Annual Concert
	Beth El held its annual concert on June 8, 2008 at 2:00pm at the Walzer Family Jewish Center at 444 main Street North in Southbury to a full house. Back by popular demand mezzo soprano Maraget Capen and pianist King Bosworth in "Something Old, Something New; Something Borrowed. Something Blue" wowed the crowd

2008 Shem Tov Award

Ernest Ruchman waschosen to receive Beth El Synagogue’s 2008 Shem Tov Award, presented at the Annual Concert on June 8, 2008 at the Walzer Family Jewish Community Campus. Shem Tov (Good Name) is given to one whose actions are guided by personal integrity, compassion, moral responsibility, and human ethics. The recipient is one who possesses profound humanitarian qualities derived from our sacred heritage. The recipient is one who has shown a dedication to furthering the mission of the Synagogue. With twinkling brown eyes, white hair and a pleasant smile, this busy man found time to fit in his interests and responsibilities. Although he played golf four or five times a week, he also managed to be the Treasurer of Beth El, President of his condo, Board member of the ambulance association, and hiker. Ernie, as he is called, has seen the death of his beloved wife Rita of 59 years and his own debilitating illness. However, one thing you will never hear is him complain. Even from his convelescent home bed, he will help Beth El in any way he can. Raised in Brooklyn, Ernie was in the dress business and in production for various companies. After retirement he and Rita came to Heritage Village 20 years ago. They had played golf in the 70’s in Southbury years before and had said “some day we will come back here”. Ernie has 2 children, Mark the doctor lives in Washington, CT and Alan the developer, lives in Cos Cob, CT and four grandchildren Julia 27, David 23, Zachary 19 and Gus 16. Ernie’s favorite part of the service is when they read from the Torah. On his bedside is Beth El’s sidur. He truly represents a religious man. It is not the physical room that defines your spirit, but the warmth of memories and the love of family.

Israel's 60th Birthday

Beth El and the Jewish Federation of Western Connecticut present the Catalyst Dance Company and guests in Birthday Aliyah, an artistic and interactive celebration of Israel’s 60th birthday. This performance will include dance, poetry, photographs, and YOU, the audience. Birthday Aliyah will take place on Sunday, June 22, 2008, at 4:00pm at the Southbury Campus of the Jewish Federation, in the social hall at the Campus. Together, b’yachad, we will celebrate Israel in poetry by Hannah Senesh, Chaim Bialick, Yehuda Amichai, and more, in song by Danny Maseng, Naomi Shemer, Sharit Hadad and more, in dances created by Jodi Falk, co-director of the award-winning Catalyst Dance Company, and in photographs by award-winning Yehoshua Halevi. Members of the audience will be asked to come up for an aliyah, to read the poetry that started the country, and in doing so will join millions of Jews who are called up to stand for Israel. The Catalyst Dance Company has been called “fierce” and “hipper than thou” by the press, and has performed from New York to California, and Miami to Massachusetts. Catalyst is a company of talented young dancers dedicated to performing contemporary dance created by local and nationally-known artists. Catalyst tours their View-and-Do program to public schools, teaching literature, art, music and history through the vehicle of dance. Jodi Falk, Founder and co-Director of Catalyst, has performed, choreographed and taught dance and yoga throughout the US, Canada, Europe, Central America, Israel and South Africa. Jodi has a B.A. from Brown University, an M.F.A. from Temple University, and is a certified Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analyst. As a choreographer she has received many commissions and grants for her work internationally. Companies she has choreographed for include Austria’s Theatre Ohne Grenzen, UK’s CandoCo, a company of able-bodied and disabled dancers, and the US’s Hartford Ballet in a project with the Hartford community. Jodi was chosen as one of New England’s top choreographers for the 2001 International Festival of Arts and Ideas with Stone Gardens, a performance about the cabarets that were created and presented in Nazi concentration camps. Jodi has received grants from the London Arts Board, the Bonnie Bird Award, the Austrian Cultural Institute, the Northampton and Massachusetts Cultural Councils, among others. Her choreography has been called “poignant” by The Guardian, full of “intense, still beauty” by The London Times and “mind-blowing” by The New Haven Advocate. Jodi’s work on Remix Dance Theatre, an integrated (wheelchair/non-wheelchair; race, age, mixed ability) company in South Africa has been called “remarkable” – The Johannesburg Star. Come and celebrate Israel’s 60th birthday; bring family and friends, and witness western Connecticut’s Jewish communities stand up for Israel, along with artists who will dance for Israel. Admission is free. For information, call the Beth El Office at (203) 264-4500 between the hours of 9:00am- 1:00pm.