Elisabeth and Rabbi Arthur
Schneier |
Rabbi Arthur Schneier with
son Rabbi Marc Schneier and daughter Karen Dresbach |
Leon Charney and wife Tzili
with Rabbi Arthur Schneier |
Dr. Ruth Westheimer with
Beatrice and Cantor Joseph Malovany |
|
|
PARK EAST SYNAGOGUE
Community Hails Arthur Schneier’s
Half Century As Spiritual Leader
STORY AND PHOTOS BY TIM BOXER
HE New York Jewish community
gathered at the Park East Synagogue to celebrate Arthur
Schneier’s 50th year as the shul’s rabbi, and
State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver proclaimed, "Here’s
to the next 50 years."
"That’s ridiculous!" declared Ed
Koch. "I wish you 120!"
The former mayor recalled when he had
a stroke in 1987 and the rabbi came to him in the hospital. "Say
this prayer after me in Hebrew," Rabbi Schneier told him.
Half an hour later John Cardinal
O’Connor came. "Ed, if you like, I will pray for you in
Hebrew."
"Reverend," Koch replied, "I took care
of the Hebrew. Can you say something in Latin?"
Israeli Consul General Ido Aharoni
noted he was born in 1962, the same year Schneier was installed
as rabbi at the Upper East Side synagogue. He first met the
rabbi in 1992 when he accompanied Foreign Minister Shimon
Peres on a visit to the synagogue. Countless foreign
diplomats made it a point to call on the rabbi.
Aharoni referred to the Appeal of
Conscience Foundation, which Schneier founded and through which
he consults statesmen and clergy around the globe to forge ties
of religious tolerance. "Schneier is a rabbi of all humanity,"
Aharoni said.
New York State Comptroller Thomas
De Napoli said he counts himself a member of the rabbi’s
congregation. Turning to synagogue president Herman Hochberg,
DeNapoli added, "I don’t pay dues, so Herman, don’t send me a
bill."
The rabbi’s daughter, Karen
Schneier Dresbach, said the family continues to marvel at
the accomplishments of their 82-year-old patriarch.
At some point Karen stopped being
impressed. "Okay, the Pope was here. But we expect this of you.
Keep it going, dad. You haven’t saved the world yet."