They accomplished quite a lot that evening: appointed a Publicity Chairman, a Fund Raising Chairman (who promised to contact every Jewish family from South San Francisco to San Mateo, and even some south of San Mateo!) They voted to make the President of the Women's Guild a member of the Board and they decided on a quota of one hundred thousand dollars for completion of a Sunday School, Rabbi's study, kitchen and Auditorium.

They were an ambitious group, enthusiastic and more than a little naive. Like all pioneers, they had, perhaps, more courage than sense, because they could not foresee the obstacles they would face. But they took the first steps on an exciting journey that warm October night. They would not rest until their task was complete and there was a facility for Jewish learning and worship on the Peninsula.

In 1950, the Peninsula was beginning to experience an extraordinary "growth spurt". Young families were able to purchase homes easily because of G.I. loans and building was rapid and constant. So many people had passed through San Francisco during the war and had decided this was the place to live. Public facilities could not keep up with the population boom. Schools were on double session and parents did a lot of "schlepping" of children. There was only one Jewish-institution on the Peninsula, a small conservative synagogue in Menlo Park The San Francisco Congregations Sherith Israel and Temple Emanu-El co-sponsored a religious school for the children of their congregants which met at the: Seventh Day Adventist Church in Burlingame. Pre-confirmation classes were only available in the City so parents had to car-pool every Sunday morning. The parents became good friends, serving on the Board of Advisors for the Religious School, playing bridge and golf together. They became concerned that their children, while receiving an adequate Jewish education, were not able to do so in a Jewish building. They decided they wanted to build a religious school of their own, perhaps with a social hall attached for parties. They had no real plans for a separate congregation, just a school.

But Rabbis Alvin Fine of Temple Emanu-El and Morris Goldstein of Sherith Israel saw what their Peninsula congregants could not see. That summer at a Youth camp at Zephar Cove they met a young Rabbi who had worked with a group of 120 families to found a Congregation in Bakersfield. They asked him if he would be willing to speak to the group on the Peninsula and to relate his experience to them. He agreed and on a hot August night in 1950, Sanford Rosen met with a group of "interested people" at the home of Jerry and Esther Moskovitz. He related the story of Bakersfield, but he left the meeting feeling discouraged. He was sure he had not inspired them to start their own congregation. When he returned to Bakersfield he sent a follow up letter to Jerry Moskovitz describing fund-raising methods used at Bakersfield. It was this letter which was read two months later at that initial board meeting. The seeds of an idea had indeed taken root and were beginning to flower. In February of 1951 a fund-raising rally was held in Burlingame and Rabbi Rosen was asked to speak. Over $30,000 in pledges was collected that day and at a party following, a group of men approached Rabbi Rosen and asked him to consider being Rabbi of this new congregation.

By the summer of 1951, Rabbi Rosen had been hired, a new board of directors was elected, incorporation papers had been signed and, in anticipation of their first High Holy Day Services, the Peninsula Congregation had chosen a name: Peninsula Temple Beth El.

Over the years, nearly 35 since those fledgling meetings in private homes, Beth El has grown, developed and, changed with the years. Thirty-two classes have been confirmed since 1953, hundreds of Bar Mitzvahs have been called to the Torah since Howard Pelzner in 1952, scores of Bat Mitzvahs since Lydia Mazur broke ground in 1961, hundreds of young couples have been joined in marriage since Gail Levin and Richard Lowenthal became the first bride and groom to be married in our present sanctuary in 1957. Good times and bad have been shared by a congregation which has swelled to over 600 families.

In 1955, when it became obvious that the original facility at 2103 Alameda de las Pulgas was too small, another building fund was inaugurated, land was purchased, and the present building was formally dedicated in April of 1958.

Another discovery was made in 1955: Herbert I. Epstein, young cantorial student at Hebrew Union College, School of Sacred Music was asked to audition at Temple Beth El. After his ordination, he joined the staff as Cantor/Educator. Since there was a choir in existence, Cantor Epstein had three weeks to "whip them into shape" for High Holy Day Services which fell that year on the earliest date on which they can occur. Cantor Epstein remained at Beth El, raising two sons, leading countless choirs, and. preparing two generations of children for Bar and Bat Mitzvah. Since his retirement in 1983, he has enjoyed the rank of Cantor-Emeritus. He and his wife, Roz, have traveled extensively since his retirement.

Over the years, Temple Beth El has pioneered many innovative programs. Our religious school, now under the direction of Steven Chervin, has become a model of programming. Our Adult B'nai Mitzvah program, begun in 1978, has provided adults the opportunity to read from the Torah and. to lead the worship service. The Adult Education program has offered topics as varied as Jewish cooking, beginning Hebrew, Discussions on Nuclear Disarmament, Jewish History and a Family Life Lecture series. On the social side, we were one of the first Congregations in California to establish a Havurah program, and this year we have instituted an outreach program as encouraged by UAHC.

Temple Beth El was not the first Reform Congregation in America to elect a woman president of the Congregation-we were the second. However, when Zara Jaffe became President in 1972, she was also president of the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods' Western Region, and on the Board of NFTS. We can't confirm it, but we think that was a first. Since Zara, there have been two other women presidents, Joyce Share, 1980-82 and Diane Marcus, 1982-84.

We have come a long way since Esther Moskovitz became the first woman to hold the Torah at a Friday evening service. (What an uproar that caused in 1952!!!)

In 1982, after thirty years of service, Rabbi Rosen retired. A Congregation which had only one Rabbi began to search for a successor. It seemed an impossible task, and the selection committee, led by Diane Marcus, interviewed many candidates. The requirements for the job seemed so grand that the committee began to ask the candidates "Can you walk on water?" But after months of searching the man was found. Peter J. Rubinstein of Woodlands Community Temple in White Plains, New York, agreed to uproot his family, wife Daniela and sons Michael and Noah and move to San Mateo. Under Rabbi Rubinstein's leadership, the congregation has enjoyed a spiritual rebirth; Rabbi Rubinstein has encouraged participation in community activities and a renewed interest in Israel. During the summer of 1983, Rabbi and Daniela led a group of congregants on a tour of Israel (where it was proved conclusively that he cannot walk on water) and in the summer of 1984 they led a group of confirmands on a six-week tour. This group included twenty-five students from Temple Beth El - the largest group we ever sent!

After thirty-five years of Congregational life, Peninsula Temple Beth El is vigorous and exciting, the third generation is beginning to join the leadership of the Congregation and while the demographics of the membership has certainly changed since 1952, the goals remain the same - to provide a place for Jewish worship and Jewish education, and to nurture Jewish life on the Peninsula.