Hazzan Ellen and Graham Arad Chosen to Receive
President’s Ne’emanim Service Award
At 57th Annual Dinner Dance on Sunday, May 2, 2010

Growing up in the shadow of Beth El, little did Ellen Miller Arad know that life would bring her full circle back not only to New Rochelle, but right into the heart of our synagogue community. In 1973, when the Millers moved into a house on Northfield Road, becoming a hazzan could not have been further from her mind. As a teen, Ellen was an active member of Beth El’s USY, and took part in many of the youth activities offered here, including acting in the youth plays, directed by Don Eisenberg, z”l.
Graham Arad first came to Beth El in 1967 while visiting lifetime family friends Bernice and Aba Ward. Graham grew up in North London’s strong Jewish community, attending elementary Jewish day school. As a teen, Graham was active in and eventually became chair of his synagogue’s Teen Services. His commitment to Jewish affairs continued while he attended law school at London University’s LSE, and later in the wider Jewish community.

While at Brandeis University, Ellen’s involvement in Jewish affairs blossomed. She became chair of the National Student Coalition for Soviet Jewry and also worked for HIAS, helping Jewish families coming out of the Soviet Union. After her graduation, in 1981, Ellen worked as an associate producer for Good Morning, America while pursuing a master’s degree in communications from New York University. During this time, she met Graham, who was visiting New York and again staying with the Wards, who were mutual friends. She and Graham were married at Beth El in 1986 and moved to London, where Graham was managing partner in a law firm.

In 1991, Ellen and Graham returned to New Rochelle, and in 1993, Ellen began her career as a Jewish educator, working at various area synagogues. For a number of years, starting in 1994, Ellen led Torah for Tots and developed it from a monthly to a weekly service. She wrote and produced original scripts for our holiday tot programs for Simchat Torah, Purim, and Shavuot. Ellen was the music director for Beth El’s Summer Session for eight years, and taught music, kindergarten, first grade, and sixth grade in our Religious School. In May 2004, Ellen received a master’s degree in Jewish education from the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education at JTS.

Ellen joined the Board of Trustees in 2001, and served as a vice president from 2003 to 2009. She has volunteered on a number of committees, including Ritual, Youth Activities, and Havurah. She has served both as program chair and cochair of the Dinner Dance. As cochair of Limud for a number of years, she and Barbara Horowitz organized the highly successful Expo 350 event in 2004. Most recently, Ellen served as program chair for Beth El’s memorable Centennial celebrations in 2008-09. Perhaps Ellen’s most lasting impact on Beth El will be felt as a result of the many initiatives for synagogue transformation inspired by the ICAR Committee, which she founded and has cochaired since 2004.

As a Jewish educator, music was always an integral component of Ellen’s curricula. After some “gentle” prodding from Cantor Avery, Ellen entered the HL Miller Cantorial School in 2005, and this past May, was invested as a hazzan with a master’s degree in Sacred Music. Having led High Holiday services at Beth El and other synagogues while a student, Ellen became the part time hazzan of the Midway Jewish Center in Syosset, Long Island, after her graduation. In addition, she is now a member of the faculty at the HL Miller Cantorial School.

After becoming admitted as an English Solicitor, Graham Arad worked in private practice and became a partner at a commercial firm in London. Requalifying as an attorney in New York, Graham worked in commercial law firms until he and his partner founded Planet Payment, an international payment processor, where Graham is a director, senior vice president, and general counsel. Planet Payment was admitted to the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange, in March 2006, and to the OTCQX in the United States, in November 2008.

A regular Torah and Haftarah reader in the main and Havurah services, Graham has also led services, participating in the Men’s Club Shabbat and Kallah. For the last three years, Graham has led Shacharit services in the High Holiday Havurah services. Graham has enjoyed being a mentor for the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Institute for a number of years, and has been actively involved in Junior and Teen Congregation services, where he has acted as adult advisor for the past five years.

Ellen and Graham have two children—Max, a 2009 Solomon Schechter graduate and freshman at Washington University in St. Louis, and Alexander, a sophomore at Solomon Schechter High School. Both boys are at home at Beth El, having worked their way from Torah for Tots, through Summer Session and Junior Congregation, to leadership positions in USY and Teen Congregation. Alexander celebrated his bris here, and both boys marked their b’nei mitzvah at Beth El. Max has also worked as a Summer Session counselor for the past four years.

Ellen and Graham are honored to be this year’s recipients of the President’s Ne’emanim Award and feel blessed by the lifelong friendships and meaningful experiences provided by this wonderful community. They congratulate our well-deserving honorees, David Lacher and Dava Yavetz.