Rabbi Brent Gutmann Installed as 11th Senior Rabbi of Temple Beth Zion

BY BETH STEINBERG

The weekend of May 19-20 was momentous for Temple Beth Zion, as Rabbi Brent Gutmann was installed as its 11th Senior Rabbi. Hundreds of TBZ members, friends, and family sat in the pews of the magnificent main sanctuary for Erev Shabbat. During the service, Rabbi Gutmann welcomed two of his closest rabbinic friends and mentors, Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman and Rabbi Adi Cohen, to participate in sanctifying this significant moment in the life of our synagogue.

rang through the sanctuary in celebration.

The weekend continued Shabbat morning with an International Rabbinic Schmooze during which the two guest rabbis shared their responses to Rabbi Gutmann’s probing questions about a handful of timely and significant issues. All three rabbis then led a moving and musical service together, after which the crowd was handsomely fed at a festive Kiddush luncheon.

The Gutmann family, along with friends, celebrate at Denim & Diamonds

Other special guests were invited to the bimah to finish tying the tzitzit on a tallit brought from Israel especially for this occasion. The tallit was then held aloft as Rabbi Gutmann was blessed as the Temple’s 11th Senior Rabbi. There was hardly a dry eye in the crowd as the voices of Gila Cohen, Cantor Mark Horowitz, Aaron Pieri, Sara Schultz, Zack Steinberg, Susan Goldberg Schwartz and Judy Henn

The crown of the weekend was Havdalah and “Denim & Diamonds” held at the Reikert Ballroom at Jazzboline. In a room filled with flowers and sparkles, family and friends of the Gutmanns and of Temple Beth Zion ate, drank, danced, and made merry for hours! Described by our Temple President Ken Polk as “Half-Bar Mitzvah and Half-Wedding” it was a time to let loose and simply enjoy the celebration of having reached this magnificent milestone in the 174-year history of the congregation.

Beth Steinberg is TBZ’s Director of Member Experience.