The Palm Beach Post reported yesterday that Jupiter, Florida's Temple Beth Am and its former cantor, the Grammy-nominated Bruce Benson, have settled a lawsuit in which the Temple claimed that Benson was violating a non-compete clause in his contract. The Palm Beach Sun Sentinel reported Monday on a lawsuit. Benson is planning to conduct high holiday services beginning tonight in a rented high school auditorium on behalf of his recently-formed Institute for Jewish Living. The Institute is aimed at attracting some of the many Jews in the area who are not affiliated with a synagogue. Tickets for Benson's services are $136, while Temple Beth Am charges non-members $225 to attend high holiday services. A spokesman for Beth Am says that the High Holidays are an important way for the synagogue to raise funds and attract new members, and that Benson's services will siphon people away from Beth Am.
Benson's non-compete clause bars him from working at another synagogue in Palm Beach or Martin counties for 18 months after leaving Beth Am, and prohibits his attempting to attract members or employees from Beth Am. Benson says his Institute for Jewish Living is not a synagogue, and so he is not in violation. Benson's lawyer argues that civil courts cannot define what is or is not a synagogue. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Benson will not promote his services in northern Palm Beach County, from which Beth Am attracts most of its members. He is free to promote them in West Palm Beach or Boca Raton.
