A Storied History

A Storied History

by Meg Goldenberg Marion

Steve: Ladies and Gentleman, It is my distinct privilege to introduce a dramatic staged reading by Meg Marion that touches on our temple and its storied history. I can say nothing at this point that won't be a spoiler but there's someone here who can help. Our narrator/director, Rebekah Scallet, spends her days and many a night as the Artistic Director of the always impressive Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre and teaches drama at UCA. Lucky for us, Becky grew up in our congregation, her mother Madelon Scallet sits on the Temple Board, Becky and husband Joe Stafford's two sons, Andrew and Edward, attend Ati' Day, and she and Joe have become central to the creative life of the Temple. She directed and starred in the last two three Purim Shpiels, directed the last three Standing on Their Shoulders, and sings with the Schechinotes. Please give a warm welcome to Rebekah Scallet.

Becky: The setting: Present day, one month ago. Down Rodney Parham to Rodney Parham at Delicious Temptations. Temple President David Bauman and Rabbi Barry Block are having their weekly breakfast meeting...

(Note: They're dressed as they would be: David in his lab coat and slacks, and Rabbi in a t-shirt and gym shorts -- a funny visual to kick it off. Rabbi's idea. The others were portrayed by professional actors dressed according to when their characters served their terms.)

Barry (concerned): David, are you okay? You seem worried.

David (frazzled): It's this sesquicentennial, Barry. I'm supposed to dream up a way to honor all of the temple's presidents and I just don't know where to start. The archives overwhelm me and you know how crazy my life is with the Sesquicentennial music program, the Bflats, being the temple's president, a cardiologist, and -- what's today's date? Is my Chronicle piece late again? And where is the waitress with the coffee?

Barry: You seriously need to relax.

David: You're right, and I'm sure the coffee will help IF it would just get here. But, don't worry. I'll be all right.

Becky: And he passes out

Barry: David, David, wake up!

Becky: In a puff of imaginary smoke, Barry and the table leave. David awakens, rubs his eyes, then looks around, very confused. He sees Morris Navra, the Temple's first president, (1866-1871), Dan Daniel, the Temple's longest serving president, (1908-1923), and Wilma Diner, (the Temple's first woman AND first convert to be president, 1983-1985). And, of course, me.

David: Becky, I'm dreaming, right?

Becky: Yes, and apparently, I'm your omniscient narrator. Thanks. What do you suppose is going on?

David: (closely regards the three of them) I've spent enough time in the temple library to recognize Morris Navra, the temple's first president. The other fellow looks familiar but I can't place him.

Morris: You're right, David. I am Morris Navra and this fellow here is Dan Daniel, who served as the Temple’s President for 15 years.

David: And just like that, I'm not nearly so tired.

Morris: (indicating Wilma). And of course you know Wilma.

David: Indeed. You're looking well, Wilma.

Wilma: I'd imagine. You just took 33 years off my age and I'd love to go swimming. (Looks at her watch) Do you generally have long dreams?

David: I have no earthly idea. (Turns back to Morris). So, you're all here why...?

Morris: Weren't you just having all sorts of angst about how to honor all the past presidents?

David (nods and says quizzically): Yes?

Morris: We thought you could use some help. What you don't know, David, is that all of the Temple's Past Presidents have been gathering for years at a place we call The Past Presidents' Porch. It's right around the corner from the Terrace. Once a president always a president. We presidents feel responsible for what we've left behind, and we wanted to see how it would play out.

David: I get that, Morris. So, what should I do?

Morris: Recognize that, unless you have until the next sesquicentennial, honoring ALL the past presidents is both impossible, yet infinitely possible. (Aside: Who doesn't like a good riddle?)

Wilma: (exasperated). Morris, please help him.

Morris: You know that B'tzelem Elohim song by Dan Nichols?

David: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Morris: I know that you want each one us, everyone attending the event and throughout the temple's history whether president or congregant to feel honored for their contributions, whatever they may be. Stop stressing, David. Everyone knows it's not about any one individual. It's about what happens when we all work together. Not only have our members done so much to support our temple, they have been the backbone of social justice in our community. Thanks so much, y'all. (Aside: Did I say that right?). The three of us who are here today can give you a glimpse into some of the key moments in our temple's history to highlight what it's all about. .

Becky: September 2, 1866. A small group of men gather in a room downtown. The meeting is called to Order, Morris Navra presiding. Their objective is to organize a temporary Jewish organization for the purpose of worshipping during the coming holy days.

Morris: I need to confess something: the idea that our organization was temporary was a bubbemieseh. We had managed to buy a Torah and a shofar, and we were on our way. Look around you-I’d say we did pretty well.

Every time I enter this truly remarkable temple -- and I'm here a lot -- I get a small tear in my eye, remembering our humble beginnings in that rented room in the Ditter Building in 1866.

In the beginning, since most of us were from Germany -- my family was Prussian -- we followed what was called Minhag Ashkenaz, which meant worshipping in Hebrew and German, but soon English would replace the German. In fact, our first resignation was from a man who objected to the amount of English in the service. Can you imagine such a thing? Too much English?

Becky: The very first gift to the congregation came from a group of women who donated ark curtains and a Torah cover…

Morris: And the Yod we still use today.

Becky: The next few years were defined by the formation of various committees to meet the needs of the growing congregation, including several committees of one. (Aside: Not so sure those were committees). They drafted a Constitution and ByLaws, and of paramount importance was acquiring land for a Jewish cemetery, first at Mount Holly and later at Oakland.

Morris: Dues were $1.00 a month, and we also had money from sources like reserved seats for services -- $1 for members and $5 for non-members. In late 1868, the Board created a committee to '...devise the means for the purpose of erecting a house of worship and instruction.' This temporary organization was ready for a permanent home.

