Temple Beth Israel hosts welcome back dinner

A feast and friends were on the docket for Temple Beth Israel as dozens of members gathered for Shabbat services and supper on Nov. 12.

The event was celebratory, as many attendees got to see friends they hadn't seen since before the pandemic. Before dinner, Rabbi Stephen Sniderman recognized the work and effort that went into getting the congregation back together, as well as the serious losses of the community over the past year. 

The temple also recognized a dozen new members to the congregation who were in attendance at dinner, though more have joined since the last big gathering before the pandemic. Most newcomers were recently minted full-timers and had already been coming to the temple for years. One new member, Alan Freedman, is the son of two founding members of Temple Beth Israel.