Allan Appel Photo
Hecht and shul President Lee Liberman
Rabbi Mendy Hecht celebrated not only the restoration of a temple in Jerusalem 2176 years ago — but the modern-day restoration of an historic shul on Orchard Street.
Thirty members and several generations of the nearly 100- year-old orthodox Congregation Beth Israel, lovingly known as the Orchard Street Shul, gathered on Wednesday afternoon to join Hecht in marking Chanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, on its first full day.
The shul had been empty and shuttered for years, as Jews moved out of the neighborhood. Now a group of Jews has been renovating the historic structure and giving it new life.
In brief remarks Hecht rhetorically linked the recently sheet-rocked and repainted sanctuary and community room to the restoration of the temple in Jerusalem in biblical times.
At the culmination of a brutal ten years’ civil war, the Jerusalem temple was re-taken by a religious Jewish army, known as the Maccabees, from Greek forces allied with Hellinizing Jewish factions in 165 of the Common Era.
“Chanukkah marks outlasting an oppressor,” Hecht said.
Closer to home, he added that the eight-day holiday is “a kind of rededication of this temple as well.”
Original doors to a fire escape in the balcony with women’s section are being renovated.
Led by synagogue president Lee Liberman, members in the last year have rallied to save the aging building by repainting the ceiling, repairing a gaping hole and other rain damage in the women’s section in the balcony, sheetrocking and repainting the below-ground community room.
They have also sent out three original chandeliers from the sanctuary for detailed restoration of their 2,000 to 3,000 prisms.
(Click here to read “Today I am a Fountain Pen, Again,” a previous Indy story on how the synagogue revival included inviting back its bar mitzvah boys from decades gone by.)
Led by synagogue member Wayne Chorney, who for 30 years ran an antiques business in Westville, the group has documented historical features such as the badly rain-damaged stenciling running along the walls before painting over them.
These stencils, along with the marbling along the walls of the women’s section, will be restored when the synagogue raises the next hunk of money.
Liberman said that work, along with long overdue repointing of the outside and a restoration of the steps, will requires $150,000.
He said he hopes that work can commence this spring.
The synagogue raised and spent about $60,000 on the current phase of renovation, which took place this fall.
Enjoying the traditional potato pancakes, or latkes, and jelly donuts (aka “sufganiyot”) Wednesday were not only synagogue members but neighbors like Father Bill Maguire and Bradley Long of the pastoral care unit at nearby Hospital of St. Raphael.
It was Father Maguire’s first Chanukkah celebration. While he was familiar with the latke connection to the Hanukah story, he wasn’t sure about the jelly donuts.
Traditional oil-heavy Chanukkah foods.
“They [the donuts] are [also] deep fried in oil,” explained Hecht. The oil refers to sanctified oil used to mark the relighting of the candles in the temple. A small vial that was supposed to be good for a single day endured for eight. Hence the miracle the holiday celebrates.
How you get from that to the oil of potato pancakes and donuts — well, that’s what traditions are made of.
Buenos Aires-born Norma Bennum Winik asked another Channukah question: She said she has lived in Jewish communities in Argentina, Brazil, and elsewhere around the world. Why only in America do Jews engage in gift-giving?
“There is no commandment to give gifts in the Talmud,” Hecht confirmed.
“It’s the creation of Hallmark,” said a cynical voice from the latke-eating crowd.
Hanukah lasts six more nights, with each night requiring display of one more candle. The entire menorah of eight nightly candles plus one “servant” candle that lights the rest are lit on the eighth night.
Rabbi Hecht and 1-year-old daughter Chaya in the restored main sanctuary.
The Orchard Street shul congregation was organized in 1913; the Orchard Street building dates from 1924. Liberman said plans are underway for a centennial celebration in 2013. He’d like to have the repointing and exterior work finished before that date, perhaps beginning in the spring.
“We don’t have much money” yet, he said. Those interested in helping can call him at 203 – 776-5093.
Membership and activities are growing. Hecht said that the synagogue has made the leap from holding sabbath services once a month to holding them once a week.
“For me there is a body and a soul” even in a building, he said. When he walks into the building he senses the soul of the culture of the Jews who lived in New Haven a century ago, he said. “You feel the Jews who davened [prayed] here before you.”