Small, But Mighty Congregation Celebrates 40 Years

The Torah, Judaism’s Holy scroll, starts with the words “in the beginning” and so we start this history of Southington’s only Jewish congregation the same way.

In the beginning, 1983, a Southington accountant, Hy Rosenstein, struck up a conversation with a fellow Jew, Mike Rodensky, while donating blood. There wasn’t a Jewish congregation or community center. in Southington, yet they knew that there were other Jews in the community. 

Hy started talking to a few other Jewish friends and clients and after a small meeting at the Rosenstein house, a press release and word of mouth led to 100 people showing up for a meeting at St. Dominic’s Church. 

Though there were differences of opinion, the positive energy quickly let to action. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services were held at Briarwood College and a Hebrew School was started at the YMCA with the first classes held on September 9, 1984 and the name Southington Jewish Congregation adopted in November 1984. 

The congregation’s first official name with the then Union of American Hebrew Congregations (now known as the Union for Reform Judaism) was Greater Southington Jewish Congregation (GSJC) and thus, forty years ago, the congregation began its formal affiliation as a Reform Jewish congregation. 

That first full year included much growth. Lay members led early services. By fall of 1985, the congregation decided it was time to have a rabbinical student assist. Sharon Sobel came from New York to lead High Holiday services and was such a hit that a contract was arranged for her to come to Connecticut on a regular basis and she commuted to Southington until 1989.

It was during Sharon’s time as rabbinical student that the First Congregational Church (FCC) of Southington offered GSJC a space for High Holiday services. This generous invitation led to a long-term connection between the two congregations up until today. This relationship has led to shared services and meals, swapping of clergy for sermons, putting on musicals together and so much more. In 1993, GSJC had its own sign added to the FCC sign in front of the Town Green. 

The small GSJC congregation served as an incubator for great rabbinical students. Rabbi Sobel, in addition to pulpit roles, went on to serve as the Executive Director of the Union for Reform Judaism’s Canadian Council for Reform Judaism. She was featured in a television episode of The Sacred Feminine.

Rabbi Paula Feldstein, has been a pulpit rabbi but also was the editor of Mishkan T’Filah for Youth: A Siddur for Families and School (CCAR Press) and The Tot Shabbat Handbook (URJ Books and Music). Rabbi Mary Zamore, after several pulpit positions, went on to serve as the Executive Director of the Women’s Rabbinic Network and has been named a T’ruah Rabbinic Human Rights Hero. 

Rabbi Niles Goldstein was the founding rabbi of The New Shul in Greenwich Village, has published ten books and co-founded The Napa Center for Thought & Culture. 

The first ordained GSJC rabbi, Barbara AB Symons, has worked as a pulpit rabbi and is the editor of Prophetic Voices: Renewing and Reimagining Haftarah (CCAR Press). 

Rabbi Elliot Stevens (may his memory be for a blessing) followed Rabbi Symons and stayed for nine years giving GSJC an important role. Rabbi Stevens was assisting with the writing and editing of the new Reform prayer book, Mishkan T’filah. GSJC became a test site for early drafts of the book. In 2005, GSJC was one of the very first congregations to receive the newly published prayer books.

Each of the congregation’s three Torahs has stories. The congregation’s first Torah was purchased from Rabbi Seymour Zahn, who owned a paper military Torah from his time as the second Jewish chaplain to serve in Korea during the war. In 1985, Congregation Beth Israel in West Hartford, generously “loaned” to GSJC “permanently”. GSJC maintains it and has recently made repairs. 

In 2012, the congregation took on another holy task. With Rabbi Shelley Becker’s encouragement, GSJC members raised $20,000, to become “shomrim” or guardians of a rescued Holocaust Torah scroll. GSJC members who are descendants of Holocaust survivors were active in obtaining this special scroll.

The Torah they selected has sections from three eras, going back to the 17th century. It has been repaired over the decades including in the 1800’s after pogroms. The Torah was from the towns of Caslav and Golcuv-Jenikov in Bohemia, both destroyed by the Nazis.  GSJC has taken on the responsibility of reading the names of the Jews from those towns, during the annual “Yizkor” (memory) service on Yom Kippur since they have no family to remember them. 

The current part-time rabbi, Alana Wasserman has done it all. She led the congregation through Covid, introducing Zoom services and seders. In addition to leading services she fashions creative adult education sessions, leads adult and child bar/bat mitzvah classes, performs conversions, organizes interfaith events, actively participates in the Shabbat School, works on social justice activities and more. 

GSJC has always included some community-based events in its schedule. Chanukah celebrations have been held at a member’s home since 1994. Sukkot is usually held in a member’s backyard. Usually, the GSJC Sukkot celebration begins with “pizza in the hut” before the religious service. 

In 2006, after much discussion, GSJC adopted a new name, Gishrei Shalom Jewish Congregation. Gishrei Shalom means “Bridges to Peace”. The congregation has tried throughout its history to work with religious groups throughout the area and is grateful to the many who have partnered with it. It has had a membership in the Interfaith Clergy organization and in 1995 began its long-time participation in the interfaith Thanksgiving Service. 

GSJC has also been an active member in providing community service including helping feed those in need on Christmas Day. The congregation has participated for several years in Dignity Grows, which provides hygiene products for women and girls facing period poverty.  

Today, as the congregation enters its fifth decade in the community, there is excitement about new initiatives and concerns about bigger issues including anti-Semitism and smaller issues such as maintaining the budget for the 35-family community. Overall, the mood is upbeat. Current President Marc Romanow says, “Allison and I have truly enjoyed our 12 years at GSJC, more so than any previous synagogue we have been associated with. The community is caring, engaging, welcoming and inclusive. I have also been blessed with a wonderful board of directors and officers these last 5 years. Everyone pitches in, which embodies the essence of teamwork”.

GSJC’s fortieth anniversary celebration will be held on November 16, 2024. For more information, write to events@gsjc.org or call 860.276.9113. 

Joyce Kaufman leads first service at Briarwood College.

Holocaust Torah ceremony – members of the committee and selected donors from left to right – Sunni Lake, Kevin and Robin Andersen, Ron and Sue Kleinman, Marty and (Rabbi) Shelley Becker, Tom Holloway, Mike Liftman, Alice Holloway, Barbi Liftman.

2023 Friday Night Shabbat Service with Rev. Ron Brown and Rabbi Alana Wasserman in the front pew and members of GSJC and First Congregational Church behind.  Celebrating the beginning of the FCC 300^th anniversary year and the GSJC 40^th anniversary year. 

1998 Adult Bat Mitzvah class – left to right – Sue Kleinman, Laura Minor, Fran Wolff, Lori Turci, Judy Gozzo, Rabbi Barbara AB Symons, Janice Rustico (Hebrew teacher), Alice Holloway, Nancy Grover and Sandy Blumer.