Joanne Douma
Robin L. Eisenberg Jewish Learning and Living Award
Early Learning Center
Robin L. Eisenberg Jewish Learning and Living Award
Early Learning Center
Barbara Feld
Robin L. Eisenberg Jewish Learning and Living Award
Religious School
Robin L. Eisenberg Jewish Learning and Living Award
Religious School
Mike Sirowitz
John Rogers Staff Award for Exemplary Professional Service
John Rogers Staff Award for Exemplary Professional Service
Marilyn Simon Weinberg
Joseph Q. Kline Lifetime Achievement in Volunteerism Award
Joseph Q. Kline Lifetime Achievement in Volunteerism Award
Dinner (optional): 6:00 pm
Annual Meeting: 6:30 pm
Join us to honor our outstanding volunteers and professionals and celebrate this past year at Temple Beth El.
Dinner selection includes grilled salmon with lemon and dill, chicken scallopini in a marsala mushroom sauce, Florentine stuffed portobellos, garden salad, roasted veggies and more!
Agenda for the Annual meeting includes:
– Confirm the slate for the 2024-2025 Board of Trustees
– Present the 2024-2025 Operating Budget
– Present the Joseph Q. Kline Lifetime Achievement in Volunteerism Award
– Present the John Rogers Award for Exemplary Professional Service to one of Temple Beth El’s staff
– Present the Robin L. Eisenberg Learning and Living Award to one of our ELC and Religious School teachers.
Dinner prices:
Adults: $29 | Children ages 5-13: $16 | Children under 5: Free
Prices increase by $5 per person on Friday, May 24. Registration for dinner closes on Monday, June 3.
Learn about our Award Winners
Joanne Douma
Robin L. Eisenberg Jewish Learning and Living Award
Early Learning Center
Robin L. Eisenberg Jewish Learning and Living Award
Early Learning Center
Joanne has been an Early Childhood educator for over 20 years. She holds a Paralegal Studies certificate from Nova University as well as an Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Education.
Over the past 4 years she has served in both lead and assistant teaching positions, working with many different age groups at the Beth El Early Learning Center. Joanne is a dedicated, resourceful and goal driven educator. She has a solid commitment to the social and emotional growth of every child. She is kind and caring to each of her students and their families. She is conscientious and works diligently to help each child build on their strengths and thrive. Joanne is a team player. She is flexible and considerate of others, going above and beyond to help other staff members.
Joanne believes that, “There is no better feeling than knowing you have helped brighten a child’s day and seeing their faces and expressions while they experience and learn new things.”
We are so grateful to have Joanne on our teaching team!
Barbara Feld
Robin L. Eisenberg Jewish Learning and Living Award
Religious School
Robin L. Eisenberg Jewish Learning and Living Award
Religious School
Barbara Feld has been involved with Jewish studies for over 30 years. In New Jersey she worked on an educational curriculum to develop teaching techniques for children with learning challenges. She was a Hebrew teacher mentor for top tier teachers, assisting them in improving their skills. In the past 20 years, Barbara taught Hebrew and Judaic studies to all ages and started Torah tutoring for B’nai Mitzvah students, including those with learning challenges. Barbara was even featured on CNN for creating an Adult Anshei Mitzvah “senior” class. She continued to follow her passion when joining the team at Temple Beth El of Boca Raton in 2016 as a B’nai Mitzvah tutor where she strives to allow each child the chance to reach their full potential. Barbara’s vast experience and patience allows her the ability to understand every child’s learning style and she derives so much joy from watching her students take a critical step in their Jewish journey by successfully having their Bar or Bat Mitzvah.
Mike Sirowitz
John Rogers Staff Award for Exemplary Professional Service
John Rogers Staff Award for Exemplary Professional Service
Mike Sirowitz, a native New Yorker, had the opportunity to retire early and relocate to Boca Raton in 2017. He immediately joined Temple Beth El, and became a valued member of the temple community. So much so that he agreed to “unretire” and become the Beth El Mausoleum Director when the opportunity arose. Since then, Mike has helped countless people throughout the South Florida Jewish community with their end-of-life arrangements at the Beth El Mausoleum. Through his kindness and expertise, he has earned the reputation as a warm and caring individual who is honored to help families and individuals every step of the way on what may be a difficult journey. Mike’s overall responsibility for the Beth El Mausoleum includes sales, operations, maintenance of the facilities, and funeral arrangements. Mike is responsible for scheduling and staffing every funeral that takes place at Beth El, which number about 100 per year.
You will often find Mike at the Temple on nights and weekends to help a family dealing with the loss of a loved one, or supporting other Temple programs. For example, Mike is the staff liaison to Brotherhood and to Beth El Pride, the Temple’s LGBTQ+ group. He is the first one to volunteer whenever we need extra staff support at large events. Mike personifies what this award is all about – someone who goes above and beyond their job description for the benefit of the organization.
Marilyn Simon Weinberg
Joseph Q. Kline Lifetime Achievement in Volunteerism Award
Joseph Q. Kline Lifetime Achievement in Volunteerism Award
Marilyn Simon Weinberg is a major supporter of Temple Beth El and Jewish organizations throughout South Palm Beach County and Virginia. She and her husband Jay chaired Temple Beth El’s 50th Anniversary Gala, raising funds for teen travel to Israel, and were Honorary Chairs for the Temple’s Gala of Gratitude and Love Honoring Rabbi Dan Levin. They are ongoing underwriters and Honorary Chairs of the annual Project Nuremberg Lawyers Luncheon at Beth El, which brings the lessons of the Nuremberg War Crime Trials into the present day. Marilyn is a major supporter of JAFCO (Jewish Adoption and Family Care Options), Jewish Family Services and the United Jewish Federations. She has raised millions of dollars for scholarships for returning veterans and first-generation students, including matching gifts from the state of Florida and the GI Bill. In 2022, Marilyn received the Rotary Club of Boca Raton’s OPAL (Outstanding People and Leaders) Award for Philanthropic Leadership.
In 2023, Marilyn began fundraising efforts at Florida Atlantic University bringing awareness to The Wallach Holocaust Center, to which she is a major supporter. The new building is expected to open in the Fall of 2024. She also chaired major fundraisers from 2008 through 2014 for the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center at Florida Atlantic University. Last year, Marilyn began her involvement in The Boca International Jewish Film Festival. Together, she and her husband Jay underwrote the Marilyn & Jay Weinberg Film Festival Series.
October 7th, 2023 was a day to never forget for our Jewish people. Marilyn is a major supporter of Israel and took an active role in supporting and fundraising for Friends of the IDF. Through the Marcus Foundation, she is currently funding and supporting the Underground Blood Bank. In conjunction with Friends of the IDF, she led the “Bubbe” Program with Israel Heart2Heart. Marilyn is a huge funder and advocate for the program; and with her generous efforts, our Israeli soldiers received an abundance of vests, ammunition and other necessary supplies to aid in their fight of this war of a lifetime.
