Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By simmons on June 22, 2017

Due to an extensive renovation project, at the Community Synagogue of Rye will be holding its services at Rye Presbyterian Church for the next 14 months.

The Community Synagogue, located on Forest Avenue, will be undergoing construction from June 26 through August 2018. According to Rabbi Daniel Gropper, changes will be made to the sanctuary and more space will be created for communal gatherings.

During construction, the Community Synagogue required a new place to hold their services, leading them to rent out the chapel in Rye Presbyterian.

Gropper explained that the choice to rent out room for their services at Rye Presbyterian was easy.

[Theres] really a long, established friendship that we have with the folks of Rye Presbyterian Church, Gropper said. They were just a natural community to reach out [to].

Both Gropper and the Rev. Daniel Love, co-pastor at Rye Presbyterian, explained that the Community Synagogue and Rye Presbyterian have a history of working together.

In 2014, Gropper and Love led an interfaith trip to Israel where they took 55 members from both places of worship on a tour of the country.

The Community Synagogues temporary change of location to the Boston Post Road church was signified with a parade, also known as Hachnasat Sefer Torah, which was held on Sunday, June 18. The event included the transferring of the sacred ritual objects, the Torah scrolls and eternal light, from the Community Synagogue to Rye Presbyterian.

Gropper explained this type of ceremony is part of a public demonstration meant to serve as an announcement of the transfer.

It involves the whole community, [and] becomes sort of a public demonstration, Gropper told the Review.

The Torah scrolls were carried by members of the synagogue under a huppah, or wedding canopy, throughout the streets of Rye along with the eternal light, carried by Gropper.

Love said that the church ended their worship services early on Sunday morning to be able to welcome the Community Synagogue upon their arrival, estimating that the celebration brought in more than 140 people.

Members of Rye Presbyterian gathered outside, clapping at the arrival of the parade, while children held signs saying, Welcome to our church.

Everybody spilled outside to welcome [the Community Synagogue], Love said.

Gropper said that the event was very moving and very joyous.

The location change will not affect the Community Synagogues days of worship, which are Friday evenings and Saturday mornings.

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Community Synagogue moves place of worship - Home Town Media Group

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