The Chief Rabbi W A. Matthew Memorial Committee did a wonderful job planning a series of events that commemorated the life of our founder and also fostered greater unity within the very diverse Israelite community. For three days, Israelites from around the country converged on New York City to celebrate our shared identity and common origin. The events this year encouraged Israelites to visit congregations that were outside their normal orbit of interaction. Rabbi Capers Funnye, who is leading a campaign to become our next Chief Rabbi, moved one step closer to this goal by completing the vetting process. The keynote speaker, Rabbi Natalya HaLevi, who leads a community in Ghana, gave an inspirational message about his activities in Africa that conveyed his optimism for our future. What follows is a summary of the highlights of these events along with pictures and video.
The erev Shabbat service was held at Kol Shairet B’nai Yisrael Congregation on Friday, June 26, 2015. Many of the attendees—some of whom came from as far away as Chicago and Maryland—had never visited this lovely congregation located in a secluded area of the Bronx in New York City. The congregation was founded by the late Moreh Yosef, who studied under Rabbi Yermiyahu Israel, who was ordained by Chief Rabbi W.A. Matthew. Despite the shared lineage, Kol Shairet (which means Remnant of Israel) was part of that faction of the Israelite community that embraced Afrocentric culture and eschewed European Judaic practices. As a result, there had been very little contact between these sections of our community. This gathering had the spirit of a family reunion; we knew that we were related to everyone in the room—even if we were dressed differently and did not know the names of the people we hugged. The leaders of Kol Shairet were warm and welcoming. They greeted us in the manner of Araham: every guest was honored and made to feel at home. As a gesture of brotherhood, Moreh Khatriel Ben Yosef allowed several rabbis to chant prayers from a standard siddur. We lit the shabbat candles and sung songs of praise well into the evening. The featured speaker for the evening was Rabbi Eli Aronoff, spiritual leader of Temple Beth Emet in Washington, D.C. He spoke eloquently about the virtue of serving others in a self-centered world. Specifically, he talked about how to serve your synagogue and support your leaders. Rather than portraying this service as altruism, or some form of self-sacrific, Rabbi Arnoff helped us to understand that people who serve others benefit directly from their labors by enjoying a stronger, happier, and more unified community. In that sense, we are not serving someone else, we are helping ourselves. The service was eclectic in its blend of traditions and it was sublimely beautiful.
The Shabbat service was held at Mt. Horeb congregation in the Bronx. This congregation is unique because the sanctuary was built in the old Sephardic style, where the Torah scrolls are removed from a high ark against the East wall and carried to an elevated platform near the center of the synagogue. Worshippers are required to remove their shoes before entering this sanctuary. The liturgy there also follows the Sepharic tradition in terms of the siddur (prayer book) and many of the melodies used to chant the prayers. Cantor Odeya Israel led many of the prayers with his soul-stirring voice. Once again, the diverse array of Israelites blended together in harmony like true brothers and sisters. Rabbi Capers Funnye, was the keynote speaker. His brief sermon illuminated the section of the Torah for that day. Over 200 worshippers attended the service. Rabbi Debra Bowen of Congregation Temple Beth-El led a large delegation from Philadelphia. Once the sanctuary was packed to capacity, the sliding doors were open to allow those in the dinning area to see. Following the blessings after the meal, Rabbi Funnye stood to take questions from the assembled audience about what his elevation to the office of Chief Rabbi will mean for our community. The tone of the questions and answers reveal the level of excitement and anticipation that his nomination has created.
The lovefest culminated on Sunday at B’nai Adath Congregation in Brooklyn. The rabbis had a morning meeting at which they certified that Rabbi Funnye has successfully completed the vetting process. The afternoon program began with musical performances by the Beth Elohim Choir, a few soloists, a poet, and a drumming troop. Mother Judith Samuel gave a historical presentation about aspects of the community’s history. The keynote address was given by Rabbi Cohen Natanyah HaLawi who leads an Israelite community in Ghana, West Africa. His inspirational remarks were captured on video and are provided below. During the dinner, the Chief Rabbi W.A. Matthew Commemoration Committee presented awards to distinguished members of the Israelite community.