Restoration Campaign Update...

By Temple Emanuel’s architect, David Hoffman. The article was the winning submittal in the 2004 Sylvia Wolens Jewish Heritage Writing Competition as administered by the Texas Jewish Historical Society. It will be published in the Society’s Journal. The listing of contributors, with updates, will return in the August Bulletin.

A Divine Collaboration

By David Hirsch Hoffman, FAIA

            Throughout history, human inspiration in many forms has manifested great things upon which our civilization has been built.  Inspired vision captivates our intellect and moves us forward to greater heights of awareness.  Inspired design produces buildings of pure function with integrity of form in which we find sustenance.  Inspired art yields objects of beauty that invoke our wonderment and ignite our emotions.  Individually, each inspiration can be a subtle influence on our lives.  Collectively, they can have a powerful effect on generations. 

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In 1922, Rabbi Samuel Rosinger of Temple Emanuel contacted a young Israeli artist, Ze’ev Raban, offering him the opportunity to design the windows for the new sanctuary building.  Raban was 33 years old in 1923 when the 16 foot high jewels were installed (at a cost of $1,000 each) and was to become a leading Israeli artist, an authority on Marc Chagall, and professor at the prestigious Bezalel School of Art in Jerusalem.  Wrote Rabbi Rosinger:  "It was with keen knowledge of Jewish history and pencil and brush handled with appreciation of the best in art that these windows came to be.  Each window has a pronounced meaning.  Centralized in each design is a single theme.  Each panel is at once a delight to the eyes and a study, a liberal education in its particular phase of Bible history."

  Beaumont is a city located in Jefferson County, Texas. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 113,866. On January 10, 1901 oil was discovered at Spindletop near this city. Spindletop would become the first major oil field. Beaumont is the county seat of Jefferson County⁶ and is situated in East Texas.