[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 71 (Thursday, June 9, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 9, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                    HONORING TEMPLE KEHILLATH SHALOM

                                 ______


                         HON. GARY L. ACKERMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 9, 1994

  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Temple 
Kehillath Shalom. Located in the hamlet of Cold Spring Harbor, Long 
Island, this is a synagogue of no more than 200 families that is 
undertaking a task that speaks of their moral and ethical commitment to 
this generation and beyond. Kehillath Shalom has embarked on an effort 
to restore and expand the modest white frame house, estimated to be 
between 120 and 150 years old, that has been their congregation's home 
for over a quarter century.
  Far more important than merely improving brick and mortar however, 
this synagogue recognizes its crucial role in providing the spiritual 
leadership that is making a positive and profound difference in the 
lives of people in the community regardless of whether they are men or 
women, black or white, Jew of gentile. From their financial support of 
a broad range of community and interfaith programs to their physical 
labor on behalf of Habitat for Humanity, the congregation of Kehillath 
Shalom has been a beacon for hope, charity, and understanding.
  Kehillath Shalom is a part of the reconstructionist movement that was 
founded by Rabbi Mordechai Kaplan. The movement is based on Rabbi 
Kaplan's belief that, ``A people can live as long as it can reconstruct 
its life to meet the changing conditions.'' The congregation is engaged 
in forging a community by using the values and tenets of the 5000 year 
tradition of the Torah. Their mission is described as ``a creative 
enterprise and a labor of love'' by the synagogue's president, Carol 
Rubin.
  Rabbi Arthur Schwartz has been at the pulpit of Kehillath Shalom for 
15 years. Under his spiritual leadership the congregation has developed 
a threefold method of accomplishing its goals for its members and the 
community.
  Their first method is to study and understand the past to preserve 
values that can be transmitted to future generations. Kehillath Shalom 
has established an education program for children and an adult 
education program, with the understanding that the learning process 
never ends. The congregation also has a book club that studies the 
works of Jewish authors or Jewish themes and Friday night forums where 
speakers are invited to discuss Jewish issues.
  Kehillath Shalom stresses the need for community. Its members believe 
that this can best be achieved by growing to know first themselves and 
then others and in this way increase the collective good. They 
celebrate the holidays and perform the traditional rituals and also 
concentrate on fundraising to bring the congregants together to work 
for the good of the temple. This small congregation of 183 families is 
incredibly dedicated to their synagogue. They have formed over 26 
committees ranging from the newsletter to consciousness raising groups.
  The members of the congregation express their devotion to the 
community by fulfilling their need to do good deeds, so that by healing 
themselves they can heal the world. They have supported many charitable 
institutions with their labor and their money. They have concentrated 
on the Huntington Coalition for the Homeless, the Jewish Nutrition 
Network, Habitat for Humanity, the Jewish Association for the Aged, and 
the Long Island AIDS Action Coalition.
  Kehillath Shalom recognizes the need for interfaith cooperation and 
has developed a close relationship with the churches in their area. The 
congregation has depended on some of these churches, particularly St. 
Hugh of Lincoln, to provide room for their congregants for high holy 
day services when their small sanctuary was not large enough. Rabbi 
Schwartz also led an interfaith Holocaust Memorial service at St. 
Hugh's and Jews and these congregations joined together to mourn the 
loss of Catholics and Jews during World War II. Rabbi Schwartz also 
joined forces with an Episcopalian minister and a Catholic priest to 
teach a class at C.W. Post University comparing the works of 
Kirkegaard, Buber, and Merton, thinkers representing their three 
faiths.
  As this small synagogue expands its home and reaches another 
important milestone, let their efforts serve as proof positive that it 
is the size of one's heart that dictates our ability to touch the lives 
of our neighbors.
  Mr. Speaker I ask all my colleagues in the House of Representatives 
to join me now in paying tribute to Temple Kehillath Shalom on the 
occasion of its groundbreaking for a new sanctuary and to wish its 
members the best of luck and continued success in their mission to 
improve their community and our country.

                          ____________________