It’s not often that you meet a 100 year old. Most organizations and people have an expiration date far earlier than the century mark. Not Beth El Congregation--we are proud to be celebrating our centennial year!
Tucked away in a remote corner between Mt. Lebanon and Scott Township, Beth El is spiritually led by husband-wife duo Rabbis Alex and Amy Greenbaum. Over the course of the next year, we will be celebrating our centennial through a series of events, recognitions and fundraisers.
Beth El Congregation began 100 years ago with the vision of an extraordinary woman–Rebecca Ruderman. A member of the growing Jewish community of Beechview, Rebecca recognized the need for a local Hebrew school for the children. She braved the hilly, unpaved streets, literally knocking on doors in search of Jewish families. She organized other Jewish mothers to form The Jewish Women’s Club of Beechview, a group whose mission was to develop a formal Hebrew curriculum, recruit students, and find a home for the new Hebrew School.
The men of the community began gathering for services in the same rooms used for schooling, and before long they met formally to charter an Orthodox synagogue: Beechview Hebrew Congregation Beth El. By 1920, the congregation had purchased its first lot at 1910 Broadway in Beechview. [Read more]
Featuring members of our diverse and delightful congregational family, 100 Reasons celebrates Beth El’s 100th anniversary with 100 stories, 100 memories, 100 reasons to join us!
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June 4, 2017
Milt Wolf: Back around 1978 I used to go to minyan downtown or in Squirrel Hill, and Sam Balk told me that Beth El was just starting their minyans up again. So that’s when I started going to the minyan at Beth El. I was not a member yet. Now I’m a dual member at…
May 28, 2017
We are brand new members as of September 2016. We were not members anywhere before. We’ve been in Pittsburgh for 7 years. My father passed 2 and a half years ago in France, where I am from originally, and about a year and half after his passing, I had a lot of questions. Alan and…
May 21, 2017
It’s nearly impossible for me to pick just one memory from my experience at Beth El. I went to preschool at Beth El, went through Religious School and had my Bat Mitzvah here, was an active member of Kadima and USY, and now work with our Hebrew school and Kadima. Looking back, what stands out…
