Committed For The Next 100 Years

To the Editor:

On Friday, September 7, the Congregation Adath Israel proudly moved into its new home two doors down from their original building which sustained the Jewish community in Newtown since 1919. The grand opening commenced with a procession of our three Torah scrolls that were taken from their resting place for 88 years in the old building and ceremoniously installed in their new home. The Torah scrolls, also known as the five books of Moses, are the centerpiece of the spiritual and cultural tenets of Judao-Christian faith and are the hallmark of a legacy that goes back over 5,768 years. Although the ancient procession ritual was a Jewish ceremony it seems to have been attended by many non Jews alongside our congregation. We were so delighted by the support and interest shown by the other denominations in town. We have enjoyed close relations with other houses of worship in town and have had occasion to present and discuss our practices and beliefs with them. We are proud to preserve the ancient scriptures and open our doors to all who have a genuine interest in the common strands of our religious history.

Our new building is not just a commitment to the next 100 years for our congregation but also to the community at large. We are now ready to take our place as another pillar of social values by promoting citizenship, charity, and ethics alongside many of the other local houses of worship. We would like to thank all our friends and neighbors who supported us during planning and construction and attended our grand opening events. On this our High Holiday season we wish everybody a happy and fruitful new year.

David Wiener

President

Congregation Adath Israel of Newtown

Huntingtown Road, Newtown                     September 19, 2007