It is hard to believe that I arrived at Beth Israel Sinai in October 2000. So much has happened during my 12-year tenure.
Arriving as a self-trained cantor, I was asked by two congregants to read an article in Moment magazine. This article offered a correspondence course leading to rabbinical ordination. Furthermore, the synagogue graciously offered to pay the seminary tuition.
I ultimately accepted the challenge, despite being the spiritual leader to Beth Israel Sinai and at Glenview senior citizens home as well as being employed as a marketing executive in a major business organization. Being a fitness fanatic, I could be seen balancing a volume of Talmud on the handlebars of the treadmill.
I completed my course of study within a self-imposed deadline of three years in June 2006. It was bashert (foreordained) that I did not take longer.
On Sept. 30 of that year, Beth Israel Sinai honored me with a special Shabbat service to celebrate my ordination. It was the last simcha that would be attended by my father Myron. Dad passed away two days before Chanukah of that year.
As I look back over our 12 years together, I marvel at what we have achieved. Our commitment to maintaining a strong Jewish presence in southeast Wisconsin has been unsurpassed.
While Beth Israel Sinai has about 40 member families, Shabbat morning services are regularly attended by 14-25 participants. Our president Jeff Collen, and his wife Rita, established Shabbat dinner and Kabbalat Shabbat services the third Friday of every month.
Our Kiddish luncheons have become gourmet affairs due to the efforts of Rita, Jeff, Kathy and Yaakov Schmadl and numerous other congregants. The temple received the financial support of many participants for both Friday night Shabbat dinners and Shabbat morning luncheons.
Following lunch, over the last two years we have completed learning the Torah, Joshua, Judges, Samuel I and II, and the First Book of Kings. Our goal is to finish the entire Jewish Bible.
Record numbers of participants, including several visitors, attended Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur services inaugurating 5773.
In the field of education, our Hebrew school students receive 45 minutes of individual attention a week. We have celebrated many b’nai mitzvah ceremonies together over the last 12 years — including several for adults. Each candidate learned the Haftorah trope (musical signs), read from the Torah, and helped lead Shabbat services.
Our adult education programs have also thrived. Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m., a class was conducted on the weekly Torah portion. In addition, this year I will offer a class on how to read both the Torah and Haftorah tropes.
Education at Beth Israel Sinai is not limited to individuals who were Jews by birth. Last winter, a student who had been studying with me for 18 months converted to Judaism. Three more students have been attending conversion classes. Additional trips to the mikvah will be planned in the near future.
Despite these achievements, we have so much more to do.
To guarantee our survival as a bastion of Judaism in southeastern Wisconsin, I have asked every member to consider themselves an “ambassador” on behalf of Beth Israel Sinai; to invite friends with a 50-mile radius who are looking for a synagogue home to visit our congregation; and to inform people that our beautiful synagogue is available as a venue for all life cycle events.
We are an egalitarian congregation with a kosher kitchen that is intentionally not Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform. We seek to bring all Jews together in an attempt to preserve what unites us rather than what divides us.
As we enter 5773, may we continue to grow from strength to strength.
Rabbi Martyn Adelberg is spiritual leader of Beth Israel Sinai Congregation in Racine.
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