Welcome to the Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society
Honoring the Past. Enriching the Present. Shaping the Future.
Seventy-five years ago, a group of Holocaust survivors - most of them immigrants who found refuge and renewal on farms in northeastern Connecticut - joined a small Jewish community in Danielson, CT and founded and built Temple Beth Israel. With resilience, faith, and a deep commitment to community, they built more than a synagogue - they laid the foundation for a legacy of justice, learning, and cultural richness.
The Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society was created to honor their vision and to carry it forward.
Rooted in Jewish values and inspired by our founders’ remarkable journey, we are a Jewish social justice organization dedicated to:
The Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society was created to honor their vision and to carry it forward.
Rooted in Jewish values and inspired by our founders’ remarkable journey, we are a Jewish social justice organization dedicated to:
- Preserving memory, through Holocaust education that connects the past to the present.
- Building bridges, through interfaith and intercultural programming that celebrates diversity and common purpose.
- Creating community, through events that nurture the spiritual, cultural, and social fabric of our region.
Our Mission & Vision
Our mission is twofold: 1) preserve our parents’ and grandparents’ stories of trauma, healing, and renewal and 2) use those stories to promote understanding of, and empathy for, the Holocaust and its enduring impact on humanity. We fulfill our mission by:
- Collaborating with schools, colleges, cultural institutions, and religious and civic organizations on creating valuable and unique learning opportunities.
- Offering programs designed to enrich appreciation of cultural, religious, and social differences. This includes contemporary celebrations of ancient rituals, interfaith celebrations, and educational programs addressing the dangers of prejudice, racism, and bystander indifference.
- Maintaining a Community Archive documenting the history of the community through books, letters, photographs, oral histories, and other historical artifacts that bear witness to the remarkable contributions of this particular Jewish community to life in Northeastern Connecticut and to the Jewish diaspora in general.
14th Annual Interfaith Community Passover Seder
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On Sunday, March 22, the Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society hosted its 14th Annual Interfaith Community Passover Seder. President Norm Berman began by welcoming everyone and offered historical context about the congregation’s founding and the construction of the Temple 75 years ago. The congregation was composed of local Jews and Jewish immigrant survivors of the Holocaust. For them, it was an exodus, much like that of our Jewish ancestors who were oppressed slaves in Egypt. We retell the story of Moses leading the Jews out of Egypt every year, reminded that freedom is precious, never given, but must be claimed and renewed by each generation. Norm asked, “What will our exodus look like?”
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The Seder was led by Norm Berman, Alicia May, and Arthur Fox from Lexington, MA, who provided wonderful guitar and banjo accompaniment. There were about 60 guests, including clergy and parishioners from surrounding churches, and everyone took part by reading passages from the custom Haggadah which blended traditional and contemporary elements, with English, Hebrew, and Yiddish readings, prayers and songs.
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Musical highlights included the singing of the Yiddish labor song, Ale Brider (“We’re all Brothers”) and Daniel Kahn’s Freedom Is a Verb. Table settings included a Seder plate which held the symbolic food items. The traditional Four Questions were followed by many more questions, challenging everyone, regardless of faith, to work together to make the world a better, more peaceful, and a more beautiful place.
This Passover Seder offered a learning experience for many who are not Jewish and a cherished tradition for those who are. A basket was passed, and the money collected was donated to Friends of Assisi Food Pantry in Danielson.
This Passover Seder offered a learning experience for many who are not Jewish and a cherished tradition for those who are. A basket was passed, and the money collected was donated to Friends of Assisi Food Pantry in Danielson.
Thank You for Attending Our 70th Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service!
On Tuesday, November 25, Temple Beth Israel hosted the 70th Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, a cherished tradition shared by the Federated Church of Christ in Brooklyn, Connecticut, and the Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society. For seven decades, this gathering has stood as a meaningful expression of gratitude, unity, and neighborly fellowship.
The evening opened with a beautiful prelude performed by David Gonzalez, accompanist at the Federated Church of Christ, followed by the musical selection Ikh un di Velt, a Yiddish piece based on a poem by Abraham Reisen with music by Maurice Rausch. This opening song was performed by TBIPS President Norm Berman and board members Alicia Pion and Rachel Goldblatt—the Preservation Society Singers—who later joined the Federated Church choir in leading the evening’s musical selections.
Paula Rosenberg Bell, President Emerita of the Preservation Society, warmly welcomed the assembled guests, and Cindy Rollins offered greetings on behalf of the Federated Church. The service also featured readings of official proclamations from the Town of Killingly and the Town of Brooklyn, each recognizing the history and significance of this beloved annual gathering.
