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Larry Greene Bar Mitzvah; Rabbi Melvin Weinman
(Collection of Rebecca Rearson)
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The Jewish community
in Waterbury has included immigrants of diverse nationalities, occupations,
economic and educational backgrounds and political viewpoints. While
these differences have produced a variety of congregations and social
organizations that respond to the differing interests within the
Jewish community, the common foundation of their faith has formed
a bond among them all. |
To be Jewish, you
have to fully understand what Judaism means and why we are the forerunner
of every other Christian religion, in the concept of one God, not
praying to animals, and so forth. We [have] made a big contribution
to religious life and to society. Now, you can be a good Jew and
respect Judaism [and what it has meant] to our society over the
years.... From a nationalistic point of view, to be a good Jew meant
survival through decades, because if we weren't good Jews and [hadn't]
stuck together culturally, we wouldn't exist.... Anti-Semitism created
[another struggle]. We had to stick together.
-Morris Stein |
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