Irreplaceable

PHOTO CREDIT

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

COURTESY OF TBE

After 17 years as Temple Beth El’s b’nai mitzvah coordinator, Alan Lowen is retiring from the role at the end of 2021. Lowen has spent a total of 34 years at the temple.

To honor Lowen, TBE is planning a special Shabbat service on Friday, Dec. 10, at 7 p.m. TBE is creating a memory book for Lowen that will be presented to him at the service.

People contributed to the memory book in many ways, including writing tributes, submitting photos and making a donation in Lowen’s honor to the newly established Alan Lowen B’nai Mitzvah Fund. TBE will be using the fund to help families going through its b’nai mitzvah program.

Throughout his time at TBE, Lowen has lived by the phrase, “If somebody loves what they do, they never have to work a day in their life.”

“It’s been a wonderful experience, and I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Lowen says. “Just to make a difference in a kid’s life, and for a kid to say, ‘I wouldn’t be up here if it weren’t for Mr. Lowen,’ it makes me feel good.”

Lowen began at TBE as a special needs teacher on Saturday mornings, which turned into also teaching Sunday school. He soon began teaching Hebrew classes and, eventually, teaching Torah.

Lowen officially became b’nai mitzvah coordinator 17 years ago but worked with b’nai mitzvah students before then. Lowen estimates he’s helped nearly 1,000 kids with their b’nai mitzvahs in his time at TBE.

Debbie Morosohk, TBE’s director of education, knows much of Lowen’s success at running the b’nai mitzvah program comes from his skills as an educator.

“He’s so talented at understanding children and their individual needs, and he’s able to bring everything he knows and loves to them in the way they need,” Morosohk said.

Along with his role as b’nai mitzvah coordinator, Lowen is TBE’s gabbai, working with TBE’s Torahs on Shabbat and holidays, maintaining and organizing them, and with adults who want to read Torah at those different occasions.

Lowen’s other duties at the temple include teaching an adult b’nai mitzvah class for more than 20 years and helping lead shivah services when needed.

TBE Rabbi Mark Miller believes Lowen is one of the warmest, kindest, most

continued from page 17 Jewishly engaged and committed people he’s ever known.

“He’s an inspiration, and a Jewish role model for me. His value to our community goes far beyond his title as b’nai mitzvah coordinator,” Miller said.

One reason Lowen believes he’s been successful in the role is he realizes every student comes from a different background.

“Not every kid comes from the same mold, and you have to take that into consideration when you teach,” he says.

Another reason Lowen believes he’s been successful is the light-heartedness of his teaching style.

“Becoming a bar mitzvah — it’s a prayer, not a performance,” Lowen says. “It doesn’t matter how well the student sings or how a word is pronounced; it’s the kind of person they are and become. I have fun with my kids, and they have fun with me. I take it seriously, but you can get more done with a feather than a stone.”

Looking back on his 17 years in the role, one memory in particular makes it all worthwhile for Lowen.

“There was a student whose mother was dying, and I came to the hospital by her bedside and the student did his Torah portion and prayers for her,” Lowen recalled. “There wasn’t a dry eye in the place. That’s one thing I’ll never, ever forget.”

There will be no one replacing Lowen’s position. Instead, the b’nai mitzvah process is being adapted so all of the clergy and a group of tutors will take care of the duties. Miller says Lowen is irreplaceable.

“When people hear the name Alan Lowen, they think Torah, joy and love, and I think as much as anything else, people will think about how they can connect to Torah in a fun, loving and caring way,” Miller said. “That’s a legacy he’ll continue to participate in and benefit from.”

Lowen reiterates that he’s retiring from the role, not from the temple. He’ll still be there as a gabbai and Hebrew teacher, and the kind, helpful presence he’s been for over three decades.

“I’m still there for anybody who needs me,” he says. “And I’ll be there, God forbid, until the day I die.”

The special Dec. 10 service will be in person and streamed online at www.tbelive.org and Facebook Live.

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