About Congregation Beth El

Introduction

    Shalom, and welcome to Congregation Beth El in Bangor, Maine.  I am pleased to have this vehicle for sharing with you a little bit about our congregation, its character and guiding philosophy.

    Congregation Beth El was established in 1982, as a Reform synagogue serving the Jews of central and "Downeast" Maine.  We have grown steadily since that time, with a current membership of over 140 households.  While many of our members reside in the adjacent communities of Bangor, Brewer, Orono and Hampden, our geographic radius is quite large, with members to the east in Bar Harbor, the Blue Hill peninsula, and Deer Isle, south in Belfast and the mid-coast region, west in Dover-Foxcroft and Monson, and as far north as Patten.

    Beth El was founded to provide a religiously liberal alternative to the existing synagogues in Bangor (one Conservative and one Orthodox).  The Bangor Jewish community has a long and venerable history, dating back to the 1850s, and both synagogues have existed for almost 100 years.  By the 1980s, however, an increasing number of Jews drawn to Reform Judaism, including many intermarried families, sought to establish a different kind of synagogue.  After a dozen years of worship and religious school in various locations, Beth El moved into its own building in March 1996, and currently enjoys recognition as one of Bangor's most vibrant religious institutions.

    From its inception, Beth El has sought to distinguish itself by its commitment to certain values:

Inclusiveness in Membership

    Our members come from many different backgrounds and all walks of life.  We are a welcoming spiritual home for those raised in the Reform tradition, as well as those with more or less traditional backgrounds.  Many of our members are adults who are reconnecting to their spiritual heritage.  A significant proportion of our members are intermarried couples, and individuals who have chosen to become Jewish as adults.  Non-traditional families and singles are fully embraced as part of our congregational community. Our sanctuary is handicapped accessible.

An Egalitarian Environment

    Women and men are religiously equal in all respects at Beth El.  All of our worship is gender-sensitive.  In keeping with the principles of Reform Judaism, we recognize the Jewishness of children of either a Jewish father or mother, who are raised as Jews.

Creativity in Worship

    Our worship involves congregational participation.  We do lots of singing, often with guitar, always with enthusiasm.  Our services are characterized by warmth, and a strong sense of community.  Through our sermons and discussions, you will encounter an intelligent and spiritually honest approach to Jewish tradition.  Our prayerbook is user-friendly, including Hebrew, English, and transliteration.

Educational Excellence

    Our religious school program extends from Kindergarten, through Confirmation in 10th Grade, and now all the way to 12th grade.  We are proud to boast an outstanding faculty, all drawn from members of our congregation, most of whom are trained educators.  If you visit our school, you'll see a flurry of activity, colorful classrooms, music and art, and high standards of Hebrew and Judaic knowledge.

Community Involvement

    Commitment to the Jewish and general community are central to our identity as a congregation.  Our ongoing social action projects, such as our monthly work at a local soup kitchen, our High Holy Days food drive, and our annual blood drive, are unifying activities in the lives of our congregants.  We have joined our name to causes that speak to our ethical heritage as Jews, and built friendships across denominational lines because of our shared values.

Conclusion

    As a rabbi, I feel it is a privilege to serve a congregation like Beth El.  It is one of those rare communities in which the sense of belonging comes from the heart.  I enjoy the closeness of my relationship with adults and children that only a small congregation can afford.  Yet, we are large enough to have stability and an active program with many options for involvement and study.

    Beth El is a growing congregation, both in the number of Jews who have found a spiritual home here, and in the depth and richness of our Jewish lives.  I hope that you, too, will find this to be a spiritually enriching community.

-Rabbi Lerner

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