Temple Emanuel of Tempe members are going to be very busy this month. At the beginning of April, they will be celebrating with a Beatles Shabbat, and at the end of the month, they will be honoring their beginnings with a 40th Anniversary Gala.
BEATLES SHABBAT
Temple Emanuel of Tempe will be holding its second Beatles Shabbat on April 7 at 5801 S. Rural Road in Tempe. Nosh starting at 6 pm and PJ Library will be doing crafts for the kids. The popular event attracted more than 400 people in its first year.
The idea to hold the event originally came from Rebecca Weinstein, director of membership and administration for Temple Emanuel. Her parents live in Henderson, NV and they attend a synagogue there that has been doing it for years. “My dad was raving about it and I thought that it would be a perfect fit for our folks, too,” says Rebecca.
During the event, classic Jewish prayers are said to Beatles melodies. Music goes throughout the service. When Rebecca was first thinking about the event last year, she shared some of this music with Cantorial Soloist Emily Kaye. Emily then reached out to the cantor in Nevada, they exchanged music and Rebecca’s idea became a reality.
Emily, the temple choir and band (the Shabba-tones) perform. They have even written some new songs to perform at this year’s event.
There is no charge for this event, and the public is welcome. “We welcome donations and have CDs available for a donation if people want to take the music home,” says Rebecca.
Rebecca is ready for the crowd this year. “We are going to also use our other banquet room this year and make it a family dance room – for our families with little ones,” she says. “Whoever wants to be in the sanctuary can enjoy the service, and then they can run around and dance in the other room.”
The event attracts families and also the baby boomers who grew up with the Beatles. “My mother-in-law was extremely happy because she saw the Beatles perform live in 1963 in Cleveland,” says Rebecca. “There’s also a lot of tie-dye!”
For more information, call 480-838-1414 or visit emanueloftempe.org.
40TH ANNIVERSARY GALA
Temple Emanuel of Tempe will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a gala fundraiser that begins at 5:30 pm Saturday, April 29. The gala’s theme is “40 Years, Better Together.” It will be held at the Iron Oaks Country Club at 24218 S. Oakwood Blvd. in Sun Lakes.
The celebratory event will feature dinner, dancing and a silent auction. The evening will honor all the clergy who have served Temple Emanuel since its founding, including Rabbi Marvin Reznikoff (z”l), Rabbi Emeritus David Pinkwasser, Rabbi Andrew Straus, and current Rabbis Dean Shapiro and Jason Bonder.
Temple Emanuel began in a small rented space with 60 families. Six congregational leaders signed the original Articles of Incorporation on June 28, 1976, and five families donated land late that year for the congregation’s current site on Rural Road in Tempe. The congregation has since blossomed into the largest synagogue in the Southeast Valley.
Proceeds from this fundraiser will directly support Temple Emanuel programming, including the preschool, religious school and adult education; young adult, empty-nester and senior activities; as well as programs such as I-Help, which serves the homeless community in Tempe.
To inquire about gala sponsorships or to donate an item for the auction, please contact the temple office at 480-838-1414. Tickets to the event are $55 per person. They are available online at templeemanuel.formstack.com/forms/gala.
