Congregation Beth Israel to hold grand opening Aug. 24-26 in Metairie
Published: Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Almost seven years ago, Hurricane Katrina destroyed Congregation Beth Israel’s synagogue on Canal Boulevard in Lakeview. And while the memories of the aftermath still linger, the members of Beth Israel now have something special to celebrate next weekend.
together with Rabbi David Posternock, the administrator of the synagogue in Metairie Wednesday, August 1, 2012. The weekend of Friday, Aug. 24 through Sunday, Aug. 26, Congregation Beth Israel will officially dedicate its new synagogue in Metairie with a special series of grand opening events. Festivities that weekend including an open house on Sunday, Aug. 26 at 10 a.m. that is open to the public. The synagogue, which was located for many years on Canal Boulevard in New Orleans, was destroyed in the aftermath of Katrina.
The grand opening and dedication of Beth Israel’s new synagogue, 4004 West Esplanade Ave., Metairie, will take place Friday through Aug. 26.
“We see this dedication as a symbol of hope and renewal for the city,” said Rabbi Uri Topolosky, Beth Israel’s spiritual leader since 2007. “We are saying that we are here to stay, we have rebuilt and we are coming back better than ever.”
Beth Israel was established on Carondelet Street in New Orleans in 1903 and relocated to Lakeview in 1970.
The new multimillion-dollar building in Metairie was built by Goliath Construction Co. The synagogue seats about 150 and includes an office suite, two meeting rooms, a children’s area and a kitchen.
The weekend’s events begin Friday with a Shabbat dinner at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Shabbat services begin at 9 a.m., with Rabbi Avi Weiss as the featured speaker.
A special luncheon honoring the synagogue’s past presidents will follow services.
Weiss is senior rabbi of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, N.Y., and is national president of AMCHA - Coalition for Jewish Concerns, a grassroots organization that speaks out for Jewish causes throughout the world.
On Aug. 26 at 10 a.m., the public is invited to attend the official dedication ceremony and Torah procession.
The event is free and open to the public.
Concluding the weekend’s festivities will be a gala dinner Aug. 26 at 6 p.m. The guest speaker will be Rabbi Tsvi Hersh Weinreb, executive vice president emeritus of the Orthodox Union. Weinreb serves as an ambassador for the OU, traveling to synagogues and communities around the world.
Music that evening will be provided by Rachel Van Voorhees, principal harpist with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.
“These are extremely exciting times for Congregation Beth Israel,” said Rabbi David Posternock, Beth Israel’s administrator since 2008. “We are seeing the fruits of all our labor and hard work paying off.”
“The completion of our new synagogue and community center marks more than the end of a period during which we operated from temporary space,” said Beth Israel President Eddie Gothard, who also serves as co-chair of the building committee with Alexander Barkoff. “It marks the beginning of our future as a congregation which didn’t just survive a devastating loss but has continue to thrive over the past several years.”
The dedication weekend will also be an opportunity for the members of the congregation and the public to purchase bricks on the synagogue’s back patio and dedicate them to a special person or event.
“The bricks are there to create a sense of community and also provide a way to celebrate the events and people we cherish,” Topolosky said.
Bricks may be purchased Aug. 26 for $136 each. The cost thereafter will be $180 each.
“It is our hope that our building will come to be such a place busy with classes and social activities, used and enjoyed by many for the betterment of our members, our neighbors, and anyone else seeking education, enrichment and inspiration,” Gothard said. “As modern Orthodox Jews, we place great value on interaction with the entire community in which we live, work and raise our children. We believe it is important to foster a respectful relationship among all people, where we can learn about and interact with one another peacefully and without judgment.”
together with Rabbi David Posternock, the administrator of the synagogue in Metairie Wednesday, August 1, 2012. The weekend of Friday, Aug. 24 through Sunday, Aug. 26, Congregation Beth Israel will officially dedicate its new synagogue in Metairie with a special series of grand opening events. Festivities that weekend including an open house on Sunday, Aug. 26 at 10 a.m. that is open to the public. The synagogue, which was located for many years on Canal Boulevard in New Orleans, was destroyed in the aftermath of Katrina.“We see this dedication as a symbol of hope and renewal for the city,” said Rabbi Uri Topolosky, Beth Israel’s spiritual leader since 2007. “We are saying that we are here to stay, we have rebuilt and we are coming back better than ever.”
Beth Israel was established on Carondelet Street in New Orleans in 1903 and relocated to Lakeview in 1970.
The new multimillion-dollar building in Metairie was built by Goliath Construction Co. The synagogue seats about 150 and includes an office suite, two meeting rooms, a children’s area and a kitchen.
The weekend’s events begin Friday with a Shabbat dinner at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Shabbat services begin at 9 a.m., with Rabbi Avi Weiss as the featured speaker.
A special luncheon honoring the synagogue’s past presidents will follow services.
Weiss is senior rabbi of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, N.Y., and is national president of AMCHA - Coalition for Jewish Concerns, a grassroots organization that speaks out for Jewish causes throughout the world.
On Aug. 26 at 10 a.m., the public is invited to attend the official dedication ceremony and Torah procession.
The event is free and open to the public.
Concluding the weekend’s festivities will be a gala dinner Aug. 26 at 6 p.m. The guest speaker will be Rabbi Tsvi Hersh Weinreb, executive vice president emeritus of the Orthodox Union. Weinreb serves as an ambassador for the OU, traveling to synagogues and communities around the world.
Music that evening will be provided by Rachel Van Voorhees, principal harpist with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.
“These are extremely exciting times for Congregation Beth Israel,” said Rabbi David Posternock, Beth Israel’s administrator since 2008. “We are seeing the fruits of all our labor and hard work paying off.”
“The completion of our new synagogue and community center marks more than the end of a period during which we operated from temporary space,” said Beth Israel President Eddie Gothard, who also serves as co-chair of the building committee with Alexander Barkoff. “It marks the beginning of our future as a congregation which didn’t just survive a devastating loss but has continue to thrive over the past several years.”
The dedication weekend will also be an opportunity for the members of the congregation and the public to purchase bricks on the synagogue’s back patio and dedicate them to a special person or event.
“The bricks are there to create a sense of community and also provide a way to celebrate the events and people we cherish,” Topolosky said.
Bricks may be purchased Aug. 26 for $136 each. The cost thereafter will be $180 each.
“It is our hope that our building will come to be such a place busy with classes and social activities, used and enjoyed by many for the betterment of our members, our neighbors, and anyone else seeking education, enrichment and inspiration,” Gothard said. “As modern Orthodox Jews, we place great value on interaction with the entire community in which we live, work and raise our children. We believe it is important to foster a respectful relationship among all people, where we can learn about and interact with one another peacefully and without judgment.”
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