Beth El - The Beaches Synagogue Co-Presidents Make Their Mark for the Future of Our Congregation

By Joy Shultz Beth El - The Beaches Synagogue

In 2006, Karen Freedman, and in 2008, Tammy Shumer, and their families joined Beth El the Beaches Synagogue. Little did we know that they would make such a mark on our congregation’s future as they have since July 2021 thru June 2023 as Co-Presidents. They came in with goals that were established to see our Synagogue grow and be the best it could be. Their energy and enthusiasm touched our whole congre- gation and our Jewish Community building bridges along the way.

Beth El’s history started out in spaces provided by churches, garden centers and auditoriums in 1990. The congregation changed names as we became more rooted in the Beaches area from our initial Beaches Hebrew Association to our current name, Beth El the Beaches Synagogue. The generosity of many made it possible to obtain the mortgage to build our beautiful home in Ponte Vedra Beach that was dedicated in 2004.

Eventually, we converted our Conservative congregation to a Reform congregation.

In 2021, Karen and Tammy took a leap of faith and became co-Presidents. Their vision and goals of growth, kindness amongst our congregation, technological advances that have helped us enormously and the fulfillment of Rabbi Michael Matuson’s Legacy Fund which started in 2020 to pay off our mortgage was achieved. Now free of mortgage payments, with updated technology, unprecedented growth, happy, kind, and active people enjoying programs bubbling from our walls and other accomplishments such as: our biggest enrollment ever in our Sunday school and Bar/ Bat Mitzvah programs and a new Rabbi, Benjamin Dyme; Tammy and Karen will hand the baton over at the end of this June. As Past Presidents they will continue to set the examples we need and advise our new Board. We are not letting them go but giving them a huge THANK YOU for all they have done.