Beth El Congregation of Baltimore

06/03/2026

One of the highlights of our Annual Meeting was the opportunity to officially welcome Rabbi Zevi Lowenberg to Beth El Congregation.

In this special moment, Rabbi Lowenberg shares his excitement about joining our clergy team and becoming part of the Beth El family. As we begin this new chapter together, we are excited for our community to get to know him and experience the wisdom and energy he brings to our congregation.

Please join us in welcoming Rabbi Lowenberg to Beth El!

06/02/2026

Beth El Congregation Transitions to New Senior Rabbi. Check out the Baltimore Jewish Times article at the link below 👇

Rabbi Dana Saroken said when she visited Beth El, it was love at first sight. Now she's stepping into the senior rabbi position.

06/02/2026

06/02/2026

06/02/2026

This past Shabbat, Rabbi Dana Saroken and Rabbi Steven Schwartz shared a heartfelt exchange of blessings as Beth El prepared for this historic transition in leadership.

As Rabbi Schwartz concluded his tenure as Senior Rabbi and Rabbi Saroken prepared to become Beth El’s fourth Senior Rabbi, this beautiful moment reflected the values that have always guided our congregation: gratitude, respect, continuity, and hope for the future.

We are deeply grateful for Rabbi Schwartz’s years of leadership and look forward with excitement to the next chapter under Rabbi Saroken’s guidance. May they both continue to be blessed with wisdom, strength, and joy.

06/01/2026

We are proud and excited to officially congratulate Rabbi Dana Saroken as she begins her tenure as Beth El Congregation’s Senior Rabbi.

For nearly two decades, Rabbi Saroken has been a beloved member of our clergy team, inspiring our community through her wisdom, compassion, leadership, and unwavering commitment to Jewish life. She has guided countless individuals and families through moments of celebration, reflection, learning, and growth - helping to shape the vibrant Beth El community we know today.

As Rabbi Saroken assumes this new role, she becomes the fourth Senior Rabbi in Beth El’s distinguished history and the first woman to serve in this position. This milestone reflects both the strength of our congregation’s traditions and our commitment to embracing the future.

We are deeply grateful to Rabbi Steven Schwartz for his remarkable leadership and partnership throughout this transition. As Rabbi Schwartz concludes his tenure as Senior Rabbi after many years of dedicated service, we look forward to his continued presence on our rabbinic team and the opportunity for our community to benefit from the wisdom and experience he brings.

We are also delighted to officially welcome Rabbi Zevi Lowenberg to Beth El as the newest member of our clergy team. Rabbi Lowenberg brings a background of rabbinic leadership, pastoral care, and military service, along with a deep commitment to Jewish learning and community building. We were honored to introduce him to the congregation during yesterday’s Annual Meeting and look forward to the wisdom, energy, and perspective he will bring to Beth El in the years ahead.

Rabbi Saroken’s vision, energy, and love for Beth El will help guide us into an exciting new chapter. Together, we will continue to build a community rooted in Jewish values, meaningful relationships, lifelong learning, spiritual growth, and service to others.

Please join us in congratulating Rabbi Saroken on this well-deserved achievement and in wishing her every success as she leads Beth El Congregation into the future.

05/31/2026

As Beth El Congregation marked a historic weekend, Rabbi Dana Saroken delivered an inspiring and heartfelt Friday evening sermon.

This came at a truly meaningful moment as Rabbi Saroken prepared to become Beth El's fourth Senior Rabbi and the first woman to serve in that role in our congregation's history.

We invite you to watch Rabbi Saroken's sermon and join us in celebrating this exciting new chapter for Beth El Congregation.

Be sure to stay tuned throughout the coming week as we continue to share updates, special moments, and incredible content from this historic time in the life of our congregation.

05/31/2026

In his final sermon as Senior Rabbi of Beth El Congregation, Rabbi Steven Schwartz reflects on the relationships and memories that have shaped his rabbinate, and the profound journey of our congregation.

And for those who may be wondering—there is no need to say goodbye. While Rabbi Schwartz is concluding his tenure as Senior Rabbi, he will continue to serve as a valued member of Beth El's clergy team, sharing his wisdom, guidance, and presence with our Beth El community.

05/31/2026

This week’s season‑finale episode is a full blast of fun as Ben Kreshtool, Jill Suffel, and Cantor Emily Ellentuck go all‑in on the 90s with a hilarious round of 90s trivia pictionary. Did you guess any of the answers correctly?

We also recapped an incredible Jewish Heritage Night at the Orioles game — seeing tons of familiar faces, enjoying amazing kosher food with so many options, taking in the fireworks, and of course admiring another win!

And because we love a good challenge, we’re leaving you with one more:
Comment below if you know who WROTE the song “Manic Monday,” sung by The Bangles.

As always, we wrapped with our signature blessing of the week and shonda of the week, closing out the season with warmth, laughter, and gratitude.

Thank you to all our listeners for an amazing season of Havdalah Happy Hour on the Beth El Podcast Network. Have a wonderful summer — we’ll see you after the holidays!