Imagine our beautiful sanctuary in 1930—the building had just been completed, and none of the memorial plaques which we see existed. The congregation did, however, transfer some very important furnishings from the original Albany Street Temple—our Ner Tamid and the candelabra that still stand on our bimah today. These were bequests of Isador Hirsh, whose will provided $1,000 in 1918 for the installation of an “everlastingly burning light” in memory of his parents. Mr. Hirsh’s legatees also provided the two “statuary bronze standards of seven lights each”. Both gifts were made with the explicit understanding that they would be moved when the congregation built a new sanctuary, which they anticipated would happen within the next few years.
Once the new Sanctuary was complete, congregants began dedicating the stained glass windows; the donation to dedicate one of the small windows in 1936 was $500. In 1947, the Board encouraged people to consider donations by creating “a splendid instructive brochure on memorials” which was mailed to the entire congregation. The donation to dedicate a small window was set at $750, and the donation to place a name in the Book of Life was $10.00.
Several memorials were erected by the entire congregation. In 1947, the Board began consideration of a bronze plaque for past presidents. Also that year, Mr. Robert Marks gave a very generous bequest totaling over $3,000. It was left to the Memorial Committee to determine an appropriate way to acknowledge this “magnificent” gift. In August, the committee suggested that the memorial be placed “in a conspicuous place” (later determined to be inside the sanctuary doors) and “inscribe thereon that this dedication is being made in grateful appreciation of their benefaction.” The plaque was dedicated on Friday night, January 23, 1948. Mr. Marks’ niece wrote her thanks to the congregation: “Our family is small but as long as your beautiful Temple will stand, Uncle’s memory will be perpetuated, not because of his family, but because of your generous tribute.” You may see it still in the rear corner of the Sanctuary.
In 1949, the congregation resolved that the Memorial Committee “be authorized to erect a plaque to memorialize the names of HENRY COHN and EDWARD FREEDMAN, who lost their lives in World War II, which plaque is to be placed in the main vestibule on the main floor of the Temple.” The Board also voted to permit the Upsilon Lambda Phi Fraternity to put up a plaque to memorialize the name of their member Henry Cohn.” These plaques were dedicated in November, 1949, and hung in the vestibule.
By 1950, the number of people memorialized at Anshe Emeth was so great that reading the entire list of names on Yom Kippur was deemed “unwielding and very tiresome.” The Memorial Committee decided to print the names in advance in a booklet to be distributed on Yom Kippur, a practice we continue.
Sources: Anshe Emeth Board Minutes and Bulletins, from the archives of the Jewish Historical Society of Central NJ
Anshe Emeth Service Sheet January 8, 2010 / 22 Tevet 5770
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