[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 52 (Tuesday, May 2, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E608-E609]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO RABBI ISAIAH ZELDIN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of california

                           HON. BRAD SHERMAN

                             of california

                          HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 2, 2000

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, we are greatly honored today to pay tribute 
to Stephen S. Wise Temple which will, on Sunday evening, May 21st, 
celebrate its 36th Anniversary. This anniversary has special 
significance in the Jewish faith. The Hebrew letter chai represents the 
number 18 and means ``life.'' Thirty-six, then--is a Double Chai or 
``double-life'' and an event of great importance.
  Also on that evening, another event of great importance will be 
celebrated: the 80th birthday of the founder of Stephen S. Wise Temple, 
the distinguished scholar and nationally respected teacher, Rabbi 
Isaiah Zeldin.

[[Page E609]]

  In the short span of 36 years, Stephen S. Wise Temple has grown into 
the largest Jewish congregation in the West and the second-largest 
Jewish congregation in the world. It is both a caring and active 
congregation and a renowned center for spiritual, cultural and 
educational studies. On its beautiful campus in the hills above West 
Los Angeles, is found--in addition to the temple--a dynamic elementary 
school, a unique Jewish community high school and a religious 
institute, all highly acclaimed for the excellent education they offer. 
They represent one of the greatest legacies of Rabbi Zeldin--the 
origination of Reform Judaism's day school programs in Los Angeles.
  It is hard to overstate the vision and the commitment that led Rabbi 
Seldin to build such an extraordinary facility. This complex of eleven 
buildings on an 18-acre site carved out of a mountain which serves more 
than 3,000 families is a true testament to his hard work, his 
dedication, his visionary guidance, his strong sense of community and 
his great interest in training young people in the traditions of their 
religion as well as the knowledge of the world.
  Upon Rabbi Zeldin's graduation from the Cincinnati School of Hebrew 
Union College, he became the assistant rabbi of the largest Reform 
congregation in New Jersey. He spent the next several years serving as 
a spiritual leader at various congregations and, in 1964, founded the 
Stephen S. Wise Temple. He is the former president of the San Fernando 
Valley Synagogue Council, the American Zionist Federation of Southern 
California, the Pacific Association of Reform Rabbis and the American 
Zionist Council. On a personal note, Rabbi Zeldin did a wonderful job 
of officiating at the bat mitzvah of Lindsey Berman.
  We are very proud, Mr. Speaker, to ask that our distinguished 
colleagues join us in congratulating Stephen S. Wise Temple on its 
Double Chai Anniversary, and in extending our gratitude and 
appreciation to Rabbi Isaiah Zeldin for his enormous accomplishments 
and his tremendous contributions to the Jewish community of Los 
Angeles. We wish him many happy returns.

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