President's Column

This and that

By Mike Shapiro, President

March 2025

Art Festival Beth-El

Thank you to the Festival Co-Chairs, volunteers, The Boyz, artists, patrons
friends, supporters, art lovers, art buyers, temple members, our friends and guests, temple staff  and the St. Petersburg Police Department for helping create another amazing community event. As you may know, Art Festival Beth-El is the most significant annual fundraiser at TBE. Our ability to remain a vital congregation is dependent on its success. Thank you again to everyone who contributed this year. 

Hannukah Fundraiser a Success!

At our 101 Menorahs Hannukah Celebration in December, I asked those present to consider giving a Hannukah gift to the temple. The goal was $8,000 - $1,000 for each night of the holiday. A few days later, I sent a video about the Fundraiser to the entire congregation. I am pleased to announce that we exceeded the goal in just one week. I was inspired by one of our younger congregants who answered the call and made a $10 donation.

I apologize if the “Don't Let The Lights Go Out” theme for the fundraiser made you think Duke Energy was going to pull the plug. Our temple finances are solid. “Don't Let The Lights Go Out” is a line from a Peter, Paul and Mary song called “Light One Candle”. It is a song about hope and encourages you to be the candle or the energy. In hindsight, choosing “Don't Let The Lights Go Out” as the theme was misleading. I should have called it “Light One Candle.” Always better to approach from a positive. Lesson learned. By the way, we lit 13,000 candles! Thank you!

Annual Meeting

This year, our Annual Meeting is May 21. Please join us as we elect the Board of Trustees, approve an Annual Budget, celebrate the past year and present Congregational Awards.

Membership Renewal

Temple membership renews each year on July 1. We are working on ways to
 simplify your renewal  and make the process more user friendly.

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To see the entire March 2025 edition of Temple Beth-El's Scroll newsletter, click here

Well, that was a month!

By Mike Shapiro, President

November 2024

Helene & Milton

If you had told me that I would be writing a monthly article about Helene and Milton, I would have assumed one of two things:

First, that Helene and Milton Cohen were an extremely generous and philanthropic couple who have made a sizable donation to the temple endowment, and I wanted to publicly thank them for their amazing gift. Or...

On the other hand, I could also imagine that Helene and Milton were long time congregants who took issue with something I did or said, and I needed to publicly apologize. Either one of those options could be plausible.

Honestly, never in a million years would I have guessed that Helene and Milton would be back-to-back storms responsible for the evacuations, cancellations, destruction and unbelievable hardship for so many. However, along with all the damage and sadness, I have witnessed much caring, concern and assistance from our community. The outpouring of support, physical, emotional, and financial has reinforced to me just how amazing this congregation is. I have no doubt we will recover. Many in our community just need a little time, a helping hand, some good luck, a qualified and honest contractor, some drywall, maybe a new vehicle, appliances, some carpeting, ongoing support and perhaps even a kugel.

Congregation B’nai Israel

Please know our friends at Congregation B'nai Israel were not as fortunate following the two storms. Their building sustained significant damage due to flooding associated with Milton. We have made our facility available for many of their needs. Rabbi Morrison and Rabbi Weintraub are coordinating schedules. There will be opportunities for us to join as a united Jewish community over the next few months. I hope we take advantage.

Please renew your Temple membership

If you have yet to renew your temple membership by completing and updating the membership packet, please do so now. Payment is not due, but the renewal paperwork is. You can update on our website or over the phone. Thank you for your cooperation.

The Tekiah Fund

If you have yet to donate to the Tekiah Fund, please do so if you are able. Remember, we no longer have a Kol Nidre or High Holiday Appeal. We depend on your generosity so if you are able, please consider a donation. 

...and may November be a kinder and gentler month

About that kugel...

By Mike Shapiro, President

August 2024

You may recall that last year on Rosh Hashanah morning, I shared a story about receiving a phone call from a congregant upon learning of the death of a member of our congregation. The caller did not personally know the deceased yet shared with me that she had a kugel in her freezer and wanted to deliver it to the family. I was moved by her compassion and how, through the kugel, she wanted to demonstrate her care, concern, and support for a family in their time of need, even if they were relative strangers.

I went on to explain that I thought that should be our unofficial slogan: “Temple Beth-El, where we always have a kugel in our freezer.” That morning, I challenged everyone present at the service to place an actual or metaphorical kugel in their freezer. My hope was more folks would further engage with our community and create meaningful relationships by reaching out and being supportive of one another, especially in times of need.

I want to share that in the past 9 months, I have heard many stories of members reaching out to each other and getting more involved. They have discovered the added value and benefits of our community. Whether being a part of Earth Angels, a temple committee, attending services and programs or going to a shiva minyan at the home of a stranger, more folks are embracing our community.

Last year, I told you that I was going to ask you at the next Rosh Hashanah service if you had placed a kugel in your freezer. There is still time to “Kugel Up.” Rabbi Morrison has arrived, and high holidays will be here before you know it. This is a great time to further embrace and share yourself (and your kugel) with our community.

Please Share Your Kugel Story.

I would love to fill next month's Scroll (and the one after!) with both your Kugel Story as well as your favorite Kugel recipe. A “kugel story” is a short story of how you shared or received either a real or metaphorical kugel and how you have embraced or been embraced by our community.

Please email your kugel story to Tovah by August 15.