Archive Committee Looks Back at 
Special Cultural Events in the Seventies

In reviewing Beth El Bulletins from the 1970s, the Archive Committee recently traced the history of outstanding cultural events at Beth El Synagogue, organized by Beth El’s Cultural Activities Committee from 1971 to 1980. Under the leadership of Betty Grad-Gross (the former Mrs. Harold Grad), the Cultural Affairs Committee launched the Distinguished Lecturer Series in 1971 as part of the celebration of Beth El’s “Year of Dedication,” commemorating the completion of the synagogue wing. The lecture series was offered three more times over the next five years and, in its entirety, included twelve lectures delivered by prominent Americans for the benefit of the Beth El community and the general public. Later in the decade, the Cultural Activities Committee oversaw a series of classical music concerts that brought world-renowned artists to the synagogue.

During the seventies, four Distinguished Lecturer Series were held; for each one, three articulate and well-known authorities were invited to speak about a provocative theme. Each series attracted a large audience.

The theme of the first series, held in April, May, and June 1971, was “Who Speaks for America in the Seventies.” Bayard Rustin, leading civil rights activist, spoke about “Mobilizing a Progressive Majority;” Margaret Mead, noted anthropologist, lectured on the “Changing Contours of the Generation Gap;” and Bruno Bettleheim, influential child psychologist, discussed “What Is Happening to the Family?” A second series, conducted in April, May, and June 1972, was entitled “The Present as Prologue.” It included visits from Barry Commoner, eminent ecologist, who spoke about “How Can We Survive the Environmental Crisis;” Norman Cousins, prominent editor and humanitarian, who lectured on “Birth of a New World;” and Herman Kahn, influential public policy analyst, who offered his thoughts on “Forces for Change in the Seventies and Eighties.” Notwithstanding the fame of the speakers, tickets for the first and second series were offered at the nominal price of five dollars for the series or two dollars per lecture, with student tickets available at half price.

The concluding speaker in Beth El’s Distinguished Lecturer 
Series, June 12, 1973, was famed United States 
Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, 
pictured at right with Rabbi David I. Golovensky. 
In his moving talk before a thousand listeners 
he pleaded for ecological care in the country’s future plans.

The third Distinguished Lecturer Series, held in April, May, and June 1973, was organized around the theme “The Struggle for Human Dignity.” By that time, Dr. Samuel Perlman served as chairman of the Cultural Activities Committee. Beth El welcomed Dick Gregory, comedian turned social commentator, whose topic was “Social Problems: Are They Social or Anti-Social;” television reporter Geraldo Rivera, who had gained media attention for his reporting of conditions at the Willowbrook State School for the Retarded and whose lecture was titled, “Broadcast Journalism as a Force for Social Change;” and William O. Douglas, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, whose topic was “Points of Rebellion.” By this time, the lecture series had become a little pricier: six dollars for the series and $2.50 per lecture, with student tickets at half price.

After a three-year hiatus, the Distinguished Lecturer Series returned in 1976. Mrs. Grad again chaired the Cultural Activities Committee when “Perspectives 1976” was established as the series’ theme. Beth El welcomed three notables. Syndicated columnist Art Buchwald, whose talk was titled “Buchwald at Large,” analyzed the most pressing political problems facing Washington in his own inimitable style; Retired Admiral Elmo Zumwalt spoke about “Russia’s Challenge to Our Naval Supremacy;” and Ralph Nader, political activist, revealed his insights into “Who Runs Congress? Power and Citizen Action.” Ticket prices had increased again—the series cost ten dollars for adults and five dollars for students.

Then, in May 1978, under Mrs. Grad’s leadership, the Cultural Activities Committee helped organize the memorable Irving Strum Memorial Concert at Beth El, where world-renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman and outstanding pianist Samuel Sanders performed for an audience of well over 1,000. The following year the committee continued its “Great Artists in Concert” event as part of Beth El’s celebration of its seventieth anniversary. In May 1979, world-renowned violinist Pinchas Zukerman together with his wife, flutist Eugenia Zukerman, and pianist Samuel Sanders performed at Beth El in a concert offered as a nonprofit service to the community. The next “Great Artists in Concert” event took place at Beth El in May 1980, when critically acclaimed opera singer and Beth El member Jan Peerce performed.

Norman Cousins, former editor of the Saturday Review, 
was the second speaker in this year’s ( May 11, 1972) 
Distinguished Lecturer series. In the reception room before his talk 
was this group (from left): Rabbi Golovensky, Mr. Cousins, 
Mrs. Harold Grad, and Beth El President Sydney Mitchell.

Looking back at the famous personalities and eminent artists who graced our halls, it is hard not to be impressed with the efforts of all of the members of the Cultural Activities Committee who worked so hard to make these events so successful and accessible to Beth El members and to the local community as well.