Letter to the editor July 14

Great building, great memories

Having read that fine article by Toby Tabachnick about my former home synagogue (“On the block again, former synagogue building might disappear,” July 7), I was compelled to sit down and put in a few words. As a child, as a teen and as an adult, I spent many hours in that grand building known as B’nai Israel.

I started Hebrew and Sunday school when the only school building was an old house on the property of the main sanctuary. I remember Boy Scouts in an old barn also on that property, and I was a regular at services growing up as a member of the children’s choir under many directors but with the firm hand of Cantor Heiser and led by Rabbi Lichter.

Get The Jewish Chronicle Weekly Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

I remember going to children’s services at the Regent Theater because of lack of space for all the services at the main buildings and trying to ignore the smell of popcorn while fasting during Yom Kippur.

But most of all, I remember family that has passed: my brother Lester Davidow and his wife, Zella, being married there and his lovely daughters, Retta and Sandra, also being married there; Lester’s son Mark’s bar mitzvah; and my son Steven’s bar mitzvah. I remember the pride that my parents had in all these joyous occasions.

I truly hope some way will be found to restore that beautiful treasure to its past glory and to preserve a place that holds so many wonderful memories for so many.

Barry Werber

Pittsburgh