As the nights grow darker and Chanukah lights are ready to be lit in neighborhoods across Baltimore, members of Beth Am Synagogue in Reservoir Hill are preparing for one of their favorite parts of the year, said Susannah Kolstad, the director of congregational engagement and programming.
“Chanukah at Beth Am is joyful, musical and community-focused. We usually offer several programs that center on candle lighting, singing, and of course, delicious Chanukah foods,” she said. “The holiday also holds special meaning for us because our very first service as Beth Am took place on Shabbat [during] Chanukah in 1974, just after our founding members acquired the building from Chizuk Amuno.”
Since that service in 1974, Beth Am Synagogue has become a center of life for Jews in Baltimore City. While many know about the thoroughness of Judaism in areas like Pikesville and Owings Mills, there are still plenty of Jews within the boundaries of Charm City, too. Part of that status means that Beth Am works to share Jewish culture with the community at large.
“We also bring celebrations into public spaces. We hold tashlich at Middle Branch Park, ‘Services in the Park’ at the Maryland Zoo, and our community Chanukah party at R. House. These gatherings allow us to share Jewish joy with the broader city and celebrate in the neighborhoods we love,” Kolstad said. The Chanukah party at R. House, a former auto body shop turned food hall, is an annual event, as are the Chanukah parties for Beth Am’s Hebrew school, the Kabbalat Shabbat service on Shabbat Chanukah, and other fun happenings.
While Beth Am loves celebrating Chanukah, Kolstad said that is never meant to outshine the rest of the community, or something uniquely special: the magic of lighting candles at home.
“We love celebrating together as a community, but we’re not trying to compete with other winter holidays,” Kolstad said. “We also honor the fact that much of Chanukah happens in people’s homes, and we want to leave space for families to embrace the traditions that matter most to them.”
This idea is a microcosm of what makes Beth Am so successful, and why the synagogue has been celebrating its 50th anniversary since last year — even though this is now their 51st year. Kolstad said that it’s all about finding a middle ground.
“We’re always seeking the right balance between honoring tradition and evolving to meet the needs of our members,” she said.
That idea is often credited by new members as what made the community stand out among a crowded and competitive field of wonderful Baltimore shuls. The team at Beth Am asks new members what led them to join, and they hear the same idea expressed often.
“Again and again, we hear about our welcoming community, the diversity of our membership, our commitment to social justice, and the joyful, thoughtful programming and learning opportunities,” Kolstad said. “For many, Beth Am becomes more than a place to attend Shabbat and holidays — it becomes their Jewish home. A place to celebrate, learn, ask questions, enjoy music and food, support one another through joy and sorrow, and build lifelong relationships.”
The synagogue’s programming is a major point of emphasis, as they know how to have a good time. Beth Am is closing out their 50th anniversary celebration on Dec. 13 with a party themed around the year of its inception. The adults-only bash will feature klezmer music, dancing, a DJ spinning 70’s hits, hors d’oeuvres, dessert, themed cocktails and lots of groovy vibes.
Said programming isn’t just about fun, though. Beth Am holds fundraisers and events for local schools, community centers and other nearby organizations. This February, the clergy is leading a trip to eastern Africa to visit the Abayudaya Jewish community in Uganda and see the landscape.
As another holiday season comes around, it’s a particularly poignant time for the Beth Am community to reflect on all that they have been through over their five decades of existence.
“It’s a moment of joy during the winter, and for our community, it’s also tied to our origin story,” Kolstad said.
Beth Am is special, and Kolstad is proud to be a part of it.
“Our congregation is wonderfully diverse in backgrounds, identities and Jewish journeys,” she said. “That diversity — combined with our shared love of Baltimore — creates a warm, inclusive and uniquely engaged community.”
