Beth El Synagogue
Dates
- Creation: 1953 - 2012
Biographical / Historical
Beth El Temple was founded in West Hartford in 1954 by a group of seven couples from The Emanuel Synagogue in Hartford. The temple’s first Rabbi, Stanley Kessler, was appointed in September of that year. Kessler would be noted for his involvement in the civil rights movement and other causes. Rabbi Kessler served as religious leader of the Temple until his retirement in 1992. At that time, Rabbi James Rosen was appointed and Rabbi Kessler became Rabbi Emeritus.
Beth El was founded on democratic principles. All members paid the same membership fee and had an equal vote. Almost from the beginning, women as well as men were entitled to vote on behalf of their families.
Before moving into its own building, the congregation held services at the Friends’s Meeting House on South Quaker Lane. The congregation began construction on its own building starting with the Education Wing in 1954. The Temple Sanctuary was completed in 1963. Since that time, chapel and sculpture gardens have been added.
Emanuel and Beth El maintained a joint religious school from 1953 until 1955. The joint school met first at Emanuel and then at the Robinson School. When the Beth El Education Wing was completed, Beth El established its own school.
By 1980, the congregation numbered almost 700 families. Today, with a membership of over 1,000 households, Beth El is one of the largest Conservative congregations in New England.
Language of Materials
English
General Note
Box 1: A
Anniversary/Congregation/10th, 1963
Anniversary/Congregation/13th, 1967
Anniversary/Congregation/18th, 1971
Anniversary/Congregation/20th, 1973-1974
Anniversary/Congregation/25th, 1978-1979
Anniversary/Congregation/30th, 1983-1984
Anniversary/Congregation/35th, 1988-1989
Anniversary/Congregation/40th, 1992-1994
Anniversary/Congregation/50th, 2001-2004
Anniversary/Congregation/50th/Archive Notes, 2001-2004
Awards
Awards/Elie Wiesel, Kessler Award, 2006, includes autographed program and two photographs
Box 2: B-D
Board of Directors/Annual Meeting
Board of Directors/Members
Board of Directors/Meetings/Miscellaneous
Board of Directors/Officers
Board of directors/Presidents/Bernstein, Stuart
Board of directors/Presidents/Feinstein, Arthur W.
Board of directors/Presidents/Rachlin, Joseph
Board of directors/Presidents/Ludgin. Louis
Board of directors/Presidents/Weiner
Board of directors/Presidents/Weinstein, Arthur
Buildings/2626 Albany Ave./Chapel, 1989
Buildings/2626 Albany Ave./Dedication, June 1955
Buildings/2626 Albany Ave./Education Wing/First Construction, 1955
Buildings/2626 Albany Ave./Education Wing/Cornerstone, 1955
Buildings/2626 Albany Ave./Renovation, 2002-2003
Buildings/2626 Albany Ave./Sanctuary, 1963
Buildings/2626 Albany Ave./Sculpture Garden
Buildings/2626 Albany Ave./Renovation, 2002-2003
Calendars of Events and Programs
Cemetery
Chai Society
Charitable Activities/Social Action
Constitution and by-laws
Constitution and by-laws/Women’s vote, 1955
Contributions to charities
Box 3: D-G
Education/
Education/
Education/Adult Education
Education/Adult Education/Morning Book Review Group, 1965
Education/Adult Education/Scholar in Residence
Education/School/Activities
Education/School/Activities/Israel
Education/School/Activities\Yearbook, 1951
Education/School/Activities/Graduation and Confirmation
Education/School/Planning
Education/School/Programs and Curriculum
Financial
Financial, 1950s
Fundraising/Capital Campaign, 2001
Fundraising/Endowment
Fundraising/Miscellaneous
Box 4: He -Historical Highlights
Health and Safety
Historical Highlights/Cemetery
Historical Highlights/Financial
Historical Highlights/Groundbreaking
Historical Highlights/Meetings
Historical Highlights/Members
Historical Highlights/Miscellaneous/Primary Material, c. 1954
Historical Highlights/Miscellaneous/Secondary Material
Historical Highlights/Newspaper clippings
Historical Highlights/Officers and Trustees
Historical Highlights/Picnic
Historical Highlights/Real Estate
Historical Highlights/Robinson School
Historical Highlights/Newsletter/Temple Topics
Historical Highlights/Services
Historical Highlights/Special Bulletins
Historical Highlights/Zoning
Box 5: Ho-M
Holidays/Chanukah
Holidays/High Holidays
Holidays/New Year
Holidays/Passover
Holidays/Purim
Holidays/Simchas Torah
Holidays/Tisha B’Av
Holidays/Yom Ha Atzmaut
Holocaust
Interfaith Activities
Interfaith Activities/Notes, 1962
Interfaith Activities/Union Thanksgiving Services, 1950s-1960s
Judaica Art Collection
Members and Membership
Members/Individuals
Members/Gift book listing names of members who contributed to various funds.
Men’s Club
Mitzvah Day, 2000-
Music/Cantors
Music/Concerts
Music/Miscellaneous
Music/Organ
Music and Arts Committee/Art Exhibition, 1995
Box 6: Newsletters, 1950s-1990
These sets of newsletters are incomplete, particularly for the early years.
