The fence around the Bnos Sanz Education Center on 33rd Street in Union City broke under the pressure of the hundreds of people that were pushing against it trying to get a better view. The Hasidic community held a dual celebration at the school on Feb. 21 that attracted visitors from many neighboring communities as well as the large community in Union City.
While the members of the Temple Israel-Emanuel congregation and Mesivta Sanz of Hudson County were celebrating the completion of a sefer torah, or the rewriting of the Old Testament, as well as the ground breaking for an addition to the education center.
Many of the people standing shoulder to shoulder and about five rows deep outside the center were probably trying to get a glimpse of Elimelech Halberstan, the Grand Rabbi, who traveled from Israel to take part in the celebration.
Meeting a celebrity
Surrounded by hundreds of men hurrying to stay close behind him, the Grand Rabbi Halberstan – with a long white beard – entered the school, leaving no doubt that he was someone of great importance to the community.
Halberstan is, in fact very important to the Union City community that gathered to see him. Halberstan’s father built the community more than 30 years ago after surviving the Holocaust.
Halberstan had a very large family, and lost 11 children to Holocaust. After escaping, Halberstan was determined to build new communities. Halberstan is credited with building the community in Union City as well as communities in Israel and Europe.
Grand Rabbi Solomon Goldman, Halberstan’s son-in-law, now leads the Union City Community.
Grand Rabbi Elimelech traveled from Israel with his wife and many other relatives and close friends.
Dual celebration
“It is considered a mitzvah, [a good deed], to write asefer torah,” said Gitty Weiss, one of the members of the community that was waiting to take part in the celebration.
The sefer torah that was completed on Feb. 21 was commissioned three years ago by Rabbi Goldman in memory of his father and it was written by Rabbi Jacob Hershkowitz.
“Every synagogue or every community has at least one sefer torah,” said Hannah Lieder, one of Halberstan’s relatives from Israel.
Thesefer torah is written verbatim from the original with quill and ink on parchment paper. After the completion of the sefer torah, the congregation carried the work to their temple on 34th Street in Union City.
The community also celebrated the construction a new building that is being added to the girls’ school building in the education center.
Although the education center has only been in the 33rd Street building for three years, the education center has been open for more than thirty years.
The school specializes in religious and general education for Hasidic children in Union City and neighboring towns.
“The school is open to anyone who wants to send their children to such a religious school,” said Weiss. The new building will house a daycare, additional classrooms and a library.
Many local politicians were invited to take part in the celebration. Among those in attendance were Senator Jon Corzine, Union City Mayor Brian Stack, West New York Mayor Albio Sires, Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner, the Union City Board of Commissioners and representatives from the Union City Board of Education.