Recent History-The Making of the Torah Covers at Adath Israel

When I started writing this blog last February, we concentrated on the neighborhood that was central to Jewish life in Trenton in the early 1900's through the 1940's.   As we've progressed, the focus has widened, both in terms of the area and the era.  While there is still much to mine in the history of the older days, there is still a vibrant Jewish community in the suburbs of Trenton.   From Yardley, to Lawrenceville, to Princeton to West Windsor to Lambertville, the Jewish families that started downtown have spread across the region.   I am a member of Adath Israel in Lawrenceville and a few years back, our congregation commissioned a new Torah and covers to adorn our existing Torahs.  I produced a video about discovering an error in one of the synagogue's older Torahs, the collection of items to put in a G'nezah, the commissioning of a new Torah form Israel and its dedication.  In October of 2008, Hedda Morton, the Director of Congregational Learning at Adath and I drove up to Woodbridge, Connecticut to visit with the artist who was selected to create the new Torah covers.   I edited the video, but the footage wound up on a hard drive that found its way to a shelf.   This morning I found that hard drive and touched up the video.   It's recent history, but I submit to our readers the story of the Torah adornments now being used at Adath Israel.

For those of you wondering what happened to the next installment of Bob Olinsky's interview, it's coming.   I've gotten a little swamped on the work side of life, so in order to keep fresh material out there, I decided to publish this entry.  There is more with Bob.  In upcoming episodes, he talks about his Aunt Sylvia Olinsky, who worked at Waldman's barbershop.  She was the manicurist and many people I've talked with have Sylvia stories.  If you have any that you'd like me to include, please give send me an e-mail and I will do my best.  Apparently, she was one of the real characters of Old Trenton, who could both take it and dish it out.   I'm also looking for pictures of Waldman's or Syliva.   If you have any, please contact me.

Thanks,

Ed