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Rabbi Polish
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1988
Temple Israel of Hollywood in
California.
Bernard Briskin, president
of Temple Israel of Hollywood,
says of Rabbi Polish, "His
greatest strength is his
creativity and his imagina-
tion?'
Briskin says Rabbi Polish
came to the congregation "at
a time when it was very im-
portant that the temple be re-
juvenated!'
Under Rabbi Polish's
leadership, membership at
the temple increased and
much-needed renovations —
which included everything
from the administration of-
fices to the chapel — were
started, Briskin says.
Among the programs Rabbi
Polish intiated at Temple
Israel of Hollywood were the
establishment of a shelter for
homeless women and a
number of cultural and com-
munity events.
He also spearheaded the
temple's meal program for
senior citizens.
Rabbi Polish speaks ex-
haustively about the respon-
sibilities Americans have to
help the homeless.
He says he is especially con-
cerned that Jews are "grow-
ing away from the dispossess-
ed of our society. We cannot
allow our own comfort to
blind us to the needs of those
who are not comfortable!'
While in Los Angeles, Rab-
bi Polish also served as vice
president of the Jewish
Federation Council and co-
chairman of the Council on
Jewish Life, which included
commissions on Jews with
disabilities and outreach to
intermarried couples, among
others.
"I was very happy in Los
Angeles;" he says. He was in
the middle of overseeing
renovations at Temple Israel
when officials from Temple
Beth El approached him
about coming to Michigan.
At first, he said no. Ab-
solutely no.
But Beth El administrators
were undaunted.
"Rabbi Polish was our first
choice" to head Beth El, ac-
cording the Lee J. Marks,
president of the temple.
Marks, who was chairman
of the search committee for a
new rabbi, says he was im-
pressed by Rabbi Polish's
"warmth and dignity. I
remember when we first met
him — such an intangible
feeling of caring just radiated
from him!"
Rabbi Polish finally agreed
to visit the Michigan con-
gregation. He liked what he
saw.
"It's compelling for a rabbi
to have a large congregation
Rabbi Polish: "The temple can make a difference."
with members who really
care about what the con-
gregation is and its history
and the lives of their com-
munity," he says.
Rabbi Polish also was at-
tracted by the opportunity
Beth El would provide for
"speaking to the Jewish agen-
da across the country!"
He's animated when
discussing this subject. He
says Thmple Beth El is a very
prestigious congregation. He
says the temple has a great
deal to offer, and that it can
make a difference in Jewish
life today. "What you do here
matters!'
As Rabbi Polish describes it,
Temple Beth El is like a large
and integral piece of the puz-
zle of Reform Judaism being
assembled today.
"Reform Jews are engaged
in asking a lot of questions;'
he says. "Reform Judaism us-
ed to be defined in terms of
what we didn't do — we didn't
use Hebrew. We didn't
observe kashrut. We didn't
use religious garb.
"Now, we've gone through
so many changes, and we're
coming to a richer understan-
ding of Jewish life."
For Rabbi Polish, Reform
Judaism is a matter of choice.
"All Jewish tradition is a
series of choices;' he says.
"And the job of the synagogue
is to help people learn what
those choices are!"
Rabbi Polish and his fami-
ly already have made some of
their own choices.
The rabbi and his family do
not eat pork or shellfish and
Rabbi Polish observes the
Shabbat.
During the High Holy Days,
Rabbi Polish's teenage sons,
Jonathan and Ari, wore
kepot. The associate rabbi
and the cantor also wore
kepot — and talleisim.
Rabbi Polish says he wants
congregants to feel free to
wear — or not to wear —
religious items at the temple.
He will not say, "Don't use a
kepah" because "You cant
help people discover their
Judaism by saying `no; " he
says.
Except when it comes to in-
termarriage. Rabbi Polish
will not officiate at
intermarriages.
"But I will meet with inter-
married couples;' he explains.
"And I encourage them to
participate in the life of the
congregation. My job is not to
close doors. My job is to open
doors!"
He knows what's out there.
Rabbi Polish says he realizes
he's got quite a job ahead of
him. But speaking like some
Jewish "Indiana Jones," the
rabbi says he's ready to tame
the wild frontier.
"I'm a builder," he says. "I
thrive on challenge." 0