ASBEE Has Combined with Baron Hirsch

161 years after the founding of the Beth El Emeth in 1862, 125 years after the founding of Anshei in 1898,  108 years after the refounding of Beth El Emeth on Poplar in 1917, and 57 years after the merger of Anshei and Beth El, ASBEE has combined with the Baron Hirsch Congregation. Our 2 cemeteries, the Anshei on Airways and the Beth El on Horn Lake road remain. A fund for the maintenance of the cemetery and a charity fund have been established by ASBEE. Rabbi Joel Finkelstein, rabbi at ASBEE since 1997 is now the Rabbinic Scholar at Baron Hirsch, and a Nusach Sphard minyan continues at Baron Hirsch until Jan. 2024 led by Rabbi Finkelstein and Cantor Aryeh Samberg, longtime chazan at ASBEE. 

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Rabbi Joel Finkelstein, rabbi at ASBEE since 1997, is now the Rabbinic Scholar at Baron Hirsch. He also serves as a chaplain at the Methodist Germantown hospital. Prior to ASBEE,
Rabbi Finkelstein was the assistant rabbi of the historic Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue in New York City, the oldest congregation in America, founded in 1654.

A respected leader in community outreach, education, and youth programming both here and in Israel, Rabbi Finkelstein also served as principal of the Polonies Talmud Torah School in NY, served as rabbi of the Young Israel of Lawrenceville, NJ, taught Judaic Studies at S/A/R Academy in Riverdale, NY and at Stern College for Women, and did outreach work in St. Louis at Nusach Haari.

Rabbi Finkelstein earned a B.A. in psychology from Yeshiva College and received his rabbinic ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary in 1989, where he studied with Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik. He completed his coursework toward a PhD in medieval Jewish history at Yeshiva University’s Bernard Revel Graduate School, where he wrote his Master’s degree thesis on the Medieval talmudist, Rashbam.

Rabbi Finkelstein has diverse Torah interests. His background in the history of halacha draws him to obscure and forgotten opinions among the rishonim, both in halacha and in parshanut. Rabbi Finkelstein has also maintained his interest and involvement in manuscripts of lesser known rishonim.

Rabbi Finkelstein is known as a master story teller on stage, whether at stories for children or on Purim. He is often asked by local schools and early childhood programs to tell one of his famous stories.

“I love getting to know and helping people,” said Rabbi Finkelstein. ” I maintain many chavrutot (study partners) each week with both adults and children of all ages. We hope that everyone at ASBEE should feel like they belong, that they matter, and that they count at ASBEE.”

The rabbi’s “Ten Minutes for Torah,” a webcast and audio cast can be found on YouTube
(youtube.com/TenMinutesTorah/feature ). He speaks each week about the parasha
or upcoming holiday and has hundreds of thousands of viewers and thousands of subscribers, and also on YUtorah.

His wife, Bluma Zuckerbrot-Finkelstein, is an expert in Middle Eastern Affairs. She currently the Executive Vice President at the Memphis Jewish Federation. She also conducts a monthly Rosh Hodesh group for women and speaks on many topics. Together, they are the proud parents of Asher and Avigayil, Natan, Akiva, and Rakhel.

Aryeh Samberg has been cantor of the Anshei Sphard Beth El Emeth Congregation; singing and teaching since 1988. Cantor Samberg continues to lead the Nusach Sphard Minyan at Baron Hirsch until January 2024. 

Born in Brooklyn, New York, and having been raised listening to the great synagogue cantors of our time, Cantor Samberg sang as a child soloist in the synagogue choir of Theodore Silbermintz from age nine to 14.

While living in Israel he studied privately with Rabbi Cantor Jacob Baker. He then was accepted into the inaugural class of what evolved into the famous Tel Aviv Cantorial Institute then headed by Maestro Elli Jaffe & Cantor Naftali Herstik of the Jerusalem Great Synagogue. Cantor Samberg was its first graduate to accept a full time position, the same in which he has continuously served till today.

He has led services in Israel and throughout the U.S. He has performed in concert in Israel, New York, New Jersey, Maine and of course in Memphis. He was instrumental in forming “The Three Cantors“, together with Cantors David Julian and John Kaplan, bringing people together from all backgrounds to their lively performances.

Together with Dr. Steve Katz, he recently released his first solo CD entitled, “Gates of Hope” to great acclaim.

He has performed in concert with the great contemporary cantorial artists at the congregation’s Brown Engelberg Concert Series, and more recently at Dr. Steve Katz’ benefit concerts around Memphis.

He is, however, most comfortable in the synagogue leading his congregation in melodious prayer where with his lyric tenor voice he synthesizes classic cantorial with more modern styles.

Cantor Samberg has been deeply involved with the youth of our community having served as the Memphis NCSY Chapter Advisor for some 20 years. He has helped prepare countless boys for their Bar Mitzvah celebrations and currently teaches several students around the country online over Zoom. He has taught hundreds of adults throughout the community to read Hebrew as one of the inaugural sites for the NJOP‘s Crash Courses.

He has taught Jewish History to High School students at the Cooper Yeshiva High School as well as to adults at the Melton Adult Education Program.

Over the years he has presented lectures on various topics as well as a weekly “Rashi & Racquetball” class at the Jewish Community Center.

He currently serves as a volunteer mentor for the Partners in Torah program and has served as a Volunteer Ombudsman Representative for MIFA, advocating for local nursing home residents in Memphis. He serves as President of the Cantorial Council of America affiliated with Yeshiva University’s Belz School of Jewish Music.

He and his wife Adina have 6 children, 5 children in law and 18 grandchildren with whom singing around the Shabbat table is a favorite pastime.