Thank you to Arizona Jewish Life for featuring Beth Ami Temple’s return to in-person events with our Open House on Friday, September 8th! We welcome the community to attend and see what makes this “small temple with a big heart” so special!
https://azjewishlife.com/beth-ami-temple-hosts-in-person-open-house/
Here are two photos from the Zoom Shabbat Service followed by an online Oneg on November 13th, 2020.
The Beth Ami Players, under the guidance of Rabbi Lawton and Bobbi Lazarus, presented a spirited Purim Spiel at Shabbat services March 6. All of the performers got into the script and were cheered and booed by an appreciative audience. Cantor Mike provided a musical interlude.
Our February 7th service celebrated Shabbat Shirah, “Sabbath of Song”, which featured the music of Debbie Friedman, a well-known singer/songwriter of Jewish songs and melodies who passed away in 2011 at the age of 59. Rabbi Lawton led the Shabbat prayers and the Torah portion containing the Israelites’ successful crossing of the Sea of Reeds (Red Sea), while Cantorial Soloist Mike Robbins gave a musical sermon with assistance from several Beth Ami members.
While the majority of Debbie Friedman’s songs contained lyrics familiar to most of us, some of her beautiful melodies were new to us. One of Debbie Friedman’s most well-known songs is Mi Shebeirach, the prayer for healing that we sing during every Shabbat service. If you are interested in learning more about how Debbie came to write Mi Shebeirach, please tap/click here.
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| To watch a short video of Miriam’s Song, please press/click here. |
Our Shabbat Service on January 17th included the re-dedication of Beth Ami Temple’s beautiful ark which holds our Torahs. Originally gifted to Beth Ami by the Roseff family in 1985, Beth Ami members Jack and Ruth Roseff Poles, along with their daughter and son-in-law, Suzanne and Dan Klausner, participated in the 2020 ceremony.
 The Poles Family together with Rabbi Lawton and Beth Ami President Bob Unferth |
 Ruth Roseff Poles, Jack Poles, and Rabbi Lawton |
On December 20th, 2019, Beth Ami Temple held a pre-holiday Hanukkah service. Using their own hanukkiah (Hanukkah menorahs), our congregants lit candles while Rabbi Lawton gave the significance of each candle. Interestingly, no two hanukkiah were the same, and several were handmade. The ceremony was followed by the Shabbat service including a medley of Hanukkah songs provided by Cantorial Soloist Mike Robbins accompanied by Lorraine Greenberg. It truly was a Festival of Lights!
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The Oneg following our Shabbat Service on 12/6/19 featured a beautiful vase handmade by Beth Ami member Harriett Finger. Hosts and hostesses for the Oneg were Paul & Harriett Finger and Shari & Jeff Brooks.
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Approximately 90 worshippers joined together in a joyous Interfaith Thanksgiving service on Tuesday, November 26th at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Paradise Valley. Beth Ami Temple members joined members of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church and Palo Cristi Presbyterian Church as well as representatives of the Sikh Community and the Muslim Community. Leaders of each of the faiths stressed the values we all have in common with each other.
Front Row (left to right): Dr. Jaswant Singh Sachdev (Sikh Community), Pastor Linda Worsnup (Palo Cristi Presbyterian), Deacon Connie Rose-Kamprath (Gloria Dei Lutheran)
Back row: (left to right): Pastor Brent Maxwell (Gloria Dei Lutheran), Asra Hussain (Islamic Speakers Bureau of Arizona), Ahmad Abdul-Quadir (Muslim Community), Cantorial Soloist Mike Robbins (Beth Ami)
The beautiful service contained a number of inspiring moments, and at least two deserve special mention:
After the service, pie and coffee were served in Gloria Dei’s Reiman Hall which enabled attendees from all of the faiths to meet and chat with each other.
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