THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 27, 1994 TAG: 9411240227
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GREG GOLDFARB, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Long : 127 lines
For just the eighth time since shortly after World War II, Temple Emanuel will begin its Hanukkah services this evening with a new religious scholar in its pulpit.
Not so new, however, are the challenges facing Rabbi Elliott M. Marmon as he prepares to lead the city's oldest Jewish house of worship into the next century.
Gone are the days, for example, that families can easily take enough time away from their homes and jobs to keep their local churches and synagogues continually thriving. But those are the types of personal sacrifices it takes, Marmon said, to improve the community.
``For some people, religion is still very important,'' said Marmon, who began his work at Temple Emanuel in August. ``It would be wonderful if we could get that importance across to other people.''
Although officers at the Conservative, 250-family Oceanfront chapel at 25th Street and Baltic Avenue praise Marmon's predecessors over the synagogue's 45-year history, they also say that their new rabbi brings a renewed sense of professional experience and maturity that had previously, at times, been missing.
``Rabbi Marmon has an enthusiasm and a knowledge (of Judaism) that we haven't had in the recent past,'' said James Gordon, a Larkspur resident and the temple's president. ``He had the things we were looking for. I hope he will be happy and successful here.''
Marmon succeeds Rabbi David Abrams, who left the temple and the area last spring to pursue a career in higher education, Gordon said. A nationwide search for a new rabbi was conducted after Abrams left.
From the 30 or so applications and resumes Gordon and his committee received over several months, three finalists were selected and interviewed. In the end, Marmon was chosen, making him the eighth rabbi to serve the temple since it was founded in 1949.
The turnover in rabbis is not a big concern, nor has it disrupted the synagogue's spiritual or financial stability, Gordon said. Faith and a positive attitude has held the membership together through good times and bad.
During the temple's first four years, Gordon explained, members didn't have their own rabbi. They still don't have their own cantor, a temple member who sings liturgical music.
Marmon, 52, moved his wife and three children to Virginia Beach last summer from Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, after retiring June 1 from the Air Force. He served several civilian congregations in New York, Illinois and Arizona, but spent most of his career as an active duty Army and Air Force chaplain.
While in the military, Marmon was stationed in Germany from 1971 to 1975, and in Great Britain from 1985 to 1990. He served as a field artillery battalion chaplain to basic trainees, he said, and as the last Jewish chaplain for the U.S. Strategic Command.
Marmon is a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, in New York, and he holds advanced degrees from Gratz Hebrew Teachers College and Temple University. Both schools are located in his hometown of Philadelphia.
Ordained in 1971, Marmon studied during the 1960s at the Hayim Greenberg Institute in Jerusalem, and at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Hampton Roads' Jewish community numbers between 18,000 and 20,000 people, Marmon said, with more than half of them living in Virginia Beach. In addition to Temple Emanuel, two other Jewish congregations are located in the city. Both are in Kempsville and were established after Temple Emanuel, Gordon said.
Marmon and his wife, Ilana, live in Baycliffe. Ilana, who is from Tel Aviv, is working on her doctorate in marketing. They have three children, one of whom attends First Colonial High School.
Getting more people involved with the temple tops Marmon's list of goals.
``Religion competes with all kinds of other interests,'' said Marmon. ``The greatest tool I have (to get more people involved) is myself. My enthusiasm.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHARLIE MEADS
Rabbi Elliott Marmon, 52, moved his wife and three children to
Virginia Beach last summer from Nebraska, after retiring June 1 from
the Air Force.
TEMPLE EMANUEL TIMETABLE
July 17, 1949 - Temple Emanuel's cornerstone is set at the
northeast corner of 25th Street and Baltic Avenue, the result of
temple founder Nathan Polis', and his wife, Blanche's, tireless
efforts.
1951 - Temple Emanuel opens to the public. Rabbi Paul Reich of
Temple Beth-El in Norfolk gives the dedicatory address.
Subsequently, local rabbis visit the temple, each explaining various
Jewish religious movements, including Orthodoxy, Conservatism and
Reform. Because of its ``middle-of-the-road'' approach, Conservatism
is embraced. Algy Cohen is elected president.
1952 - Cavalier Beach Club donates its dance hall to help the
temple raise funds to retire its construction debt. Also during this
period, services are conducted by the congregation's laymen, and a
cantor is brought in for special occasions.
1953 - Membership at the ``shul'' includes 75 families, and Myron
Kahn is hired as Temple Emanuel's first rabbi, staying less than a
year.
1954 - Temple's first ``contracted'' rabbi is hired, Azriel
Weissman. He served until 1957 when Rabbi Philip Rabinowitz took
over the pulpit until 1962.
1958 - A lot on the southeast corner of 25th Street and Baltic
Avenue is donated to the temple by Dyman and Rebecca Batleman. An
educational center is built on the site.
1962 - Membership purchases the house at 2600 Baltic Ave., which
had been the rabbi's residence. The subsequent sale of that
property, and the razing of two other later purchased properties,
made expansion possible in 1988. Former Army chaplain Rabbi Philip
Pincus is the temple's next spiritual leader, who serves until 1976,
and is later named ``Rabbi Emeritus.''
1966 - Norfolk architect Arthur Konikoff presents the new
education center's keys to the temple.
1974 - Temple membership is approaching 200. More new
construction begins, including adding a rabbi's study and
secretary's office.
1976 - New sanctuary and social hall opens. Baruch Schectman
serves for the next year as rabbi.
1977 - Leon Fine Memorial Library is established at the temple.
1978 - Arnold Turchick becomes rabbi.
1986 - Raddi David Abrams arrives at Temple Emanuel, replacing
Turchick, who goes to Brazil.
1987 - New construction continues to keep pace with growing
membership. Services are sometimes held at the Pavilion, because of
heavy attendance.
1994 - Elliott M. Marmon becomes Temple Emanuel's newest rabbi.
by CNB