The Lenore and Arthur Finkelstein Gan Mitzvah (Mitzvah Garden) was dedicated this month at Temple Beth El in Stamford. The garden is a gift of Jared and Elizabeth Finkelstein and family, built in memory of their parents.

A special program was held as part of the dedication along with the planting of their first crop of over 400 assorted vegetable plants. The vegetables will be donated to area soup kitchens.
At the dedication Jared Finkelstein stated “My hope is that the garden will be an exciting part of our new preschool program as well as having a role in making TBE a vibrant destination for our members. It can be a place where some of our oldest members can share an activity with some of our youngest and make our congregation more of a community. I also hope that the garden can be a part of TBE’s efforts toward tikun olam with the TBE community helping the larger community around us through its bounty.”
The congregation’s spriritual leader, Rabbi Joshua Hammerman, agreed. “The garden will enable us to appreciate the wonder and beauty of nature and to cultivate it lovingly for the benefit of our community,” he said. “For flowers and people alike, the clarion call from TBE will now be, “Come grow with us!”
The first crop of hundreds of tulips, planted by the religious school right before winter when the garden was completed, was harvested the week prior to the formal dedication and sent in vases to area assisted living homes.
The garden was constructed by Teich Garden Systems. Built all across the country, including one at the Botanical Gardens in New York, Teich school garden systems are specifically designed to enrich the academic and healthy living experiences of students by transforming existing curriculums into hands-on learning experiences. Temple Beth El plans to use the garden as part of their curriculum in their new preschool.
The garden is handicapped accessible with a special raised plant bed for those confined to wheelchairs. It features wide walkways to accommodate large numbers of gardeners, as well as planting beds of varying depths to permit students and teachers to experiment with a wide range of flowers and vegetables.

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