March 19, 2024 ()

History

West End Temple Dedication August 22

(Excerpted in part from the original August 19, 1948 article in Long Beach Life newspaper)

In the summer of 1946, a small group of founding directors, consisting in part of Abraham Leff, Jack Jacobs and others, felt the need for another Jewish Synagogue, which would be convenient to worshipers in the West End (of Long Beach, NY) and Atlantic Beach (NY). They got started and raised approximately $25,000 for a building fund.

The board of directors planned and took part in the dedication ceremony of Temple Zion, which took place on August 22, 1948. The gala day included prominent state, county, and city officials as guest speakers. Judge Saul Price, a summer resident at the time made a principal address. The program started with a procession of the Torah – Star Spangled Banner and Hatikva – Invocation – the president’s address – short talks by J. Charles Zimmerman, county supervisor; Joseph F. Carlino, State Assemblyman at the time, Theodore Ornstein, former mayor of Long Beach and Joseph Kuhn of East Atlantic Beach.

Then followed the laying of the corner stone, introduction and brief remarks by Rabbi Solomon Goldfarb of Temple Israel and Rabbi Kimmel of Temple Beth-El.

The founding board of directors was composed of the following:

Jack Jacobs, chairman; Isidor Blumenthal, Herbert Fish, Samuel Harris, Julius Jarwitz, Samuel Koppel, Oscar Kurz, Bernard Katz, Max Lichtblau, Abraham Leff, Maurice Moreida, Paul Miller, Lewis Olain, Harry Rose, Dr. B. Rosenthal, Solomon Rotner, Dr. H. Rotner, Nathan Taubkin, Ben Trotsky, Oscar Weiner and Andrew Zinn.

Rabbi Eugene C. Feldman served gratuitiously.