Shul Destroyed by Fire, Being Rebuilt

Get close enough to the building that used to house the Hebrew Congregation of Woodmont and you’ll get a whiff of its burnt-out interior, empty since an Oct. 14 fire ravaged the building.

Things are finally looking up for the beleaguered temple, however. On Sunday, about 150 supporters and dignitaries turned out for the ground-breaking for what will be a much-improved synagogue and social hall that will be used year-round.

Officially called the Hebrew Congregation of Woodmont/Chabad — it merged with the Chabad Jewish Center of Milford in 2007 — the historic temple was for years one of the very few synagogues in the nation that operated only seasonally. It catered to Jews who vacationed along the Woodmont shoreline, the so-called “Bagel Beach.”

“There was never any question that we would rebuild,” said Chanie (pronounced like “Connie”) Wilhelm, who emceed the noontime event; she’s the wife of the temple’s rabbi, Rabbi Schneur Wilhelm.

Since the blaze, the congregation has been meeting in the municipal community center across the street.

The temple was completed in 1927 and the social hall next door opened 20 years later. The fire was by no means the only bump in the road. Dwindling attendance — it relied on donations, not dues, most of the time — nearly closed the temple for good in the late 1970s and again about 15 years ago. The social hall has been mostly unused for some years.

It’s on Merwin Avenue in Milford’s Woodmont section, on the corner of Benjamin Street.

In 2007, Rabbi Wilhelm arrived and injected new vitality into the congregation, merging it with the Milford Chabad center. Chabad, or Chabad-Lubavitch, is an intellect-based sect that’s part of the Hasidic movement in Orthodox Judaism. Members say that unlike many other movements of Judaism, Chabad congregations are non-judgemental, and welcome Jews of all stripes.

“We have an open-door policy,” said Joel Levitz, president if the congregation. “From the ashes of our building, we’ll have a beautiful new shul (Yiddish for “synagogue”). And we have an open-door policy, regardless of your observance level and regardless of your ability to pay.”

He also praised Mayor Benjamin Blake for all of his help after the fire.

“You’re a real mensch,” Levitz said.

“We will have dark days, but they are tempered by long, glorious days like this one,” Blake said.

One of the temple’s biggest boosters is Joyce Saltman, the Southern Connecticut State University education professor who said that she used to be a “Christmas and Easter Jew” before she discovered the Woodmont temple after moving into the neighborhood.

“I’m sure you heard a that expression — Jews who attend only at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kipper,” she said before rattling off a few Jewish jokes.

“A rabbi, and priest and a minister attend a big community event. First the fruit cocktail arrives and they eat that. Then the main course arrives, and it’s ham. The rabbi pushes away the ham and the minister says `When are you going to give up these ancient practices?’ The rabbi says `At your wedding.’ ”

Saltman also made light of the $1.4 million that the synagogue hopes to raise to pay for the construction.

“I’m sure that you’ve heard of the IRS man who went to see Rabbi Wilhelm,” she said. “He says `We have a man, a Mr. Schwartz, who states on his tax return that he gave $100,000 to your congregation. Well, has he?’ To which Rabbi Wilhelm replied `He will.’ ”

Rabbi Wilhelm said that it will take about 18 months for the new combined temple and social hall to be completed. Repairs on the two damaged Torahs — recovered by firefighters — are nearly complete as well.

“It’s going to be great,” he said. “And the lobby, in between the two buildings, will house the Bagel Beach Museum, illustrating the history of Jews in Woodmont.”