Temple Israel of Great Neck Role In The Community

Temple Israel plays a role in the wider Community

Rabbi Mordecai Waxman

 

In 1987, Rabbi Mordecai Waxman was Chairman of the International Jewish Commission for Interreligious Consultation and had successfully negotiated Pope John Paul II's visit to Miami's Jewish community. By the next morning, the photo documenting the historic meeting was on the front page of newspapers all over the world. Rabbi Mordecai Waxman, interfaith dialogue pioneer, addresses the Miami Jewish community, as Pope John Paul II listens intently. Recalling details of the day, which fell on a Friday in September, the Rabbi said the Pope wished the audience, "Shabbat Shalom and Shanah Tovah." Afterwards, the Pope confided that he was worried about his Hebrew accent. Intent comes from the heart, not from the lips," Rabbi Waxman reassured him.

The following is an excerpt from Waxman's speech delivered in September 1987 to Pope John Paul II:

"Catholics and Jews have begun the long overdue process of reconciliation. We still have some way to go because Catholic-Jewish relations is one of this century's most positive developments.

We remain concerned with the persistence of anti-Semitism - the hatred of Jews and Judaism, which is on the rise in some parts of the world. We are encouraged by your vigorous leadership in denouncing all forms of anti-Semitism, and by the church's recent teachings. The church's repudiation of anti-Semitism is of critical importance in the struggle to eradicate this virulent plague from the entire human family.

Anti-Semitism may affect the body of the Jew, but history has tragically shown that it assaults the soul of the Christian world and all others who succumb to this ancient, but persistent pathology.

We hope that your strong condemnations of anti-Semitism will continue to be implemented in the schools, the parishes, teaching materials and the liturgy, and reflected in the attitudes and behavior of Catholics throughout the world. Greater attention needs to be paid to the Christian roots of anti-Semitism. The teaching of contempt reaped a demonic harvest during the Shoah in which one-third of the Jewish people were murdered as a central component of a nation's policy. The Nazi Holocaust-Shoah brought together two very different forms of evil: On the one hand it represented the triumph of an ideology of nationalism and racism, the suppression of human conscience and the deification of the state - concepts that are profoundly anti-Christian as well as anti-Jewish. On the other hand the Shoah was the culmination of centuries of anti-Semitism in European culture for which Christian teachings bear a heavy responsibility".

 

Henry Kissinger visits our Temple

 

A group of Temple Israel of Great Neck officers with Henry Kissinger early 1960s ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cardinal Keeler visits Temple Israel of Great Neck

 

One of the leading officials of the Catholic Church, His Eminence William Cardinal Keeler, the archbishop of Baltimore, visited Great Neck next Monday, Oct. 31 2005, to deliver a major position statement on ecumenical relations. Speaking on behalf of the Church, he brought a message to world Jewry in an address at the Second Annual Rabbi Mordecai Waxman Memorial Lecture at Temple Israel of Great Neck.

The presentation was arranged by Temple Israel Past President Jacob Stein, who frequently accompanied Rabbi Waxman on his world travels, meeting with dignitaries and religious leaders from the United States, Israel and other major countries in efforts to improve ecumenical relations.

The community was invited to attend the presentation. Temple Israel President Dr. Jerome Seiler said he was "most pleased that the Cardinal has agreed to speak at Temple Israel. It is a testament to the legacy of our beloved Rabbi Waxman that the lecture series in his memory has been able to secure such a prominent speaker."

The Waxman Memorial Lecture Series Committee, chaired by former Temple Trustee Arthur Anderman, was formed to bring prominent speakers to the congregation who share views held by the late rabbi. Rabbi Waxman, internationally known for his work to define Conservative Judaism and promote ecumenical relations, served as the spiritual leader of Temple Israel for more than 55 years before his death, just over three years ago.

An influential participant in a wide range of national and international issues, Cardinal Keeler developed a reputation for effectively building interfaith bonds. He is particularly noted for his work in furthering Catholic-Jewish dialogue and serves as moderator of Catholic-Jewish relations for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He has been a member of the International Catholic Orthodox Commission for Theological Dialogue since 1986.

As the former chair of the Bishops Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, he helped arrange the historic meetings with Rabbi Waxman and other Jewish leaders and Pope John Paul II during the Pope's visit to Miami in 1987. The Pope then went on to meet with Protestant leaders in Columbia, South Carolina.

Cardinal Keeler, the 14th Archbishop of Baltimore, was elected president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and the United States Catholic Conference in November 1992. He had been elected as the organization's vice president in 1989, when he hosted Baltimore's bicentennial celebration of the founding of America's first Roman Catholic diocese. He is also the publisher of the Catholic Review.