President’s Message

Welcome to Beth Or

Beth Or is a liberal and welcoming Jewish community that is reimagining spirituality to make it relevant and vibrant. Yes, we think of ourselves as a community, not a congregation.

Beth Or has been part of the Miami-Dade county landscape for 40 years. In our warm and intimate setting, led by our dynamic spiritual leader, Rabbi Robyn Fisher, we celebrate our Judaism in a heartfelt and nurturing environment.
And what makes Beth Or unique and special is that we take great pride in emphasizing and celebrating the diversity of our community. We treasure our mix of opinions and backgrounds, the tapestry of our cultural heritages, races and ethnicities. We strive continuously to live up to the ideals of inclusion, access, and acceptance that inform our core values, because we know that we have grown stronger when we have stood together.

Our music filled Friday night services enlighten, comfort, and elevate our spirituality. We offer a host of Adult Learning opportunities including Torah Study, speakers, and workshops. BeMitzvah is a hands-on, innovative Bar or Bat Mitzvah program for pre-teens and adults. We have a vibrant LGBTQ+ support group. And, we recently opened the Gallery of Light, a spectacular art gallery featuring community shows with both Judaic and non-Judaic themes along with numerous educational workshops.
Belief in our obligation to make the world a better place leads our members to act in a variety of social justice initiatives. Whether it’s devoting time to the children at Chapman Partnership, providing food to the Jewish elderly, working with PACT (People Acting for Community Together) where members of the religious community unite to promote justice, or donating gifts to JAFCO, to name a few, our community is always front and center.

We are a volunteer-driven organization, and our programs and practices are designed to encourage member participation on every level. There is a place for each of you at Beth Or…you will be valued.
We love to have fun, too. We have held Zoom Trivia Nights, Chanukah Trivia, twice weekly Live, Love, and Laugh with our own Dr. Nancy Kirsner, Lunch & Learn with Rabbi Robyn, movie discussions, meditation workshops, cooking demonstrations, and a host of other programs to nurture the soul and keep you engaged. Programs such as the Tu B’shevat Treasure Hunt in our magnificent meditation gardens and the latke-making workshop allow our members to engage in our customs and traditions through intimate hands-on celebrations as if we’re gathering in each other’s homes.

We encourage you to participate in an upcoming service or special event. We know that you will see why we think Beth Or should be your spiritual home too.

Mel Tenen
President
meltenen@bethortemple.com