Our History
Excerpt from an essay written by Luis Schuchinski in
celebration of Bnai Keshet’s 25th anniversary 5 years ago
Of our beginnings, I remember a few highlights very vividly. These include the first open meeting at which we got started, our decision to join the Reconstructionist Movement, the hiring of our first rabbi, the creation of our first pray book, and our first High Holy Days. For me these are warm memories.
Over the years, as Bnai Keshet has grown and changed, a number of people and events have contributed to the development of our distinct personality:
From the start, congregants have participated extensively in our religious services, often leading services themselves. The congregation is never an audience but rather an active participant in prayer.
We have been very fortunate with the Reconstructionist rabbis who have held the BK pulpit. David Klatzker, Joy Levitt, Dan Ehrenkrantz, [Rachel Gartner, and currently Elliott Tepperman] have given us unforgettable spiritual leadership. It was with genuine pride that we saw our Rabbi Ehrenkrantz become President of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
The decision to buy our synagogue property and build a sanctuary was a turning point. It signified a long-term outlook and determination, expressed through financial commitments, to gain permanence.
The national recognition received by our Family Education Program underscores a dedication to new and effective ways of learning. Now in its [seventeenth] year, this program has introduced core Jewish values to children and parents together through participation in a variety of classes and projects.
Most recently, Bnai Keshet [was] selected by STAR (Synagogues: Transformation and Renewal) as one of twelve congregations in the United States to participate in the Synaplex Initiative. The grant money from STAR [was used] to create national models for Shabbat centered communities that meet the educational, cultural, social, and spiritual needs of different groups. For us, this [meant] involving more Bnai Keshet families in synagogue life and extending our participatory, egalitarian, inclusive culture to the broader Jewish community. [Even more recently, Bnai Keshet has been the recipient of a Legacy Heritage Grant to expand and develop our Family Education Program, and a STAR Grant to facilitate our Long Range Planning.]
celebration of Bnai Keshet’s 25th anniversary 5 years ago
Of our beginnings, I remember a few highlights very vividly. These include the first open meeting at which we got started, our decision to join the Reconstructionist Movement, the hiring of our first rabbi, the creation of our first pray book, and our first High Holy Days. For me these are warm memories.
Over the years, as Bnai Keshet has grown and changed, a number of people and events have contributed to the development of our distinct personality:
From the start, congregants have participated extensively in our religious services, often leading services themselves. The congregation is never an audience but rather an active participant in prayer.
We have been very fortunate with the Reconstructionist rabbis who have held the BK pulpit. David Klatzker, Joy Levitt, Dan Ehrenkrantz, [Rachel Gartner, and currently Elliott Tepperman] have given us unforgettable spiritual leadership. It was with genuine pride that we saw our Rabbi Ehrenkrantz become President of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
The decision to buy our synagogue property and build a sanctuary was a turning point. It signified a long-term outlook and determination, expressed through financial commitments, to gain permanence.
The national recognition received by our Family Education Program underscores a dedication to new and effective ways of learning. Now in its [seventeenth] year, this program has introduced core Jewish values to children and parents together through participation in a variety of classes and projects.
Most recently, Bnai Keshet [was] selected by STAR (Synagogues: Transformation and Renewal) as one of twelve congregations in the United States to participate in the Synaplex Initiative. The grant money from STAR [was used] to create national models for Shabbat centered communities that meet the educational, cultural, social, and spiritual needs of different groups. For us, this [meant] involving more Bnai Keshet families in synagogue life and extending our participatory, egalitarian, inclusive culture to the broader Jewish community. [Even more recently, Bnai Keshet has been the recipient of a Legacy Heritage Grant to expand and develop our Family Education Program, and a STAR Grant to facilitate our Long Range Planning.]
