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Beth El Hebrew celebrates sesquicentennial
A lifelong member of Alexandria's Beth El Hebrew Congregation, Dorothy Traub fondly recalls when the shul, which celebrates its 150m anniversary this year, was located off of "a little side street" in "a teeny building, which is now a bank."
"When you stood across Washington Street and looked at it, it kind of looked like it was tilting to one side," said the 84year-old Traub, whose great-grandparents were founding members of Northern Virginia's oldest Reform synagogue, which has long since moved to a more structurally sound building on Seminary Road.
One might even say mat the synagogue would not exist without Traub's family: Not only were her ancestors founding members, but her great-grandfather's brother, Henry Blondheim, was the congregation's first president.
When Traub later married and joined Beth El Hebrew with her husband, Morton, in 1946, following the second world war, "it was still a very, very small congregation in that building that was eventually condemned. I remember very well when we joined, we were family No. 36."
Succeeding generations of Traubs continued to be woven into Beth El Hebrew's eclectic tapestry, and when her granddaughter, Madeline, was named, Traub recalled, then-Rabbi Arnold Fink remarked that "this is the first time I've ever named a baby that was the sixth-generation member of my congregation."
Flaunting a century and a half of history and tradition in Northern Virginia, Beth El is celebrating with a slew of parties, historical displays and commemorative projects.
"We have a whole year of events," said Larry Vogel, a co-chair of the synagogue's 150th Anniversary committee.
Vogel and his wife, Linda, who have been Beth El members since 1976, helped map out and plan eight separate anniversary projects, keeping an eye on the old and the new, as well as the future.
The biggest of these celebrations - a black-tie gala dinner-dance - took place last weekend.
"It was very elegant," said Sara Moore, who co-chaired the event.
Partygoers were also provided with a commemorative book, Reflection & Renewal, which details the synagogue's history and includes personal notes from current and former members.
Last Friday, Shabbat services were also transformed into an anniversary celebration. The sesquicentennial Shabbat service included a speech by Daniel Freelander, the...