Congregation Beth El of Manhattan - Community

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Congregation Beth El of Manhattan

We believe it is important for people of faith to encourage and support one another in their lifestyles and beliefs. For this reason, we seek to stay connected to one another's lives via gatherings that are spiritual and/or social in nature. In addition to our organized brotherhood and sisterhood meetings, we occasionally meet together for schmoozing at open houses and group outings.

We also seek to provide members who are living apart from family with seats at our family tables for holiday and Shabbat meals. We enjoy onegs together after services to celebrate special occasions. Most of our fellowship cuts across all life stages (single, married) and ages, and we enjoy unity in our diversity.

A Word from the Rabbi – Community Building Springs from Vision and Commitment

“He that saves one soul among Israel saves a world entire.”

– Sanhedrin 37a

Since every arena in life is composed of a combination of beauties and difficulties, and there is no normative location, job, relationship, family or activity that is an exception; retaining one's personal sense of well-being in the midst of life's always fluctuating seasons is often as simple a matter as remembering why we are doing what we are doing, where we are doing it. Israel's first President Chaim Weizmann said of the tiny new nation he lead, “This is our land. It is narrow, not wide. It is hot and not cool. For water it has only Yam Kinneret (the ‘Sea’ of Galilee, which is actually a lake) and the Jordan River. Yet this is our land – this and no other.” Such focus enabled Zionists to taste all the joys and challenges of their lives without losing their balance.

The Beth El community exists in New York to raise the flag of Messianic Judaism in the capital of Jewish life outside Israel. If the quote from the Talmud above is an even half-true reflection of the Scripture, “One who is wise wins souls” (Prov. 11:30b) then the proper response of our community is: “This is my place right now; this and no other. May Israel's G*d and Israel's Messiah be known among Israel through me.” Beth El's people with such vision and focus are already making an impact the Jewish world is noticing. Imagine if that group became a throng? Throngs begin with “one soul among Israel.” And one who saves it, saves a world entire. Shalom.