By Nick Buglione
In 1953, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed in an upstate New York prison after being convicted of passing U.S. atomic secrets to the Russians. And two scientists, one who worked out of a laboratory in Cold Spring Harbor, figured out the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid, DNA, the basic building block of life.
But to the 450 families belonging to the East Meadow Jewish Center, the year 1953 holds a far more personal significance: it's the year their conservative synagogue, now a pillar in the community, was born.
This weekend hundreds of East Meadow Jewish Center congregants from yesterday and today will converge on the synagogue at 1400 Prospect Ave. to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
"It's an all-purpose, all-fulfilling synagogue," said Jerry Rosenthal, 71, a member of the East Meadow Jewish Center for 45 of its 50 years. "I think it is without a doubt the finest conservative synagogue around."
Actually, as far as East Meadow is concerned, it was the first conservative synagogue around.
A burgeoning conservative Jewish population in the post World War II suburbia of East Meadow necessitated the creation of a new temple. In 1953, Temple Emanu-El was East Meadow's only Jewish house of worship,and it catered to reform Jews.
The East Meadow Jewish Center was officially incorporated in July, 1953, and Rabbi Israel Nobel was brought in as the congregation's spiritual leader. It's a position he would hold for 30 years.
"We were 20-odd families, and we held our services in a storefront," said Nobel. "In a few months, we needed more space, and we moved to Newbridge Avenue, which is today East Meadow Avenue, into another storefront."
At that time the congregants had no permanent synagogue to call their own. High Holy Day services were held at the East Meadow Republican Club. Sunday school classes took place at the Prospect Avenue School and Hebrew school met in a building on North Jerusalem.
"We grew very rapidly, and [in a very short time] we were already looking for a permanent building," Nobel said.
On Jan. 24, 1955, the congregation, which now numbered some 370 people, purchased a tract of land on Prospect Avenue. The speed and relative ease with which the synagogue was erected at the time was dubbed "the miracle on Prospect Avenue."
During the post-war baby boom, the East Meadow Jewish Center experienced its largest flux of congregants. At its height, some 900 families belonged to the synagogue -- that's more than double its current size.
"I consider our synagogue one big family," said Rabbi Ronald Androphy, rabbi of the East Meadow Jewish Center for the last 20 years. Androphy took over for Nobel after he stepped down, meaning that, in its long history, the East Meadow Jewish Center has had only two rabbis.
"It's a very active synagogue in terms of the programs we offer our members and children," Androphy said. "There's an emphasis on education.
Today, the East Meadow Jewish Center runs a successful early childhood program, nursery school, Hebrew school and Hebrew high school that more than 250 students attend. Its Hebrew school has been designated as a school of excellence by the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
The congregation has an active Sisterhood and Men's Club, groups that coordinate social, educational and spiritual programs and events, and has a renowned Jewish youth group for fourth- through 12th-graders.
A three-day long extravaganza has been planned to celebrate the center's golden jubilee, starting Friday, Nov. 7. A Shabbat dinner kicks off the celebration at 6 p.m. and is followed by the dedication of the newly refurbished Hebrew school at 8 p.m.
On Saturday, Nov. 8 the golden anniversary dinner will be held, and some 300 people are set to attend.
The weekend celebration concludes on Sunday, Nov. 9 with services in the sanctuary and a complimentary brunch.
To learn more about the East Meadow Jewish Center, log on to www.eastmeadowjc.org.
