Bet Knesset Bamidbar (BKB) organized in 1990 when Jewish people started to move to Sun City Summerlin. By 1993 we were gaining more and more members and a reputation in the Jewish community. The Temple Board of Directors and Officers heard the cry from the members “we need a choir”. Bill Levin, one of our members volunteered to lead the choir and made a concerted effort to obtain the music we would need.
We employed Lynn Burdick, who was the pianist for the Silvertones, a vocal group here in Sun City, to play for us. Eight hardy souls volunteered to sing and the choir was organized. The BKB membership loved hearing them as they do to this day. When we performed for our first High Holy Days in 1994, we were “Stars”. As time passed more and more members of the congregation joined the choir.
In 2004 the board felt it was time to hire a “real professional” choir director. Marek Rachelski auditioned and we knew immediately he would be perfect for us. We were all saddened in 2012, when Marek decided to seek employment in Chicago. Before he moved, he introduced us to Tim Cooper (see Temple Professionals) whom we engaged and is the current musical director.
Through the years members joined, members left, members moved away and some passed on to sing in a heavenly paradise. We still have a few of the original eight choir members. Their ages range from “in their 50’s to in their 90’s”. To join you have to love to sing. The choir sings in Hebrew, but you do not have to know Hebrew.
“Our greatest pleasure is when we sing for the High Holy Days” said Sydell Miller, past BKB President, current Vice-president and original choir member. Sydell also said, “When you sit on the Bimah and look out at the congregation and you see the pleasure you are bringing to them, it is worth all the time and effort. They are singing with you and clapping their hands and smiling. That is it in a nutshell. This is your Mitzvah!’”
Today, the choir members are: David Altman, Francine (Frankie) Meppen, Sydell Miller, Alan Rosenberg, Barbara Rosenberg, Sheldon Rosenberg, Marianne Silverman and Vickie Socol (Choir Chair).