At Temple Beth Sholom in Cherry Hill, there have only ever been three senior rabbis. That’s not bad for a synagogue that has been around for 84 years.
“It’s one of the things that we are really proud of at our synagogue,” said Alison Shapiro, president of Beth Sholom. “Rabbi (Albert) Lewis, of blessed memory, Rabbi (Steven) Lindeman, who is our emeritus rabbi, and Rabbi Micah Peltz. Our community wanted Rabbi Peltz to stay so much that Rabbi Lindeman took over the emeritus position earlier than he probably would have.”
Peltz has been senior rabbi since 2014, but he became a part of the community in 2007. Now, 18 years after Rabbi Peltz officially joined the synagogue, the community is celebrating him, his achievements and the anniversary that holds a special significance for Jews.
“I just have a real sense of gratitude for these last 18 years and a sense of excitement going forward,” Peltz said.
On May 18, the Temple Beth Sholom community gathered for a night of celebration centered around Psalms 119:99: “From all my teachers I have learned.”
This theme was particularly apt because of the relationship that each rabbi has had with their predecessor, Shapiro said.
“Our associate rabbi talked about coming to Beth Sholom and the opportunity to learn from the one before them. Rabbi Lindeman came to learn from Rabbi Lewis, Rabbi Peltz came to learn from both of them and our current associate rabbi, Rabbi Wexler, talked about wanting to learn from Rabbi Peltz,” she said. “It’s really something special.”
The event on May 18 was one of celebration, learning and appreciation. The Conservative shul began the night with a cocktail reception followed by speeches and dessert. The evening had video tributes, testimonials of the rabbi’s work and presentations from members of the synagogue.
Peltz said that he is honored to follow the congregation’s previous two rabbis.
“Rabbi Lewis passed away towards the end of my first year, but I’m grateful we both spent time together. And then Rabbi Steven Lindeman, who’s really been my mentor and my guide throughout all this, has been such a wonderful colleague and friend. He helped make this transition very smooth,” Peltz said.
Shapiro said that the rabbinic tradition of teaching the next man at their synagogue also extends to the members. She recalled how, in 1989 when Beth Sholom took on its current building, brave congregants trudged six miles through the snow with the Torah in order to ensure its safe arrival.
“[On Sunday] we talked about where we go from here. How do we plan for the next generation the way that the past generation planned for us?” she asked.
Their answer is to create an endowment fund that was announced at the May 18 event. The synagogue hopes that this fund will be able to shepherd Beth Sholom into a new era where its facilities match the interest in its services.
“Our schools are full, and our early childhood center and our religious school are bursting at the seams,” Shapiro said.
Beth Sholom plans to not just bolster its facilities with newer, larger spaces, but by hiring more staff for its educational offerings.
One of the chief values of Rabbi Peltz and the Beth Sholom community as a whole is support for Israel, and in uncertain times the temple wants to double down on education, adult and family events, fundraising efforts and more.
“All of those things need the foundation and infrastructure of staff and communications in a constantly evolving and changing world,” Shapiro said.
The event on May 18 was attended by more than 650 people. Shapiro described it as magical and said that there was an especially touching anecdote that sums up the state of Peltz’s leadership and the synagogue as a whole.
“One of the people I spoke to at the end of the night, who was a Holocaust survivor, said one of his proudest moments outside of his family was that evening,” Shapiro said. “[He said] to us that all he ever wanted to know in his life was that there was a safe place for a Jewish future, and he felt like he had found it.”
Peltz said that his 18 years at Temple Beth Sholom have been wonderful and that he has seen the full spectrum of emotions as the spiritual leader of the synagogue.
“Over that time, I’ve really had the opportunity and the privilege to get to know these families very well and [have them] really become part of my family,” he said. “Having that opportunity to really be brought into so many families’ lives, and have so many families at TBS be part of our life and our family, really speaks to what can happen when you put down roots in a community and build those really deep and meaningful relationships.”
