By Batsheva Lipschitz
Around Rosh Hashanah time last year, YIO began its celebration of its 50th anniversary, with a lot of renewed excitement. YIO has changed much since its beginning and is involved this year in remembering the past as well as embracing the future. The shul is celebrating its success with several new projects and shabbatonim, aimed to both the older members and the younger generations. The goal of the Young Israel is to create a sense of family between the former members who moved out of the community and the current members, as well as instilling unity within the community itself.
The Oceanside Jewish community began with a mere 50 to 75 couples and now boasts about 225 families and continues to grow. The founding rabbi and world-renowned speaker, Rabbi Benjamin Blech, was the driving force behind YIO and served the Oceanside Jewish community for 37 years. Rabbi Yehudah Yaacov Shwartz followed him for the next nine years of spiritual guidance.
The current rabbi, Rabbi Jonathan Muskat, the former rabbi of Congregation Mogen David of Los Angeles, CA. and the soon-to-be sgan mashgiach (assistant spiritual counselor) at Yeshiva University, has led the community for the past two years, and an anticipated many years to come. He helped kick off an educational program, instituted this year, as he views ³the 50th year as a springboard for the future ... celebrating the 50th anniversary as a commitment to Torah on all levels.²
One of the newly instituted events is the series-three lecture before each major Jewish holiday. The first shiur is given by Rabbi Muskat, the second by Rabbi David Freidman, spiritual leader of Congregation Darchei Noam of Oceanside, and the third by various roshei yeshiva from outside the community. Other programs include scholar-in-residence shabbatonim featuring prominent figures in the Jewish community such as Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb and Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman.
An event that almost the entire shul is taking part in is the upcoming Siyum Tanach. It is a project that everyone can participate in because each individual can learn at his own pace based on his own level. Part of the ongoing process to learn all of Tanach included nine shiurim given on Shavuot by members of the community. YIO plans to complete Tanach on the Shabbat of September 9-10, and the siyum will coincide with a sefer Torah dedication. This project, said Rabbi Muskat, is just a way to show that the Young Israel of Oceanside is ³committed to creating Torah as well as learning Torah.²
On the Shabbat of the Torah dedication there will also be a reunion Shabbat with young adults of the community who have moved out of Oceanside and are returning to their hometown for one weekend. YU President Richard Joel will be attending the shabbaton, as he was their past youth director.
Part of the 50th year celebration included a reunion Shabbat, in which past members of the shul were invited back to Oceanside to relive old times. Members, such as Stuart Weltz, flew cross-country to attend the Shabbat event. During his time in Oceanside between 1966 and 1991, Weltz served as president, vice president, treasurer and financial secretary. Weltz reflected, ³It was a very moving weekend, to see people after 15 years ... It was very nostalgic, brought back wonderful memories.²
One of his fondest memories was of the groundbreaking ceremony in 1968, when YIO expanded its current building on 150 Waukena Avenue. He still remembers Bess Meyerson, previous Miss America, and other prestigious figures joining in the ceremony.
Soon after the shul expanded, the eruv was created in 1976, the hashkama minyan (early morning services) began in 1982, the Chevra Kadisha (burial society) was founded in 1983, the mikvah was opened in 1984 and the Shabbat parallel minyan started in 1987.
The major fundraising event that many early members still rave about today was the Oceanside Bizarre. Much like a flea market, the members of the community had open boutiques selling various items in order to raise money for the shul. Other interesting events included a men¹s bowling league and a father-son day at Shea Stadium in the early 70s.
Though programs such as these are not commonplace today, Oceanside remains to be a unique place to live. As past vice president and membership chairman Harvey Harris put it: ³YIO is not an organization, we¹re a family.²
Weltz described the community as a close one and upon returning to Oceanside for the reunion Shabbat, he experienced the same closeness he felt before. Harris reflects on his 46 years of being a part of the Oceanside community as a place where people really care about one another. He says the community has experienced a lot of change as it grew from a few families to a large population, but he feels the same love with YIO that he did years ago. It¹s just ³a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful community,² he said.
All the events and programs established as part of the 50th year celebration leave people with the sense that Oceanside is a family, not an organization. Even Rabbi Muskat in his two years as a part of Oceanside can already observe the warmth of the community: ³I saw members come back who haven¹t seen people for 10 to 15 years but talk like it was yesterday.²
