Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis’s daughter remembers the shul of her youth
“North Woodmere — you know, in the Five Towns.”
“Of course I know… I grew up in North Woodmere. And today, so many of my friends’ children are moving to North Woodmere.”
Memories….
Fifty-seven years ago, my beloved parents Rabbi Meshulem and Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis zichronam livrachah moved to North Woodmere. Their hearts and souls were filled with the dreams and aspirations of creating an Orthodox community in an area that — although just minutes from the vibrant Yiddishkeit of New York City — was spiritually barren. Although neither of them is physically with us — my father was niftar in 1996, and my mother’s third yahrtzeit is this August 20 (19 Av) — the legacy they bequeathed us is still going strong.
In 1963 Congregation Ohr Torah was born. Ohr Torah — a shul that would bring the light of Torah and the warmth of Yiddishkeit to so many families. How proud I was to be “the Rabbi’s daughter,” and how I loved my father’s shul.
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