WEST HARTFORD – Beth El Temple of West Hartford was awarded three Centennial Schechter awards from the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism’s (USCJ) Solomon Schechter Awards Program. Beth El Temple won three out of the forty honors awarded, from a pool of 175 applications. Beth El leaders accepted the awards on Monday, Oct. 14 at USCJ’s convention in Baltimore, Md.

Two Centennial Schechter Commendations were presented to Beth El for Shir Joy, a drop-in Jewish music class created as outreach to unaffiliated Jews, and Knitzvah, a group of Beth El Temple knitters who create and deliver lap-afghans, hats, scarves, mittens, and gloves to homeless shelters, hospitals, orphanages, and special-needs care facilities. In addition, Jessie’s Community Garden at Beth El Temple, which grows vegetables for donation to food banks and food service organizations, won the Centennial Schechter Yesode-Foundation Award.

The Solomon Schechter Awards are presented to programs exhibiting extraordinary characteristics and outstanding achievements.