Becky: The women formed the Ladies Benevolent Society which organized balls and suppers to raise money for a new synagogue. It was the first of many such organizations through which the women of our congregation reached out to the Little Rock community and to Jews in need across the South.

Morris: People generally treated the Jews fairly. Still there was antisemitism and it affected my brother. When Sam and I moved to Little Rock in 1853, we each had a business; his was a tea and fruit shop; mine, a confectioner's. Despite Sam's sterling reputation, a credit rating firm agent described him as "a Jew of Jewish proclivities decidedly...as for confidences, he may betray as did Judas." (Shakes his head)

Becky: 1869. They found a well located, reasonably priced property on Center St. and felt they could afford to retain the services of a man who could be a chasan, shochet, and teacher by offering housing onsite.

Morris: Three years later, the new temple was dedicated, and the following year our rabbi and two congregants traveled to Cincinnati for the inaugural convention of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. We were one of the 32 original congregations of the UAHC, now known as the URJ.

Becky: When they returned, the congregation adopted the 16 rules of order and decorum.

Morris: In a nutshell, one should be duly impressed by the solemnity of the synagogue, where levity is out of place; to gather in knots, in crowds, in doorways annoyingly is strictly prohibited. And finally, all the previous rules shall be rigidly enforced by two Board members taking charge of the doors.

Becky: Today, we still have those two Board Members on duty, but I believe their jobs are more about hospitality than law enforcement.

David: Thanks. I'll take that under advisement.

Becky: In the 1880's, the temple was outgrowing the Center St. Location, so the congregation started a building fund and the Broadway temple was dedicated in 1897 with Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, the founder of American Reform Judaism giving the keynote address.

In 1908 at the age of 60, Dan Daniel began his term which featured the longest association with one rabbi -- Rabbi Louis Witt who served from 1907-1919. Dan was the congregation's only president throughout the entirety of World War I. Dan was an alderman for 18 years and even served as acting mayor. David, here are some excerpts from his stylized addresses to the annual meetings, along with my helpful, witty commentary.

1913. There were 266 members, not enough seats, and dues were $12.50 a month. Dan?

Dan: Sabbath School should be the Pride of our congregation for it is indeed Joyful to see our 170 children gathered happily together every Sunday Morning, eagerly studying the History and Religion of the "Jew," and Striving to be "Star Scholars. "

As usual, Confirmation was most successful, impressive and interesting with five boys and 2 girls in the class. Let us hope that these young people continue to love and actively work for Judaism, their sacred religion.

Becky: Two significant changes in 1914. They dispensed with assigned seats except for the High Holidays and Shavuos, and the biggie...

Dan: At the request of the Council of Jewish Women, two were added to the Sabbath School committee. In this connection I desire to say, in as much as our women have shown such marked activity in the cause of our religious and charitable work, and to further encourage them, I would recommend that two be added to our Board of Trustees.

Becky: Remember, this was 6 years before the U.S. Constitution gave women the right to vote. But Dan's first attempt was unsuccessful.

In 1917, Dan reported that the congregation had finally topped 300 members and finances were sound, but both the temple and the Sabbath School had issues:

Dan: With the expected increase in population, we may confidently anticipate a corresponding increase in Jewish residents. We must seriously consider that the temple's seating capacity is wholly insufficient to accommodate our present membership, often causing embarrassment and dissatisfaction. We should take active steps towards securing a suitable building site for the erection of a new House of Worship commensurate with the size and importance of our City...

Becky: 1918. Dan spoke of WWI and its repercussions:

Dan: Our beloved Country has been forced to become a party to the terrible conflict now raging in Europe, and as in duty bound, every loyal and good American is rallying around the Flag. I am proud to say that the men and women of our Jewish community have quickly and actively responded to our Country's call, ready with all their might and means to fight for victory and Democracy.

Becky: With 85 men at war, the membership had shrunk. The Board ordered that all engaged in the conflict be retained as honorary members without dues obligations.

Dan: Due to wartime expenses, our finances are running rather low under the present assessment of dues. May I not ask that those members who are prosperous, and able to do so, come forward and voluntarily increase their monthly dues.

Becky: After the war ended in 1919, Dan had to contend with Rabbi Witt's move to St. Louis:

Dan: While we would have preferred to keep him with us in the mutually cherished hope that he would leave us only when life had left him, and therefore put aside our personal feelings and encouraged him to accept.

Becky: Finally, after being rebuffed for four long years, Dan accomplished something unprecedented...

Dan: The membership of your Board of Trustees has been increased from thirteen to seventeen with the provision that four of these shall be women. This has proven a most happy innovation. I can gladly state that the four lady members have taken their positions with a view of being helpful in advancing the Congregation's interests and have been regular attendants at the Board meetings.

Becky: Did he think they were going to skip them? Though it had taken years, note that he'd asked for 2 and got 4.

By 1921, the congregation numbered 354 members and

the new rabbi, Emmanuel Jack from California, changed the Sabbath School significantly, with 200 children attending regularly.

Dan: Changing the Sabbath School from Sunday morning to Saturday has had most satisfactory results. Let us hope that attendance may continue to increase until all of our Members shall deem it a personal privilege and pleasure to be participating in services regularly.

Becky: Now 74, Dan tries a new angle:

Dan: owing to the proximity of the Street car line and the location of nearby garages, the solemnity of our religious services is most frequently interrupted; let us move to secure much needed relief. I confidently look to the Lady Members of our Congregation to energetically support the move for the erection of a New House of Worship.

Becky: And finally, in his very last address...