Gerson: Three milestone anniversaries to mark 2023
As you who have read my columns are aware, I am always very cognizant of anniversaries.
With this column, we enter the year 2023. I have noticed that there are three significant milestones occurring this year that pertain to faith. And I will devote my next three columns to each of these three events.
To mention the three: First, 2023 marks the 150th anniversary of my synagogue, Congregation Children of Israel in Athens. Then secondly, this year marks the 75th anniversary of the modern State of Israel in the Middle East. Israel, so important to the Jewish people, was founded in 1948. Finally, with 2023, and for those in my own Baby Boomer generation it is hard to believe, but it has now been 60 years since that horrible day , Nov. 22, 1963, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. This traumatized our country; and for us who were coming of age then, it hit right at our youthful enthusiasm.
These three events seem disparate and unrelated. But, as I will show, they are joined by a common thread. They each in their own way represent the power of the IDEAL.
Ideals are so very important. They give our lives meaning.
So let us turn first to the oldest anniversary occurring this year: the founding of Congregation Children of Israel here in Athens. It actually started in 1872, but 1873 was the first year of Temple life.
The Temple here was founded by Jews from Germany. In the 19th century, they had a very painful life there. They were politically disenfranchised, and discriminated against in their religion. They came to America, setting up synagogues largely in the Midwest and South. Athens was one of these places.
These first, small group of Jews in Athens came with a two-fold ideal: They wanted to incorporate the best of America and the best of Judaism in their lives.
As for the first part of their ideal, Americanism, they became very involved in the general community of Athens. In business, some opened stores downtown. Two of them, Moses Michaels and Myer Stern, founded the Athens Savings Bank (later Athens First) in 1892. Others, later, gravitated to academia and became professors at the University of Georgia, including several deans.
The second part of their ideal was to practice their faith actively in the South. To accomplish this , they started Congregation Children of Israel in 1872. The Temple, which we have today, quickly became the center of Jewish life in northeast Georgia. It carried out the denomination of Reform Judaism, which had been prominent in Germany at that time.
In its history, the synagogue has had two locations. The original building downtown on Hancock Street, and the present location on Dudley Drive. Three years ago the sanctuary was renovated. I have been in the ministry of the Temple for 33 years, first as Rabbi, now as Rabbi Emeritus.
While times have changed, 150 years later the the two-fold ideal of the Temple founders remains the same, to carry out the finest of Americanism and Judaism in life. And with this in our hearts, on this wonderful milestone, we at the congregation give thanks to God.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: 2023 milestones to include 150th anniversary of Athens synagogue
