The OJC the Ohio Jewish chronicle. (Columbus, Ohio), 1992-12-03

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The Ohio Jewish Chronicle
Serving Columbus and the Central QHio
Jewish Community since 1922
VOLUME 70
NUMBER 50
DECEMBER 3, 1992
8 KISLEV 5753
DEVOTED TO AMERICAN AND JEWISH IDEALS
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Slioval calls Arafat
greatest obstacle in
peace negotiations
page 3
Oscar Goldsmith to
celebrate Bar Mitzvah
page 4
Torch Run to demonstrate
solidarity with Israel
page .14
150 pre-teens attend
'Shabbos with Rajbbi9
page 17
Volunteer ESL teachers —
Why they keep at it
page 18
Winter camps cure
thildren's boredom
page 18
In The Chronicle
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COMMUNITY FEATURE
Tours long-standing tradition at Temple Israel
By Ina Horwitz
It was a Friday night at
Temple Israel. A group gathered in the small chapel and
admired the stained glass windows, imported from Belgium
that came from the original
Bryden Road Temple (circa
1903). Someone asked about
the significance of the Ner
Tamed (Eternal Light). They
then proceeded into the main
sanctuary where questions
about the Torah and its adornments, such as breastplate,
were raised.
In the gift shop, the children
in the group particularly liked
the pieces of Judaica, some
buying dreidels. The group
also visited the library, the
classrooms and later attended
Friday night services, stopping on the way to see the
Holocaust Torah (one of 1564
that survived) displayed in a
case in the main lobby.
This is a familiar scene at
Temple Israel throughout the
year and has been so throughout the decades. Since 1961,
congregant Sylvia Dillon, who
came to Columbus from New
Jersey with her husband Lee,
now a retired electrical engineer, has led tours of the synagogue for visiting secular orga-
nizations and Christian
groups, among them — the
Childhood League, churches
of all denominations, Lutheran seminary students and
Catholics studying for the
priesthood.
Dillon said that secular
groups or clubs will put the
Temple event on their schedule, and it becomes their meeting of the month.
Spiritual leader of the congregation, Rabbi Bradley Bleefeld,. said that several dozen
groups come every year, addingup to more than 2,000 people a year. Many thousands
have toured, not only since the
present temple was dedicated
in 1959, but for years before
that at the Bryden Road site,
especially to see the stained
glass windows.
"We're the only synagogue
in the area that consistently
'encourages visiting groups to
attend our services," said
Rabbi Bleefeld. "This gives
them the opportunity to observe how we observe our
faith. We do this as a mitzvah
for our neighbors to gain a better understanding of who and
what we (Jews) are."
Dillon believes the tours became so popular because when
the Temple was built, it was
considered an archaeological
work of art, winning awards
for its design. Different organizations and churches heard
about its beauty and called the
Temple office to ask to see for
themselves. Word got around,
and it's been like that ever
since, she said.
At times there have been a
number of tour guides. Currently, Dillon and another
congregant, Kurt Spiegler, act
as guides. Dillon recently recalled how a church group
from the Mt. Victory Methodist .Church in Mt. Victory,
Ohio, travelled two hours each
way to come to the tour.
Dillon said the tour lasts
about 45 minutes, culminating with the group attending
services at 8 p.m. She will talk
about the Old Testament.
"For Christians studying the
Old Testament, they can learn
a lot," she added.
Many, knowing little about
the Jewish faith, ask about
christenings and where the
baptismal font is located. She's
even had a small child say,
"I've never seen a Jewish person before, and I didn't know
what one looked like."
Dillon said she has answered, "You don't realize
any difference, because we're
like everybody else and look
like everybody else."
In her many years as tour
guide, she hasn't had particularly unusual questions asked
of her. She said they are mostly of a general nature and often deal with the Jewish holidays. Some have asked, "What
if you're sick? Do you have to
fast on Yom Kippur?" She assures them that sickpeople are
not required to fast. She thinks
her most unusual question was
one asking if the synagogue
had a mikva or ritual bath.
She also gets asked frequently how a group should
dress to attend services. Some
men and boys want to know if
they need to wear yarmulkes
and choose to do so, even
though it is not necessary.
About a year ago, some
Catholic seminary students
visited before Passover and
decided they would conduct
their own seder, complete
with the Haggadah and matzah.
All groups seem pleased
with the tours, for many come
back time and time again,
bringing different church members, said Dillon. Children will
accompany their families or
come by themselves in a
group.    *
"I know they all leave glad
they came," Dillon added.
"We always get many nice letters of appreciation."
Why had Dillon done this
all these years? In addition to
always taking an active role in
the Temple and being an observant member of Friday
night services, she calls her
tour guiding "a labor of love:
good P.R. and because it's my
synagogue." Until the tour
guide volunteer base increases,
Temple Israel can continue to
count on Dillon. In the past
month, she conducted three
tours and already has one
booked for January.
"Our tours are one important step to show how we take
very seriously the mandate of
our people to be Ohr Lagoyim
— a light to the nations," said
Rabbi Bleefeld.
Ina Horwitz is a local freelance writer and frequent OJC
contributor.