Join your fellow congregants for lunch and learn about the history of Temple Beth El. Begin with an overview of the creation of our beloved synagogue 75 years ago presented by Doug Kraus, the son of one of TBE’s founding families and current temple member. He will be joined by Rabbi Dennis Ross, sharing his experience working with TBE’s former Rabbi, Chaim Stern - a retrospective of what our community was like in the past and lessons he learned that can be applied at the synagogue, over the next 75 years and beyond. End with an engaging look at the design and expansion of our community home from architect, Alexander Gorlin, a protégé of Louis Kahn, complete with walking tour. 

This 75th anniversary event is a benefit of your temple membership and is free to attend but requires a registration to assist TBE in providing lunch and preparing for your arrival.  Please fill out the form below to register. On the afternoon of April 27, adults will need to present their Digital ID to enter the building. 

RSVP form coming soon!

About the Presenters
Douglas Kraus: Chappaqua’s Town Justice and second generation TBE congregant, Kraus and his family are among a small group of founding members.  

Rabbi Dennis Ross: Currently serving as Interim Senior Rabbi at Temple Shaaray Tefila, Ross served as Temple Beth El’s Associate Rabbi for nine years and was the longest serving associate with Rabbi Chaim Stern who led our congregation from 1968-2001. Rabbi Ross will offer reflections on his time at Beth El during an especially productive and creative period of Rabbi Stern’s career. In those years, Rabbi Stern wrote, edited, and published numerous liturgical works, leading many to call him “the poet laureate of the Reform movement.”

Alexander Gorlin, Architect:  Throughout his career, renowned 20th-century architect Louis Kahn had designed several synagogues, however, Temple Beth El was the only one ever built. Originally constructed in 1972, the synagogue urgently called for an expansion to accommodate its growing community. When given this task, Alexander Gorlin Architects held the responsibility of both complementing and enhancing the existing architecture all while remaining sensitive to the originally envisioned plan.