his life story and provides tools and tips for a more healthy, happy and balanced way of living. In his most recent book, The Game of Life, Sheffer demonstrates the connection between body and mind; the physical and spiritual worlds; the basketball game and the world of the Torah; and past, present and future. On one court biblical Moses, Joseph the righteous and King David play with Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. In his own unique manner, Doron uses the basketball game as an allegory for life and utilizes it as an educational and therapeutic tool that can help us win a much greater, more significant game than the one played on the basketball courts – a game he refers to as The Game of Life. The Game of Life will be available for purchase. Book signing will follow the program. RSVP Required. Any RSVPs after February 22nd or walk-ins will be accommodated at the discretion of the Men’s Club and will be subject to an additional cost of $5 per person. RSVP by Wednesday, February 22, 2023. Questions? Please contact Michael Bloom (860.983.3476 or michaelbloom820@gmail.com). This event is co-sponsored by Beth El Men’s Club and Israel Engagement Committee. -
Saturday ,
MarMarch 4 , 2023Mincha B-Mitzvah of Illy Sugarman
Shabbat, Mar 4th 5:30p to 6:00p