Priceless Gifts from Congregation Beth Am to Israel

A recent Torah reading, Vayechi (He Lived) often brings up discussions about ethical wills. While we usually look at ethical wills from the perspective of an individual, have you thought about what an ethical will would look like coming from a congregation? How does a congregation that decides it must close its doors ensure its legacy? Unfortunately, Congregation Beth Am of Teaneck, NJ established nearly 50 years ago, had to consider these questions.

Congregation Beth Am was a committed and active Reform synagogue in Teaneck. They brought in wonderful speakers, had a learned and wise Rabbi, Harvey Rosenfeld, and engaged in regular and enduring social justice actions like volunteering at the Hackensack soup kitchen, food drives for the food bank (which they proudly often led in pounds per congregant), and Friday afternoon and holiday visits to Bright Side Manor assisted living community in Teaneck to serve the needs of the Jewish (and interested non-Jewish) population.

But, as demographics changed in Teaneck, it became clear that their community could no longer support two Reform Congregations. Rather than linger and fade away, Beth Am members agreed to close their doors, liquidate their assets, and perpetuate their values with gifts that would ensure their legacy. They were helped in this decision by the actions of one of their founding couples, Harold (of blessed memory) and Marianne Bier. The Biers had helped to establish an endowment for Congregation Beth Am. At its creation, they had put in provisions for the trust in the case of dissolution of the congregation that called for the money to be used to promote Reform Judaism in Israel and in the US. Coupled with the character of the remaining congregants and the long term commitments of the congregation to social justice and Israel, the congregation decided to donate all of the remaining trust to these purposes. A five member allocations committee sifted through the ideas and possibilities, weighing them against the character and vision of the congregation. One hundred thousand dollars of their money went to Israel with the help of ARZA, the Reform Israel Fund in recognition of the generosity of Harold and Marianne Bier and their family.

• $25,000 to Darchei Noam as part of their Capital Campaign, for the Ner Tamid, so that their light will always shine in Israel 
• $35,000 to Har-el, the first Reform congregation in Israel, for a ramp to make their front entrance wheel chair accessible 
• $20,000 to Hagar Association, a Jewish-Arab Education for Equality program (that includes running a multi-cultural school) in Beer Sheva to upgrade their community/school playground 
• $20,000 to Neve Shalom (Oasis of Peace [Isaiah 32:18]): A village, jointly established by Jewish and Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel, that is engaged in educational work for peace, equality and understanding between the two peoples) to equip their new community library 

Money was also donated in the United States, to places like Bright Side to continue funding the Shabbat and Holiday programming. Beth Am also funded and secured the transfer of its Holocaust Torah on loan from the Westminster Trust to Congregation Adas Emuno, thereby keeping the torah in Bergen County, NJ.

But, it is not just about the money, the legacy of Congregation Beth Am will live on in other ways too. The members of the congregation fed into three other congregations, Temple Sinai of Bergen County in Tenafly, Temple Emeth of Teaneck, and Congregation Adas Emuno in Leonia; where they are already very active and committed, serving on ritual and social action committees. All of the congregants gathered at Congregation Adas Emuno in September for a ceremony acknowledging transfer of the Holocaust Torah. They enjoyed seeing each other so much there are plans to take regular turns gathering at one of the three congregations they joined, enriching not only their lives, but that of their respective congregations. Congregation Beth Am, whose doors have now fully closed, cannot only be said to have lived, but to be living on in perpetuity.