Edit in JSFiddle

var MyView = Backbone.View.extend({
    events: {'click button': 'sayHi'},
    sayHi: function () {console.log('hi');}, 
    render: function () {
        this.$el.html('<button>sayHi</button>');
        return this;
    },
    initialize:function(){this.render();}
});

var myViewInstance = new MyView({el: '#myView'});
//change el for myViewInstance, and re-render, note event works
myViewInstance.setElement('#anotherMyView').render();

<div id="myView"></div>
<div id="anotherMyView"></div>