reform jew confirmation class filter

September 29, 2019 12:00 PM

in the mid 80s we were assigned a story

I assume written between then and the late 70s: set now, it's about a congregation clashing over remodeling their synagogue.

what I remember:
the high holy days have been switched to January

the prayer books are 50s era religious school texts

the most religious congregant recites the hamotzi instead of the shema

the double doors of the synagogue are redesigned to have a cross on one and a crescent moon on the other. the last image is a yellow star spray painted between them.

does anyone know the name and author?

posted by brujita to Religion & Philosophy (4 answers total)

I can't answer about the story, but I can ask the obvious question. Are you having trouble contacting your old classmates, teacher, rabbi, someone who has access to the old schoolbooks? If you'll share what you've tried so far, maybe AskMe can help with that.
posted by JimN2TAW at 10:56 AM on September 30, 2019

it was a photocopy and the rabbi who taught the class is no longer there.
posted by brujita at 1:01 PM on September 30, 2019

someone at the synagogue was able to put me in touch with the rabbi emeritus: the story is called "the cathedral" by harry loewy.

googling turns up that he was a religious school principal in Kentucky and upstate NY who had some articles in the Jewish periodicals of the time. he was born in germany and emigrated to canada before coming to the USA.
posted by brujita at 7:40 PM on April 3, 2020 [1 favorite]

he spent time in pgh too
posted by brujita at 1:10 PM on April 4, 2020