[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 4636]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING CONGREGATION MISHKAN ISRAEL AS IT CELEBRATES ITS 165TH 
                              ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 14, 2005

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to 
join Rabbi Herbert Brockman and the many friends and families who have 
gathered to celebrate the 165th Anniversary of Congregation Mishkan 
Israel. Marking its 165th anniversary, Mishkan Israel is the oldest 
continuing congregation in New England and the 14th oldest synagogue in 
the United States. This milestone is a very special occasion, not only 
for the administration and members of the congregation, but for our 
community as well.
  First established in 1840 by a group of Bavarian Jews fleeing 
economic and social oppression, services, conducted in German and 
Hebrew, were held over the Heller & Mendelbaum Store in New Haven, 
Connecticut. A short time later, the congregation purchased the Third 
Congregational Church building which remained its home until 1897 when 
the temple on Orange and Audubon Streets was dedicated. With the 
continued growth of the congregation, the synagogue made its final move 
in 1960 to its present home on Ridge Road in Hamden.
  The strength and continuity of a congregation is dependent, not only 
on its membership, but on its leadership as well. Since its earliest 
days when it was the first synagogue to be dedicated by Rabbi Isaac 
Mayer Wise, who later became the leader of American Reform Judaism, 
Congregation Mishkan Israel has had a strong tradition of active 
leadership. Generation after generation, the rabbis who have come to 
Mishkan Israel have shared a passion for social justice--both here at 
home and throughout the world. In the 1870s, Rabbi Judah Wechsler 
opened the Torah to women, first allowing female confirmants to read 
from the sacred text; Rabbi Edgar Siskin became the first rabbi to be 
appointed to Yale University's faculty and helped to found Yale Hillel; 
and in the decades of the civil rights movement, Rabbi Robert Goldburg 
was an active champion of social justice protesting communism and 
inviting a myriad of speakers from Norman Cousins to The Reverend 
Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. to address the congregation. Today, 
Rabbi Herbert Brockman upholds this legacy. Under his leadership, 
Mishkan Israel has opened its doors to the Urban Youth Center, a 
program for inner-city middle school children and sponsored the 
settlement of seven Russian Jewish emigrant families in New Haven.
  In addition to its active leadership, members of Mishkan Israel have 
long been known for their endless contributions to the community. 
Volunteerism has always been strong force within the congregation and, 
through their compassion and generosity, the congregation has touched 
the lives of thousands over the years. Whether tending to the ill, 
volunteering at the local military hospital, purchasing Liberty Bonds 
during World War I, or participating in the Pe'ah Project, which 
provides over a ton of vegetables from a congregant-run garden to area 
soup kitchens--the members of Mishkan Israel have shown a unique 
dedication to enriching our community.
  Our houses of worship play a vital role in our communities--providing 
people with a place to turn to for comfort when they are most in need. 
In over a century, there have been many who have worshiped within their 
halls and many who have found peace and strength in the outstretched 
arms of Mishkan Israel. Throughout its history, Mishkan Israel has been 
an invaluable institution in the Greater New Haven Jewish community. It 
is with honor and the deepest thanks and appreciation for all of their 
good work that I stand today to pay tribute to Congregation Mishkan 
Israel as they celebrate their 165th Anniversary. Their contributions 
have left an indelible mark on our community and a legacy that will 
live on for generations to come.

                          ____________________