Louise & Jason Silverman
Gala Honorees
Louise and Jay Silverman joined Beth El in 1968. Their membership at Beth El has been at the core of their Jewish identity and community life for almost 60 years. It has been a catalyst for them to make many of their life-long friends, including some of whom have passed too soon.
Louise, from Fairfield, CT, where she had been regional president of B’nai Brith Girls during high school, and Jay, from Malden, MA, moved to New Rochelle in 1963, when Jay joined a Pediatric practice following his completion of a Pediatric residency at Yale New Haven Medical Center. Louise and Jay had met in Boston, while Louise was an undergraduate at Boston University, and Jay was finishing a Master’s degree in Biochemistry, while a third year student at Boston University School of Medicine, from which he earned his medical degree in 1960.
Within a short time of their move to New Rochelle, Louise befriended Beth El’s Sylvia Halpern, who mentored her in starting and becoming the first president of a young women’s Hadassah group, Aviva. Husbands of these women met, formed friendships and many subsequently joined a local B’nai B’rith chapter. In 1968, Jay and Louise joined Beth El, just as its new sanctuary was being built and enrolled Stephen, then six years old, in the Beth El Hebrew School Machinah program and the Beth El Summer Camp. Soon after, Jay was elected to the Beth El Board of Trustees.
Stephen and his sisters Debbie and Judith each graduated from Beth El Community Hebrew High School, during a time of evolution in the Shul’s religious practices. In the 1970’s, young women were only permitted to become a Bat Mitzvah on a Friday evening. Through the effort of many strong women and supportive men at Beth El, an Alternative Service was created, allowing women to participate more fully in services. By the early 80’s, young women were welcomed to the Bima on the Saturday of Shabbat to become Bat Mitzvah.
We could not be more thrilled with the honor Beth El has chosen to give our family. We are proud of the education our children received here, the nurturing of basic Jewish values and fostering of love for Israel and a Jewish way of life. Debbie serves as Administrator of SAJ in New York City, while Judith as Board VP of the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg. Beth El has indeed laid the living Jewish foundation of the Silverman Family, L’dor V’dor, from generation to generation. We are forever grateful.
Louise, from Fairfield, CT, where she had been regional president of B’nai Brith Girls during high school, and Jay, from Malden, MA, moved to New Rochelle in 1963, when Jay joined a Pediatric practice following his completion of a Pediatric residency at Yale New Haven Medical Center. Louise and Jay had met in Boston, while Louise was an undergraduate at Boston University, and Jay was finishing a Master’s degree in Biochemistry, while a third year student at Boston University School of Medicine, from which he earned his medical degree in 1960.
Within a short time of their move to New Rochelle, Louise befriended Beth El’s Sylvia Halpern, who mentored her in starting and becoming the first president of a young women’s Hadassah group, Aviva. Husbands of these women met, formed friendships and many subsequently joined a local B’nai B’rith chapter. In 1968, Jay and Louise joined Beth El, just as its new sanctuary was being built and enrolled Stephen, then six years old, in the Beth El Hebrew School Machinah program and the Beth El Summer Camp. Soon after, Jay was elected to the Beth El Board of Trustees.
Stephen and his sisters Debbie and Judith each graduated from Beth El Community Hebrew High School, during a time of evolution in the Shul’s religious practices. In the 1970’s, young women were only permitted to become a Bat Mitzvah on a Friday evening. Through the effort of many strong women and supportive men at Beth El, an Alternative Service was created, allowing women to participate more fully in services. By the early 80’s, young women were welcomed to the Bima on the Saturday of Shabbat to become Bat Mitzvah.
We could not be more thrilled with the honor Beth El has chosen to give our family. We are proud of the education our children received here, the nurturing of basic Jewish values and fostering of love for Israel and a Jewish way of life. Debbie serves as Administrator of SAJ in New York City, while Judith as Board VP of the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg. Beth El has indeed laid the living Jewish foundation of the Silverman Family, L’dor V’dor, from generation to generation. We are forever grateful.