Blog

By: Brandon Chiat, Digital Media Manager

If music is the universal language than Beth El speaks it fluently.

Beth El recently received a generous gift from an anonymous donor to establish the First Wednesdays Concerts & Cultural Programs Fund, which will support cultural experiences at the synagogue for years to come.

The donor has been affiliated with Beth El for over 60 years and has a history of philanthropic involvement with the congregation having also established a preschool scholarship fund.

“There is a special element of peace in music that I find deeply valuable,” said the donor, who attended the prestigious Peabody Institute as a child. “I hope that we can use music as an outreach tool for the synagogue.”

Dr. Eyal Bor, Beth El's Director of Education, agreed that Beth El should leverage music as a tool for community engagement.

“Synagogues across the nation are struggling with attendance,” Dr. Bor said. “This donor has allowed Beth El to reach new people and bring them into our community through music.”

Dr. Bor is an accomplished musician, having performed as a principal and soloist clarinetist with the Israeli Army Band and a second clarinet player with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Southern California.  

The genesis of the First Wednesdays series came after past-president Michael Rubenstein challenged Dr. Bor to find new ways of reaching unaffiliated Baltimore Jews.

“We wanted to bring people to Beth El not only through Jewish programming but also cultural experiences,” Mr. Rubenstein said. “We hoped that we could use the arts to attract people to our congregation so that they might meet new friends, experience our community, become more involved and eventually join as members.”

Mr. Rubenstein and Dr. Bor accomplished that goal. “I've spoken to new members who joined Beth El because of the positive experience they had at First Wednesdays,” Dr. Bor said.

To that end, the First Wednesdays series is a platform for Beth El to showcase celebrated artists.

“We attract talent on par with what you'd expect to see at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall,” Dr. Bor said.

Past performers include Herbert Greenberg, the former concertmaster of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and world-renowned violinist, who left a teaching assignment in China two days early just so he could play First Wednesdays.

“The generous gift allows Beth El to take creative risks when booking talent,” Dr. Bor said. “This fund opens the door to new creative possibilities, including performances that attract younger audiences.”

While world-class musicians might attract new faces to Beth El, the synagogue's values are what keep them here.

“New members join Beth El because of our remarkable community,” the donor said. “First Wednesdays contribute to the aura of warmth and friendship you experience at Beth El.”

The fund itself is an opportunity for Beth El members to live the congregation's values.

“Beth El is so grateful for the establishment of this fund which sets an amazing example for fellow members and the wider Baltimore Jewish community,” said Amanda Beitman, Beth El's Director of Development. “We hope other members will support the arts by donating to the fund.”

The First Wednesdays Concerts & Cultural Programs Fund will help secure the legacy and future of a vibrant congregation.

“The blessing that this donor gave is to ensure Beth El stays strong and vital,” Dr. Bor said. “We have just planted the fertile seed which will create a cultural program that will live on for generations.”

“This is only the beginning,” the donor said. “We want to ensure that anyone, regardless of age or financial means, is able to immerse themselves in world-class cultural experiences.”

If you believe in the value of cultural experiences, consider donating to the First Wednesdays and Cultural Programs Fund. Please contact Lisa Silverstein via email (lisa@bethelbalto.com) or phone (410-484-0411) for more information or to make a donation.