Shul throws a shower By Stacey Dresner July 8, 2005 - NEW HAVEN - A kitchen "shower" recently held in New Haven really raked in the gifts. Guests brought a coffee grinder and a Cuisinart, a stainless steel cookware set and a blender. The gifts also included can openers, vegetable peelers and tongs, the always popular gravy boat, cutting boards, an oven thermometer -- even a salad spinner. Who was the recipient of all of these implements necessary for a well-stocked kitchen? It was Congregation Beth El-Keser Israel of New Haven, which threw itself a kitchen shower at its June 26 annual meeting. BEKI's kitchen was in need of these items due to the increased use of the kitchen for synagogue kiddushim, explained Bryna Pauker, chair of the kiddush committee. Two years ago when BEKI's Shabbat morning kiddushim consisted of little more than some herring and crackers, there was a little grumbling about the meager fare from some congregation members, Pauker recalled. Pauker decided to form a kiddush committee that would prepare heartier kiddush treats. Pauker signed up 30 friends and formed four teams of 4-6 members that take turns preparing these more appetizing kiddush lunches. Each team prepares the kiddush once a month, with one member shopping for the food and the others, preparing the food on Thursday nights. "Aside from having a nice kiddush, it has done a lot to increase the community feeling," Pauker said. "People linger now and talk more now." But as the kiddush committee spent more time preparing food, "it became more noticeable that we needed some basics" in the kitchen, Pauker said. While the synagogue has been undergoing a renovation for the past year, - including a new entrance, chapel and library - renovating the aged kitchen has not bee one of the priorities. While there was a line item on the shul budget for the kitchen, and some people on the committee would buy and bring in utensils when needed, the committee decided they needed a better way to stock the kitchen. Earlier this year, BEKI member Daryl Kuperstock attended a "Pampered Chef" party that benefited Ezra Academy, and seeing all of the great gourmet items offered, says she got a case of "utensil envy." "I thought, ‘we don't have the budget at the synagogue for all of this, so how can we get this stuff?'" Kuperstock asked herself. "I thought of a registry -- people love to buy things off registries, and this started sounding like a shower to me." After consulting with the entire kiddush committee as well as the mashgiach of the synagogue, a wish list was compiled of all of the things the cooks thought the kitchen needed. Taking that list, Kuperstock registered at Bed, Bath & Beyond which has stores nearby in both Hamden and Milford. A flier went out to members of the congregation and the "shower" was scheduled for the June 26 annual meeting. More than 50 members showed up for the meeting/shower, Pauker said. "It was a like a regular shower," she said. "Some people brought things wrapped with pretty paper. Everybody thought it was fun." And successful. Nearly everything on the registry was bought for the kitchen - totally more than $1,100 in merchandise. Another several hundred dollars were donated to the kitchen fund, to be used to make larger purchases at the Restaurant Depot, a restaurant supply store that just opened in Orange. "It was good for the synagogue," Kuperstock said. "We are always looking for new programs and this was a great concept to complement the kiddush committee. All the cooks are going to appreciate the nice, clean new things to use!"