Beacon Academy News / Archives Project

It is with excitement and joy that we celebrate Beacon Academy as it shares the news that it has just purchased its own building in Roslindale to house its remarkable program beginning in the Fall of 2021. In bittersweet news, it has also just been announced that Marsha Feinberg, Beacon Academy founder as well as long time Temple Israel member and past Board member, will be retiring at the end of the calendar year. After nearly two decades of vision, leadership, and commitment, Marsha is leaving Beacon Academy positioned for a bright future ahead.

Beacon Academy began on the second floor of our building as a 14-month educational program for students between 8th - 9th grade. Over the past 16 years, they have transformed lives and helped their students through high school graduation, college, and into the professional world. Their innovation has served as an inspiration to teachers, schools, and other learning environments throughout the country. Beacon Academy has flourished and grown and has recently sought a space of their own to accommodate their larger vision for the future.

We are proud of our long-term partnership and strong connection and friendship, as many Temple Israel members have been deeply engaged through tutoring, coaching, and supporting the Beacon Academy mission. We wish our Beacon Academy partners and students continued success, and we look forward to celebrating and engaging with the next chapter of their story!

Listening to the Past: Voices of Temple Israel

The Archives has now digitized all its audio recordings from 1934-1979 thanks to a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). They feature radio broadcasts, worship services, sermons, lectures, and community events in which Temple Israel rabbis Harry Levi (1911-1939), Joshua Loth Leibman (1939-1948), Roland B. Gittlesohn (19591977), many other rabbis, congregants, and visiting speakers talk about their lives, their world and other more timeless issues. The recordings capture their words, but also the atmosphere and music of Temple Israel life over time.

The recordings will eventually be made public via Digital Commonwealth (digitalcommonwealth.org). However, we first need to listen to them for information that will enable users to access and search the recordings. We would love your help! If you are interested in participating in this important community project, please contact Susan Porter at susanporter@comcast.net or 617-566-4746. We will provide you with training, instructions, and support.