It was originally known simply as “Kaplan’s Shul,” in honor of founding rebbe Dr. Louis L. Kaplan, former president of Baltimore Hebrew College and catalyst for several other local synagogues.
But Kaplan’s wife, Etta, preferred Beth Am, or House of the People, and the name stuck.
On a quiet Shabbat during Chanukah nearly a half-century ago, the renaissance of Jewish life in Baltimore’s Eutaw Place neighborhood – now known as Reservoir Hill — was born when Beth Am Synagogue opened its doors in the former home of Chizuk Amuno Congregation.
Beth Am is now a congregation of nearly 500 families and individuals affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, with Rabbi Daniel Cotzin Burg serving as its spiritual leader since July of 2010. The synagogue is viewed as a progressive, egalitarian alternative to suburban Jewish life, with a passion for urban living, neighborhood advocacy and do-it-yourself volunteerism.
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Beth Am will hold a series of gatherings over the next year.
“Beth Am’s 50th Anniversary is more than just a milestone — it is a celebration of the community’s legacy, values, and growth within Baltimore City,” the synagogue posted on social media.
Built in 1922, the synagogue’s Byzantine-Moorish structure at 2501 Eutaw Place was designed by noted local architect Joseph Evans Sperry. The stone, triple-arched Beth Am building was reportedly modeled after Tempio Maggiore, the Great Synagogue of Florence.
“Beth Am synagogue – formed by a small group of committed urbanites who remained at Chizuk Amuno’s Eutaw Place synagogue after Chizuk moved to the suburbs – has placed neighborhood outreach at the core of its identity,” wrote Eric L. Goldstein and Deborah R. Weiner in their 2018 book “On Middle Ground: A History of the Jews of Baltimore” (Johns Hopkins University Press).
Beth Am’s kickoff 50th anniversary event will be a festive weekend Dec. 13-14 of Shabbat services and musical performances. The Klei Kodesh (instruments of holiness) service will begin on Friday, Dec. 13, at 6 p.m. (featuring Uncle Ira’s Washboard Ensemble and the Jewish fusion band Jacob’s Ladder), followed by a festive community dinner at 7 and a “Tisch Afterparty” at 8:30.
The afterparty will feature performances and storytelling by Jacob’s Ladder and Beth Am clergy and congregants. “Jacob’s Ladder will teach us songs that they’ll perform at their Saturday evening concert,” the synagogue posted on its website.
The following day will feature Shabbat services, a catered community luncheon at noon, and a special afternoon service in Beth Am’s sanctuary.
That evening starting at 6:30, the synagogue will present a brief Havdalah service followed by a champagne and dessert reception. The concert by Jacob’s Ladder will begin at 7.
On Sunday, Dec. 15, from 1-8:30 p.m. and Monday, Dec. 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Beth Am will present “Scribing Sessions and TorahFest.” Congregants and others will have the opportunity to write the first letters of the congregation’s new sefer Torah while enjoying activities that explore Torah-themed matters.
“Practice scribing using a quill and ink, and participate in a special art project that we will create as a community to express our values,” the synagogue wrote. “We’ll begin the creation of a B’nei Mitzvah scroll where each member of our community can record and illustrate their b’nei mitzvah portion. Take home mementos to commemorate this special experience.”
Additional golden anniversary celebrations during 2025 include a “Lox & Learn” study session this winter; a women’s community seder with artist-in-residence and soferet (female Torah scribe) Rachel Jackson on Mar. 30; a May 18 Tzedek Beth Am community concert with Reservoir Hill neighbors featuring local jazz group Lafayette Gilchrist and the New Volcanoes, and rapper Eze Jackson; the introduction of a new sefer Torah on Oct. 14-15 during the festival of Simchat Torah; a scholar-in residence presentation in November; and a closing Shabbat event on Dec. 13 during the Chanukah season.
Also, congregants and friends of the synagogue “whose creativity and dedication over the last five decades have made the Beth Am community so special” will be honored at special sanctuary Shabbat services throughout the anniversary year.
For information, visit bethambaltimore.org/about/betham50/.
A committed philanthropist and community leader, Russel was president of R&H Motors.
The mother of four was a native of Winchester, Virginia, who spent most of her life in Northwest Baltimore.
The Columbia resident worked on the Gemini and Apollo space missions.
A St. Louis native, Edelman served as ambassador to the central African nation from 1987 to 1989.