By:Jeff Lipton
Reagan spoke at Temple Hillel on Oct. 26, 1984, just weeks before he was re-elected. He then ate lunch at Friedman's North Woodmere home. Friedman served as rabbi of Temple Hillel for 33 years, and the last eight as rabbi emeritus.
"He was a very compassionate and human individual," the rabbi said of Reagan. "He was a man of the people, easy to talk to, a great communicator. He had a very warm personality."
Friedman said Reagan was a great friend of Israel. Right before Reagan's visit, Israel was experiencing difficulty with the United Nations, which attempted to expel the Jewish state. "During his speech here, I will never forget his words," Friedman said. "He said, 'If Israel is forced out of the United Nations, the United States and Israel will walk together.'"
Friedman said Temple Hillel was chosen by Reagan as a good place to deliver a New York-area pre-election speech because Friedman was president of the New York Board of Rabbis at the time, and the temple was just a few miles from Kennedy Airport. After the speech and lunch with Friedman, Reagan immediately left for Pittsburgh.
"When he visited my home, my wife got to discuss with him some of the movies he was in," said Friedman, who added that it moved the president to reminisce about his acting days.
"I think Ronald Reagan may be the only sitting president who visited a synagogue and then had lunch at a rabbi's home," Friedman said. "When he visited the community, there was a lot of commotion in town."
Friedman said Reagan will probably be known "as the greatest president in the 20th century."
With Reagan's passing, Friedman said he feels as though "I'm losing a friend, an individual who had saved the world from communism and guaranteed the security of our children and grandchildren by getting rid of an implacable foe."
Temple Hillel will hold a tribute to the late former president at the temple, 1000 Rosedale Road, at 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 10. The tribute will be hosted by Friedman and Rabbi Steven Graber. "I think he deserves it, so we decided to do it," Friedman said.
Lurie also remembers Reagan fondly. In February 1984, when he was president of the World Body Building Guild (WBBG), Lurie presented Reagan with an award at the White House and inducted him into the WBBG Hall of Fame for being one of the most physically fit presidents in history.
After the presentation, Lurie, who was 61 at the time, challenged Reagan to an arm-wrestling match in the Oval Office and Reagan won -- twice. Lurie, who was named "America's Most Muscular Man" from 1942 to 1944 and could once lift 285 pounds over his head with one hand, jokingly jumped up after he lost to the president and called for a rematch. The two then hugged and kissed.
"We were supposed to have a rematch, but it never came off," Lurie said.
"He beat me," he added. "I gave him a hard fight and he said I let him win."
"At the time it was very important for the president because people were saying he was too old to run for president," Lurie said. "He may not have been younger, but he was stronger."
Lurie, who is now 81, said he remembers the former president "as a very warm man. I felt very comfortable with him. He just took to me. We liked each other."
He vividly remembers that Reagan's hands were calloused because he was known to chop wood.
Lurie, who manufactured a line of barbells under his world-famous name, was impressed with Reagan's strength. "He was strong, no question about it," he said.
"It made me feel very sad when I learned of his death," he added.
