This post was written for Temple Emanuel’s Bulletin in September 2020 towards the end of the North Carolina Stay-At-Home Order.
This past year, Temple Emanuel received a grant from the Southern Jewish Historical Society to digitize part of its archives. I am a graduate student at UNC Greensboro and have been working to preserve these records from 1900 to 1930.
One piece of correspondence jumped out at me as I read through the files: letters between Temple member Etta Spier and President Sidney J. Stern. In the letters, the two discuss plans for summer services. Rabbi Melton Ellis spent his summers running a summer camp and initially, the Temple did not host Friday night services in the summers while he was away.
But, in 1926, the Temple decided to continue services without the Rabbi. Temple members presided over services, including Etta Spier. Stern wrote to Spier, “I know that it pleased you much when you were informed that we had decided to continue our services during the summer months.”
The longing to have services physically in the Temple with the broader community is something that Etta Spier felt 100 years ago and that people feel again today. While the community cannot gather in the Temple at this time, people still have support from each other – even if it is via Zoom and email rather than by U.S. post.
The Archives Committee is continuing to work to make the Archives more accessible to the Temple community. If you are interested in becoming involved, please contact Brenda at bhenley@tegreensboro.org.
~ Sarah Anne Maske
Temple Emanuel Archive Blog 