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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 733
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WHEREAS, For 130 years, residents of Tyler have come together |
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to celebrate their faith at Congregation Beth El; and |
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WHEREAS, Established on April 7, 1887, with 53 charter |
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families, the congregation initially held services at the Odd |
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Fellows Hall on the Square; the first temple was constructed on a |
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lot at the corner of College and University Streets in 1889, and |
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Congregation Beth El occupied another building for half a century |
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before moving to its present location on Charleston Drive roughly |
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30 years ago; and |
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WHEREAS, The current sanctuary is home to four sacred Torah |
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scrolls, including one that was originally housed in a Czech |
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temple before being seized by the Nazis during the World War II |
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era; the campus also features a social hall and an educational |
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space, where members can take part in such programs as an adult |
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study group and a religious instruction class for children; and |
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WHEREAS, During its early years, Beth El was led by lay |
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people or by the occasional itinerant rabbi; in 1900, the |
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congregation hired its first full-time rabbi, Maurice Faber, and |
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it has since benefited from the efforts of a number of dedicated |
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members of the clergy, including Rabbi Neal Katz, who has served |
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the temple for the past 14 years; and |
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WHEREAS, Dedicated to their community, Beth El members |
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have generously shared their time and energies with the Tyler Day |
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Nursery, the East Texas Food Bank, the Hospice of East Texas, and |
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myriad other nonprofit organizations; and |
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WHEREAS, Congregation Beth El has long served as a source |
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of inspiration and guidance to those who worship there, and its |
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continued existence is a testament to the unwavering commitment |
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of its members and clergy, both past and present; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th |
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Legislature, hereby commemorate the 130th anniversary of |
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Congregation Beth El and extend to its members sincere best |
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wishes for many more years of shared prayer and fellowship; and, |
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be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for the |
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congregation as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate. |
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Hughes |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on May 4, 2017. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |