32 years of leading CBST. 32 years of profound teaching and glorious prayer. 32 years of fighting for the rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ Jews. 32 years of shepherding the community through crises. 32 years of celebrating our biggest successes. 32 years of accompanying so many of us through our most painful times and our sweetest moments. 32 years of being a powerful voice for human rights in New York City, in New York State, in the US, and internationally. 32 years of showing us by example how to drive the tent pegs firm and expand our tent.
The sold-out crowd at the tribute concert at the Appel Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center on Monday, June 3 honored Rabbi Kleinbaum with a long, boisterous standing ovation!
This magical evening featured some of the people, texts, and musical pieces that Rabbi Kleinbaum loves most, and have been her sources of spiritual inspiration and comfort.
After 32 years, we in the CBST community know how much Rabbi Kleinbaum loves the Psalms, the opera, chamber music, and Broadway.
Honoring her with performances of “Do You Love Me?” from Fiddler on the Roof by Tony winners Danny Burstein and Andrea Martin, “Ring of Keys” from Fun Home by Tony nominee Beth Malone, and “Infinite Joy” from William Finn‘s Elegies: A Song Cycle by Sally Wilfert, all with pianist Seth Rudetsky, was deeply moving.
The incredible performances of “Vissi D’Arte” from Tosca by Metropolitan Opera soprano Toni Marie Palmertree (without Rabbi Kleinbaum singing along!) and “In Kheyder” by Cantor Sam Rosen, both with pianist Joyce Rosenzweig, had us in tears.
The CBST Community Chorus opened the concert with an exciting performance of Michael Boino’s Psalm 113. And the chorus brought their best acting skills to the utter delight of “Transition!” a re-writing of “Tradition” from Fiddler on the Roof specifically for Rabbi Kleinbaum, which featured Adria Benjamin as the “fiddler” as well as Judy Ribnick on clarinet and Beth Robin on piano. This had us laughing uproariously.
It was deeply meaningful to hear beautiful memories and reflections and blessings from Rabbi Ayelet Cohen, Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld, Rabbi Kleinbaum’s daughters Liba and Molly Rubenstein, and of course from beloved rebbetzin Randi Weingarten, and to have the entire event hosted and hilariously emceed by the brilliant Kate Clinton (no relation to…).
We will never forget the moment when Secretary Hillary Clinton stepped onto the stage to speak about her deep admiration for Rabbi Kleinbaum and Randi! It was also an incredible tribute to the impact Rabbi Kleinbaum has had on the world to see President Joe Biden appear on screen to offer his blessings to Rabbi Kleinbaum, and Senator Chuck Schumer congratulate her on this momentous occasion.
And what a joy to welcome Adria Benjamin with her wonderful ensemble to perform a Mozart string quartet, and to hear from several of the 50 former Cooperberg-Rittmaster Rabbinical Interns about the impact that Rabbi Kleinbaum has had on their rabbinic lives and the communities they serve.
We were so blessed to have CBST Music Director Joyce Rosenzweig and Cantor Sam Rosen return to the stage with the CBST Chorus, rabbinic great-niece Acadia Gremillion, the rest of Rabbi Kleinbaum’s family, all of the clergy, the speakers and performers, and the Cooperberg-Rittmaster Rabbinical intern alumni for a wildly joyful rendition of “L’dor Vador,” a perennial favorite for moments when we feel the “generation to generation” impulse most strongly.
So much gratitude is due to everyone who was involved in creating this gorgeous, transcendent event, but especially to Barbara Gaines, whose persistent, loving dedication as producer made the evening unforgettably spectacular.
Thank you to all who attended, sponsored, cheered, donated, celebrated, and contributed in every way to this beautiful evening!
As Rabbi Kleinbaum said, “Everything I have done here at CBST has been in partnership with you.” We are so grateful for 32 years of partnership with her.
Read the celebration’s special program:
This special event also launched The Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum & Randi Weingarten Fund for Social Justice at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah. We hope that you will help us reach our goal of raising $1.5 million by the end of the 2024.
In keeping with CBST’s mission and Rabbi Kleinbaum’s teaching, “Social Justice is rooted in our Jewish texts, history, theology and liturgy. We don’t separate spirituality from social justice.” The fund will enable CBST to augment and build on its work as a leader in the Jewish/LGBTQ+ social justice movements.