The evening opened with a beautiful prelude performed by David Gonzalez, accompanist at the Federated Church of Christ, followed by the musical selection Ikh un di Velt, a Yiddish piece based on a poem by Abraham Reisen with music by Maurice Rausch. This opening song was performed by TBIPS President Norm Berman and board members Alicia Pion and Rachel Goldblatt—the Preservation Society Singers—who later joined the Federated Church choir in leading the evening’s musical selections.
Paula Rosenberg Bell, President Emerita of the Preservation Society, warmly welcomed the assembled guests, and Cindy Rollins offered greetings on behalf of the Federated Church. The service also featured readings of official proclamations from the Town of Killingly and the Town of Brooklyn, each recognizing the history and significance of this beloved annual gathering.
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In addition to Reverend Jane Emma Newall of the Federated Church, who delivered the Call to Worship, several area clergy participated, including Rev. Zach LeCrone of the United Methodist Church in Danielson and Rev. Barbara Schreier. The Federated Church choir then led the congregation in a series of cherished selections: "We Gather Together," "Dona Nobis Pacem," "Trees of the Field," "Simple Gifts," and "Let There Be Peace on Earth."
A highlight of the evening was a heartfelt prayer of gratitude offered by Temple Beth Israel’s Alan Turner, followed by a moving benediction from Reverend Yana Cruz-Pagán of Cornerstone Baptist Church (which you can read at the links).
As in years past, the service also served as an opportunity to support the wider community. Donations exceeding $600 were collected to benefit Community Kitchens, and guests contributed nonperishable foods for the Friends of Assisi Food Pantry.
Bringing together music, prayer, community voices, and a spirit of thanksgiving, this year’s service honored a legacy of partnership and reaffirmed the shared commitment of all participating congregations to friendship, compassion, and hope.
A highlight of the evening was a heartfelt prayer of gratitude offered by Temple Beth Israel’s Alan Turner, followed by a moving benediction from Reverend Yana Cruz-Pagán of Cornerstone Baptist Church (which you can read at the links).
As in years past, the service also served as an opportunity to support the wider community. Donations exceeding $600 were collected to benefit Community Kitchens, and guests contributed nonperishable foods for the Friends of Assisi Food Pantry.
Bringing together music, prayer, community voices, and a spirit of thanksgiving, this year’s service honored a legacy of partnership and reaffirmed the shared commitment of all participating congregations to friendship, compassion, and hope.
Temple Beth Israel Celebrates 75 Years - "A House Built by Hope"
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On Saturday evening, October 25, Temple Beth Israel in Danielson celebrated a remarkable milestone — the 75th anniversary of its founding and construction. The festive gathering featured music by The Leslie Alexander Quartet, opening remarks from President Norman Berman, and moving reflections from members of the Board of Directors on the Temple’s enduring mission and legacy.
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Founded in 1950 by Holocaust survivors who rebuilt their lives on nearby farms and joined the small Jewish community of Danielson, Temple Beth Israel stands as a testament to faith, resilience, and renewal. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2013, the Temple continues to serve as “A House Built by Hope.”
The Temple Beth Israel Preservation Society, led by descendants of the founders along with long-time member Dr. Elsie Fetterman, now operates a vibrant center for education, social justice, the arts, and historic preservation. Dr. Fetterman was presented with a proclamation from the Town of Killingly congratulating the Preservation Society on this important milestone. |
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As the evening’s program noted:
“Seventy-five years ago, a group of Holocaust survivors and local Jewish families built more than a synagogue — they built a legacy of learning, justice, and community. Today we celebrate their vision and continue their work with gratitude and hope.”
Many thanks to the evening's co-chairs: Dora Glinn and Joel Rosenberg and a dedicated crew of volunteers including Rosa Goldblatt, Sheri Abrams and Alicia Pion who helped to make the evening a great success.
“Seventy-five years ago, a group of Holocaust survivors and local Jewish families built more than a synagogue — they built a legacy of learning, justice, and community. Today we celebrate their vision and continue their work with gratitude and hope.”
Many thanks to the evening's co-chairs: Dora Glinn and Joel Rosenberg and a dedicated crew of volunteers including Rosa Goldblatt, Sheri Abrams and Alicia Pion who helped to make the evening a great success.
Updates on Our Impact
Some of Our Partners
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