Newsletter, 1950s
Newsletter, 1960s
Newsletter, 1971-1972
Newsletter, 1973-1974
Newsletter, 1975-1976
Newsletter, 1980
Newsletter, 1984-1986
Newsletter, 1987-1988
Newsletter, 1989-1990
Box 7: Newsletters, 1991-2000s – Newspaper clippings/miscelleaneous
Newsletter, 1991-1992
Newsletter, 1993-1994
Newsletter, 1995-1997
Newsletter, 1998
Newsletter, 1999
Newsletter, 2000
Newsletter, 2001
Newsletter, 2002
Newsletter, 2003
Newsletter, 2004
Newsletter, 2005
Newsletter/College-Age Youth, 1980s-1990s
Box 8: O-R
Public Relations
Rabbis/
Rabbis/Garber, Ilana
Rabbis/Kessler, Stanley
Rabbis/Kessler, Stanley/appointment, 1954
Rabbis/Kessler, Stanley/Awards
Rabbis/Kessler, Stanley/Newspaper Clippings, 1950s
Rabbis/Kessler, Stanley/Newspaper Clippings, 1960s
Rabbis/Kessler, Stanley/Newspaper Clippings, 1970s
Rabbis/Kessler, Stanley/Newspaper Clippings, 1980s
Rabbis/Kessler, Stanley/Newspaper Clippings, 1990s
Rabbis/Kessler, Stanley/Newspaper Clippings, 2000s
Rabbis/Kessler, Stanley/ Oral history interview notes
Rabbis/Rosen, James
Rabbis/Rosen, James/Newspaper Clippings
Ritual Matters/Bar and Bat Mitzvah
Ritual Matters/Bar and Bat Mitzvah/Sondick Barbara\Beth El’s first Bat Mitzvah, 1954
Ritual Matters/Bar and Bat Mitzvah/Special Needs/See also Rabbis/ Rosen, James
Ritual Matters/Bar and Bat Mitzvah/Tutoring, 1961
Ritual Matters/Healing Services
Ritual Matters/Torah restoration
Ritual Matters/Yizkor Books “Books of Remembrance”
S- Sisterhood/E
Sephardic programs
Shabbat/Innovative Programs, 2000s
Shabbat/Shabbat Events/Special programs
Shabbat/Shabbat Handouts
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, n.d. probably 1960s
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, n.d. probably 1970s
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1960
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1963
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1964
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1965
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1966
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1967
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1968
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1969
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1970
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1971
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1972
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1973
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1974
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1975
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1976
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1977
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1979
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1980
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1981
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1982
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1983
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1984
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1985
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1986
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1987
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1988
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1989
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1990
Sisterhood, Art Exhibition, 1992
Sisterhood/Awards
Sisterhood/Board of Directors/Annual Meetings/reports, 1960s
Sisterhood/Board of Directors/Minutes, 1960s
Sisterhood/Board of Directors/Members
Sisterhood/By-Laws
Sisterhood/Children’s Programs
Sisterhood/conferences
Sisterhood/Contributions to Charities
Sisterhood/Correspondence
Box 10: Sisterhood/F-Z
Sisterhood/Financial, 1950s-1960s
Sisterhood/Fundraising/Miscellaneous
Sisterhood/Historical Highlights
Sisterhood/Installation, 1950s
Sisterhood/Installation, 1960s-1980s
Sisterhood/Installation, 1990s-2000s
Sisterhood/Installation/Luncheon, 1964
Sisterhood/Judaism in the Home Tour/Brochures, 1960s
Sisterhood/Judaism in the Home Tour/Newspaper clippings, 1960s
Sisterhood/Judaism in the Home Tour/Miscellaneous, 1960s
Sisterhood/Meetings
Sisterhood/Men’s Club, joint programs/Art Exhibitions
Sisterhood/Men’s Club, joint programs/Miscellaneous
Sisterhood/New Year Cards
Sisterhood/Newsletter/Sisterhood News
Sisterhood/Notes
Sisterhood/Officers and Members
Sisterhood/Oneg Shabbat Notebook, 1967-1978
Sisterhood/Programs
Sisterhood/Sermonettes, 1960s
Sisterhood/Stationary
Social Events/
Social Events/Plays
Social Events/Tribute to Founding Members, May 1999
Soviet Jewry
Staff Members
Strategic Planning, 1999
Youth Groups/
Youth Groups/
Youth Groups/Kadima
Youth Groups/Miscellaneous
Youth Groups/United Synagogue Youth (USY)
Women/Rosh Hadesh Group
Photographs:
See separate listing
Scrapbooks:
Numerous scrapbooks, mostly of art show are shelved on W1
Video:
Videotapes and films packed with JFGH/board of directors photos for move 4/2006
Artifacts:
N/a
Oversized Materials:
Related JHSGH Collections:
People files contain additional information on Beth El Rabbis, Cantors, and lay leadership.
Processed by: Marsha Lotstein and Margaret Mair with assistance from volunteers.
Date: 2004, Updated by: G. Farr, 2012.
Subject
Repository Details
Part of the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford Repository