Congregation Beth El Gala–Fun and Fund Raising

Berkeley’s Congregation Beth El held its annual gala event, Saharan Sunset. The guests, many of whom are parents of the congregation’s young children, had a great excuse to dress up and have an adult time out complete with music, dancing, open bar, great food and a live auction. The event raises funds for youth and family education programs including: Beth El Nursery School; the amazing Camp Kee Tov (my boys went there every year of their childhood) and religious school scholarships. This year’s Saharan Sunset theme’s decorations transformed the sanctuary into a lavish tent complete with camels at a photo-booth, and a middle eastern band, MWE, with belly dancing.

Bacheeso catered the amazing spread of Middle Eastern food.
Silent auction items included: dinners out, wine, entertainment, lessons and a Shoey Sindel portrait session.
After guests have been photographed a number of times, some have the need to photograph the photographer! I never complain. Do you like my orange/pink hair experiment? Rabbi Reuben Zellman started off the event with a Havdalah service, followed by dinner, and a little after-dinner belly dancing led by MWE Belly Dancers/musicians and Albert Magid. Of course, no event is complete without its camel photo-booth. Here’s some of Beth El’s staff and volunteers yucking it up for the camera. Big ticket items went up for a live auction. People generously donated and bid for fantastic items with all the proceeds going to kids’ programs.
Come next year. It’s always a blast.