About Us
Welcome to Temple Beth El of Oneonta
Temple Beth El is an egalitarian congregation serving the Jewish community of the northern Catskills since 1935. We join together for prayer, celebrations, and life-cycle events in our beautiful synagogue in Oneonta, New York.
As a community representing a variety of Jewish experiences, we are dedicated to the continuity of Jewish life and the shared expression of our traditions, values and culture in its many forms. Through prayer, learning, social events, commitment to each other and service to the community, we encourage a life-long connection to Judaism. Each member, at every age and at all levels of knowledge and practice, is supported, challenged, and encouraged to seek an increased understanding of her/himself and Judaism.
Our History
In the fall of 1935, about eight Jewish families were invited to the home of Mr. Benjamin Krohn to meet with Rabbi Joshua Cohen of Temple Beth El in Utica. All those attending this gathering felt that it was time to formally organize into a religious group. The result of this meeting: The Oneonta Jewish Community became a reality.
The primary purpose of formally organizing was to provide a place for religious worship, and Jewish education and culture for the children and families in Oneonta and vicinity. In the early part of 1942 this need became great enough to have regular Friday night services.
During the High Holidays, we received assistance from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. Each year a student rabbi from the Seminary conducted services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Our first home was on Chestnut Street over the Oneonta Theatre. In 1950 we moved to larger quarters at 177 Main Street over Henderson’s store. Rabbi Marans of New York City returned to dedicate our new quarters. As our membership grew and family participation and interest was at a high level, we became aware that our quarters were too small for us to properly fulfill our responsibility for the religious education of our children, and for our ever expanding program.
Under the leadership of Dr. Sanford Gordon as president and Gabriel Harris as chairman of the building committee, The Oneonta Jewish Community purchased the Bookhout Funeral Home on Chestnut Street, in the spring of 1956. After extensive alterations, we proudly moved in and named our new place of worship Temple Beth El, in honor of our parent Temple in Utica.
Throughout these years, much work and thought has been given to the growth and development of our community. We have always been fortunate to have members and friends and relatives of our community who have had a genuine interest in our needs and progress. To this end, many people have generously contributed money and gifts which have added to the beauty and better functioning of our Temple. Our sisterhood and brotherhood have faithfully and devotedly worked to raise funds and work in behalf of our community.
We have always observed minyans for Yarzeits for members and visitors. We have had several Bar Mitzvahs and our Temple has always been open to the Hillel and to all young people from the colleges, schools and the Boy Scouts. We have always held festival celebrations at Succoth, Chanukah, Purim and Passover. We have had several Seder services both for the children and adults. We have had many guest rabbis who have spoken to us during Brotherhood Week to which our community has been closely associated. Many ministers from Oneonta churches, and speakers from Hartwick College and the (then) State Teachers College have given us inspirational talks on Friday nights.
Today we are proud of our new Temple, really built with living hands. With the rapid growth at the local colleges, particularly the State College, new members joined the congregation from the faculties and administrations. The same high mobility, however, caused the departure of other, often valuable members, when opportunities beckoned at other locations. Meanwhile, the great increase in student enrollment at the colleges resulted in larger numbers of Jewish students attending and taking part in Friday night and holiday services.
Frequently, the sanctuary had been too small to accommodate our regular Shabbat congregation and did not accommodate our needs during the High Holy Days. For decades, we had to borrow facilities from area colleges, churches, and other institutions to conduct services for our members and guests.
We were fortunate when Elliot Cohen, one of our members, agreed to design and to build our new sanctuary. We can be proud that funds for the expansion came for the most part from the congregation, the community at large, and local organizations. We are thankful for all donations, as no amount is insignificant.
Early in the 1970’s a cemetery committee, chaired by Sid Levine, put in a great deal of time and effort to establish a cemetery for the Temple Beth El congregation. At last, at the end of 1971, the goal was achieved. Sid was able to get approval of Father Whelan of St. Mary’s and the enthusiastic support of Judge Molinari who played such a vital role in the acquisition.
The Temple continued its practice of getting student rabbis from the Theological Seminary for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. In September 1977, during the tenure of the Temple’s first woman president, Bunny Joseph, the congregation secured the services of Rabbi Max Rothschild. The arrangement worked out had Rabbi Rothschild coming up two weekends a month from his home in River Edge, New Jersey. Dr. Rothschild came to the Temple as a member of the faculty of the Theological Seminary.
In 1992, we reached a significant milestone when a full-time rabbi was engaged, making it possible to observe all Jewish Holy Days and to expand our children’s and adults’ pastoral needs and education programs. Our Oneonta Jewish Community was blessed when Rabbi Donald Neil Roberts came to us. We were twice blessed when Rabbi Roberts brought with him, his wife, Barbara Lynn Roberts, a Cantorial Soloist. After serving our community for twenty years, the Roberts’ retired and we were lucky to have had a wonderful replacement in Rabbi Molly Karp who served our community for five years.
Temple Beth El has continued to grow as our spiritual home, a place to shape our families’ Jewish lives. Temple Beth El’s mission is to teach Judaism by example and by precept: through worship, learning, and community activities. The synagogue has continued to offer religious services, children’s education, adult study groups, music programs, and counseling to members, non-members, students of the four surrounding colleges, and to visitors from out-of town.
One of Judaism’s sacred duties consists of tikkun olam, mending the world, which Temple Beth El follows with its work in the community at large. The congregation participates in interfaith activities, works to fill social needs, is active in social and charitable causes, donates money, contributes goods, and participates in direct services. For example, our temple gives to local food banks and works at St. James Episcopalian Church’s Lord’s Table. Our facilities are available to other community organizations for meetings and other activities. Furthermore, a very large numbers of our members volunteer time and effort to assist the needy. Each year, our congregation participates in a community-wide Thanksgiving service, and will take part in the dedication of the new St. Mary Roman Catholic Church School. Father Paul Roman has conveyed to the Oneonta Jewish Community, title to additional plots in the St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church’s Cemetery.
We maintain our commitment to keep alive our history, our tradition, and our faith. We prepare our children to live full Jewish lives. We honor those who started, maintained, and still actively work and encourage Judaism in this community. We also salute all those who presently fight for our Judaism and who set an example for our children. We salute all those who follow the commitment to our Temple, in prayer, in learning, and in continuing God’s creation.
