Since its founding in 1956 by just 10 families on 10 acres of land, Beth Israel Congregation has grown into a thriving hub of Jewish life. Nearly 70 years later, the synagogue continues to evolve with new staff, creative programming and a deep commitment to creating a welcoming, inclusive space for all.
According to Executive Director Leslie Wiener, the synagogue has reached an exciting milestone by becoming fully staffed this spring. The recent hire of a program and communications manager marks a significant step toward Beth Israel’s future.
“That was something we’ve been wanting to do, and we were able to do,” Wiener said, noting how this role will enhance the congregation’s ability to connect with members and grow participation.
As High Holidays draw near, the synagogue’s programming is already in motion.
Beth Israel’s Elul Launch on Aug. 24 will begin a series of weekly events throughout the month of Elul, which encourages spiritual reflection and personal growth. Rather than focusing on logistics like holiday cooking, these upcoming programs aim to help members enter the new Jewish year feeling inspired.
High Holiday ticket registration is open, and while prices have not yet been finalized, Beth Israel wants members and guests to know that finances will never be a barrier.
“We don’t believe money should stand in the way of anyone participating in services,” said Wiener.
That same spirit of inclusion extends to membership, which features a three-year incentive plan. New members pay just one-third of the standard dues in their first year, two-thirds in the second year and full dues in the third. The goal of this plan is to ease families into the community without the pressure of full financial commitment.
For families with children beginning at age 5, the Beth Israel Community Learning Lab has opened registration. This award-winning religious school provides accessible entry into Jewish learning with tuition-free enrollment through second grade.
Beyond the future programs happening soon at Beth Israel, Wiener noted that the synagogue has also held memorable Israel-related programming throughout a difficult year of global Jewish challenges.
Beth Israel has hosted national partners like StandWithUs in April for a workshop called “Navigating Israel Conversations on Campus,” which provided helpful insight for parents on how they can support their young adults in navigating these conversations.
More recently, Beth Israel had a program on Erev Shavuot in which community members spoke about demonstrations of antisemitism on college campuses post-Oct. 7. “[They spoke about] anti-Zionism and antisemitism: what it looks like, what the differences are and how it shows up,” Wiener said.
This program also included a visit from a professor from Cornell University.
“[She] showed clips from different news outlets and also from the documentary called ‘October 8,’” Wiener said. “That’s what we did for Shavuot this year.”
Among its many initiatives, Beth Israel invited congregants to join in Shabbat conversations following services held in the chapel after lunch. These informal discussions offered support for community members processing their emotions regarding current events in Israel.
“They talk about things that they’re scared about, things they have questions about, things that they’re frustrated with, things that they are choosing to support Israel about. It was a really open and warm place for people to talk about what’s going on,” Wiener said.
Beth Israel’s rabbi also sends out emails and updates when something in Israel occurs, with thoughts and summaries to help contextualize events and provide spiritual guidance.
Wiener also added that the synagogue says special prayers during services.
Amy Hollander is a Baltimore Jewish Times intern.
