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Our community is based on the traditional model of seeing ourselves as part of two ancient paradigms. First of all, synagogues were always seen as places where three holy activities took place. Each one of these activities gave synagogues a particular name: Beit Tefilah, House of Prayer, because synagogues were places where people prayed to God and attempted to strengthen their relationship with God; Beit Midrash, because synagogues were places where people studied the sacred texts of Judaism, and Beit Knesset, House of Assembly, because synagogues were places where Jews assembled to discuss great issues of the day and to strengthen their community. All three of these activities are holy to us at Beth Israel, and we hope you will join us in making them a part of your lives as well.

The second paradigm that has strengthened Jewish communities for centuries involves the three pillars of Jewish life outlined in the Pirke Avot, the Saying of the Fathers, written 1,700 years ago: ‘The world stands on three things: Prayer, Study, and the performance of acts of loving kindness.’ Each one of these activities helps us become better people and, with God’s help, helps us create a holy community. We all have something important to contribute, and we pray that you will join us in our most important endeavor, to create a community worthy of God’s blessing.

Rabbi Joel Pitkowsky

To contact Rabbi Pitkowsky, email him at rabbi@bethisraelworc.org.