Welcome to Beth Israel Congregation and our Jewish
community, in Florence,
South
Carolina. Beth Israel Congregation considers itself to be
an "Area Synagogue" with members coming from the
immediate Florence area and numerous outlying communities
within a sixty mile radius. Today, Beth Israel, is the most important Jewish
institution/organization in the area and is the center for all
Jewish life.
Established as a Reform
congregation over 90 years ago, Beth Israel is in the
mainstream of Reform
Judaism and is warm to Jewish Tradition. We celebrate
Sabbath and all holidays as a large family. We celebrate God
and our covenant with God as have our ancestors for thousands
of years.
A
Welcome from the Congregation.......
Shalom, and
welcome to Beth Israel Congregation. As you prepare to tour
our synagogue and involve yourself in the religious traditions
of our family, we want to offer few brief thoughts. In our
opening, we offered the greeting of Shalom. Shalom is a
wonderful word. It expresses the hope and prayer for world
peace and unity. Literally translated, Shalom means
fulfillment. As we greet each other with this word, we ask God
to grant us fulfillment-- to make our lives full and our needs
only remembrances of times past.
Secondly, we offered a welcome. That
is our job, to welcome, to make some one feel welcome, and to
fulfill their needs for comfort, strength, healing, and
provide an atmosphere in which one can concentrate on the
blessing of speaking to God.
Thirdly, we must remember that this
is Beth Israel. Our name literally translates as the 'House of
Israel'. We greet each other and care for each other, not just
because we may be friendly, but because this is our role. In
the same way that we learn of Abraham, our ancestor who
welcomed all into his tent, we welcome all who come our way.
This is a house for all the children of Israel. This is a
house to welcome all who descend from Abraham, Isaac, and
Israel. This is a house where the whole world, is
welcome regardless of descendency; just as the wise King
Solomon declared the Temple he built to be a house of worship
for all God's creation. Within the walls of our home here, we
share the simcha (joy) of life, the tsooris
(troubles) thrown in our path, the celebrations of our
heritage and the lessons taught and passed down through
generations. As a family we laugh together, help mend the pain
that causes tears; we dance and sing; we study; and . . .
together we pray. Join our family, add your unique flavor to
our crock pot, and help the stew simmer; your music to our
song. Let our senses be filled with taste of our Judaic
heritage while we join in the waltz of God. Again, we offer
our welcome and prayer for..........Shalom
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