In honor of Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum’s 32 years as CBST’s first Senior Rabbi, we are delighted to announce the launch of The Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum & Randi Weingarten Fund for Social Justice at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah. 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. READ MORE.
This fund is a dedicated fixture for the synagogue. We invite you to build on the generosity of those listed below and support the fund’s launch with a donation. All contributions to the Fund will be 100% tax-deductible.
Join us on June 3, 2024 as we celebrate Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum’s spiritual leadership at CBST and launch the Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum & Randi Weingarten Fund for Social Justice at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah with a moving tribute concert!
It is perfectly consistent with the extraordinary leadership of Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum at CBST and with the personal commitment of the Rabbi and her partner Randi Weingarten that they and we mark her stepping down from her pulpit with the creation of the Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum and Randi Weingarten Fund for Social Justice at CBST.
These two amazing people have devoted their lives to caring for the other, to raising up those who need help, to healing our wounds, and to building a world of justice and equity across any and every line of difference. It is my honor to give to this fund and to urge others to give generously.Ruth Messinger,
Former Manhattan Borough President
Former CEO of American Jewish World Service
Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum is renowned for the clarity of her convictions, her insistence on living them out, and her steadfast belief in the possibility of structural change. Under her leadership, CBST has established itself as a strong and vocal synagogue community of people willing to be powerful allies across difference, offering up a critical model of allyship. The Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum and Randi Weingarten Fund for Social Justice at CBST will be an enduring legacy to ensure this essential work can continue into the future.
Rabbi Deborah Waxman,
President and CEO of Reconstructing Judaism
Donor List
$100,000+
Andy Cohen
William Fern and Reverend John Bliss
$50,000+
Esteban and Heymi Kuriel
Eric Rosenbaum and Pierre Vallet
David Wine and Michael MacElhenny
$25,000+
Simon Dratfield and Sherri Felt Dratfield
Sue Fischlowitz and David Roberts
Stephen Frank and Adam Berger
Michael Powell
$10,000+
William Hibsher and Richard Orient
Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum and Randi Weingarten
Noemi Masliah
Marsha Melnick and Susan E. Meyer
Nancy Meyer and Marc Weiss
Gregg Passin and Andrew Schmidt
Jayne Sherman and Deborah Zum
Mike Vine and Bill Getreuer
$5,000+
Sabrina Farber and Ellen Shapiro
Barbara Gaines and Aari Ludvigsen
Faith Gay and Francesca Zambello
Betsy Gotbaum
Jerry Hyman and Mark Cohen
Matthew Kalos
Isabelle Kirshner and Cristina Grajales
Jack Nieman
Janet Pavloff and Lisa Kartzman
Michael Powell
Mark Richard
Dr. Barbara Rosen and Patricia Martone
Ira Rosenblum and Kenneth Karpel
Robert Zimmerman
$3,600+
Jack Greenberg and Ron Weiss
Debra Katz
Dr. Rosanne Leipzig and Ora Chaikin
Diane Ravitch and Mary Butz
$1,800+
Nancy Alpert and Gwen Marcus
Andrew Austin and Honorable Michael Sonberg
Nan Bases
Austin Beutner
Adria Benjamin and Laurie Rhodes
Naomi Blakeman and Ariana Fekett
Bruce Cohen and Gabe Catone
Elizabeth Cooper
Barbara Dolgin and Hanna Gafni
Dr. Ora Ezrachi
Jay Fischer and Michael Lehrman
Steven Frank and Mark Lerner
Emily Giske and Dr. Jennifer Percival
Suzanne Goldberg and Lou Kelley
Dr. Gerry Goldhaber
Nathan Goldstein and Mitchell Davis
Donna Gray
Barbara Grindell and Sherryl Drasin
Marcy Kahn and Dr. Diane Churchill
Allison Klein
Arthur Leonard and Timothy Nenno
Laurie Magid and Jeffrey Miller
Ruth Messinger
Dr. Isaac Namdar and Andrew Mitchell-Namdar
Bonnie Pollack
Judy Ribnick and Dr. Diane Burhenne
Honorable Rosalyn Richter
Cindy Rizzo and Jennifer Schwam
Kathy Rocklen and Debi Karlinsky
Lin Rosenbluth and Sally Kopstein
Rita Solnet
Honorable Scott Stringer and Elyse Buxbaum
William Thompson and Elsie McCabe Thompson
Leah Trachten and Regina Linder
Alan Solomont
William Wahler
Evan Wolfson and Cheng Her
Ivan Zimmerman and Taryn Higashi