Welcome
Burt Paikoff
We note with sadness the passing of Burt Paikoff, 81, our long-time and beloved congregant, leader, teacher, and friend.
Burt was one of the regular leaders of our services. He was a teacher of Hebrew and of bnai mitzvah students. He was an active and vocal member of our Torah study group.
Most of all, he was in the great tradition of learned, thoughtful, and sometimes outspoken Jews. He combined knowledge with kindness, and he freely shared both with those in our community.
The photo of Burt shown above says a lot about him. He is surrounded by the text that has guided the Jewish people for thousands of years. But it is a text that must constantly be worked on, as Burt always said. There he is, sleeves rolled up, not standing on ceremony, ready to go to work.
There is an empty place on the bema, an empty seat at the Torah study table, and an empty place in our hearts. These will never be filled. But if you listen you will hear the unmistakable sound of Burt’s voice and his laugh. No one will take those away, and he will be with us always.
Temple B’nai Israel in Tupelo is the home of Jewish life in Northeast Mississippi.
We began as a congregation more than seventy years ago, holding services in a rented space above a car dealership in downtown Tupelo. We built our current Temple in 1957, and in the years since we have continued to expand and renew that building. As part of our 50th anniversary rededication, we built a beautiful new bema and ark for our sanctuary. In April 2009, we dedicated our new Library, honoring the memory of our long-time congregational leader Maurice Stein and the work of our current religious leader Marc Perler.
From our simple beginnings to today, it is the people of this congregation who make Temple B’nai Israel all that it is and all that it will be. Along with our Shabbat and holiday services, it is the place for our Jewish community to come together and honor all the events of their lives—births, b’nai mitzvah, weddings and memorials.
For more about our congregation, please view our Posts or any of the other informative links in the sidebar.
Whether you are a newcomer to the area, considering moving here, or just passing through, we welcome you to join us for services or to arrange to visit us anytime. We look forward to seeing you soon.
