Holy Blossom and Israel: Our Connection Over Many Years
By Michael Cole, Holy Blossom Archives Committee
Like all of us at Holy Blossom, we in the Archives Committee have been deeply affected by the horrific acts of October 7. We decided to postpone the displays and articles that we had planned for this winter and concentrate instead on the long and varied connection between our congregation and the State of Israel.
The Temple Bulletin of June 4, 1948, contains a prayer for the new State written by Rabbi Feinberg weeks after its creation and delivered from the bimah. (It is shown above this article.)
The Archival display cases in the Schwartz-Reisman Atrium illustrate aspects of our ongoing relationship with Israel. The case closest to the Ava Road entrance shows our financial support for the Jewish State and our welcoming promoters of Israel Bonds, such as Abba Eban, the country’s longtime foreign minister, and Temple member and community leader Leon Weinstein.
Also on display are mementos of our many congregational trips to Israel, some organized by Brotherhood, and most led by our clergy, beginning with Rabbi Plaut and continuing with all our senior rabbis. Cantor Beny Maissner, our chazan for over forty years, is himself an Israeli, and he has long been an emissary of Holy Blossom to Israel and of Israel to Holy Blossom.
The second display case highlights the connection with our youth and Religious School to Israel. Some of us are old enough to remember our Director of Education, Heinz Warschauer, and his ardent support for the Leo Baeck School in Haifa, one of the first Reform institutions in Israel. It is named after Rabbi Leo Baeck, the teacher and mentor of both Heinz Warschauer and Rabbi Plaut. The certificates on display in this case attest to our Religious School’s long support for Israel.
We invite you to visit our displays in the days and weeks ahead. Please let us know if you have memorabilia that would be further evidence of the Holy Blossom—Israel connection. You can contact the HBT Archives Team at [email protected].
