Rosalind & Alfred Lippman Gallery

In 1976, Bob Cowen z”l, long standing temple member and respected pillar of the temple community, decided that B’nai Jeshurun was lacking culture. Bob went to Rabbis Pilchik and Greene, and thus began the thriving Rosalind and Alfred Lippman Art Gallery. Bob also wanted to introduce travelling exhibits from The Jewish Museum, and was told there was no funding available. Bob not only paid for those exhibits to be shown at TBJ but paid for the freight as well. After The Jewish Museum exhibits, Bob began recruiting local artists. And when their pieces sold, Bob established a separate account for the temple’s share of the proceeds which allowed him to cover expenses. The first items exhibited were of sacred items brought back to TBJ from a 1974 trip to Israel. Some of these treasures are still on display in the lobby. When the task of bringing culture became too much for one person, Bob recruited his wife, Ilene, friends, and the building supervisor, Zev Goldfarb. Eventually a committee was formed. In 1993 the Gallery was named in honor of Rosalind and Alfred Lippman as thanks for their generous donation to TBJ.

We thank Bob for the beauty, brilliance, and culture he brought to TBJ. Bob and company ran the Gallery from 1976 until 1985. Elisabeth Adelman z”l, Marilyn Greene, and Laurie Jacobs ran the Gallery until the early 90’s when it was turned over to Phyllis Mankoff, Joan Kroll and Arlene Rosenblum who ran it until the late 1990’s. Helene Dreskin chaired the Committee in the early 2000’s, and during Linda Levi’s chairmanship in 2005, the Gallery walls were recovered and a new hanging system was installed. In 2007 Gail Waimon came on board as the creator of the unique posters that introduce each exhibition. Gail was soon joined by Lois Dyer. Committee Co-Chairs Gail & Lois have been working with a dedicated committee — Helene Dreskin, Caroline Fefferman, Bill Foster, Linda Schultz z”l , and Lynn Manshel— ever since then. They strive to maintain Bob’s initiative of presenting fine art to Temple B’nai Jeshurun.

When you come to the temple, we invite you to view, enjoy and appreciate the exhibits and look at the artifacts in the glass cases.