Few front covers stand out like the one we published on the front page in 2003 when Rabbi Stephen Fuchs of the Reform Congregation Beth Israel and Rabbi Yitzchok Adler of the Orthodox Beth David Synagogue brought their congregations together to celebrate Simchat Torah.
These two West Hartford rabbis did not unite their communities in the face of threat, danger or special need, but purely in celebration of the peoplehood that binds them together with a holiday that celebrates the essence of their common heritage.

We were reminded of this picture a few weeks ago when Rabbi Yosef and Yehudis Wolvovsky proudly opened the new Chabad Center in Glastonbury and more than 200 people took part in that happy occasion. Not only did members, neighbors and Chabad rabbis from all over attend, but many others came from neighboring congregations as did Chabad supporters. It was clear that this happy occasion belonged to all of the Jewish people.
Chabad of Greater Hartford director Rabbi Joseph Gopin and many of Connecticut’s  Chabad rabbis were there, with Rabbi Yisrael Deren coming up from Stamford and Rabbi Mendel Samuels coming over from the Farmington Valley. Also joining in the festivities were Rabbi Craig Marantz, from the Chabad Center’s neighboring synagogue, Kol  Haverim in Glastonbury; Rabbi Shlomo Yaffe of Agudas Achim in West Hartford; Rabbi Kenneth Alter of Ahavath Achim in Colchester; Rabbi Philip Lazowski, rabbi emeritus of Beth Hillel Synagogue in Bloomfield; and Rabbi Yitzchok Adler, of Beth David Synagogue in West Hartford.
Rabbis such as Rabbi Jim Rosen of Beth El Temple in West Hartford and Rabbi Richard Plavin of Temple Beth Shalom in Manchester, who were kept away by the press of rabbinic duties, sent their regrets.
The Ledger joins them all in their celebration of Jewish peoplehood East of the River and extends to Rabbi Yosef and Yehudis Wolvovsky and family our best wishes. This was a Hartford Fabrangen in the truest sense and embraced all of the Jews of this area on this special day.
And, oh yes, the Wolvovsky family also journeyed to Glastonbury from far and wide.

–nrg

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