The West Hartford congregation celebrated the beloved leaders’ 95th and 90th birthdays with the permanent tribute.

Emanuel Synagogue. Photo credit: Ronni Newton (we-ha.com file photo)

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The Emanuel Synagogue announced that it has named its religious school in honor of Rabbi Philip and Ruth Lazowski, Holocaust survivors and beloved spiritual leaders who have dedicated their lives to education and community service.

The dedication comes as Rabbi Lazowski celebrated his 95th birthday on June 13 and Ruth marked her 90th birthday on June 9.

Rabbi Philip and Ruth Lazowski have spent their lives teaching how light can shine through the darkness. For decades, Rabbi Lazowski and Ruth have been at the forefront of Holocaust education, telling their story and teaching the importance of faith, even amid overwhelming evil. They are both treasures of the Jewish people and very deserving of this significant recognition.

Rabbi Philip and Ruth Lazowski are beloved spiritual, religious and educational leaders for the congregants of The Emanuel, Beth Hillel, and Beth Sholom synagogues. They are treasured by Jewish communities throughout the State of Connecticut for their inspiring courage to share their experiences and teach the lessons learned as Holocaust survivors.

The timing of this honor was particularly meaningful, as the synagogue community gathered to celebrate both Rabbi Lazowski and Ruth’s milestone birthdays during Shabbat Services on June 15. The Emanuel community came together to mark their birthdays and tremendous legacies while the honorees basked in the love and admiration of their beloved congregation.

“Rabbi Philip and Ruth Lazowski have spent their lives teaching how light can shine through the darkness,” said Reesa Olins, president, Board of Trustees, The Emanuel Synagogue. “We are inspired by their lifetimes of selflessly serving the Jewish community and building bridges with other faith communities.”

“The growing religious school serves as an outstanding model of what engaging and meaningful supplemental Jewish education should be, making it the perfect venue to honor Rabbi and Ruth Lazowski,” added Olins. “For the generations that will pass through the religious school, honoring the Laskowski’s will be a permanent reminder of their lasting impact, their love for Judaism and the Jewish people.”

In taking this action, The Emanuel Synagogue again expressed its gratitude to Louis Mitnick and the Mitnick family for their longstanding support of the congregation. The Louis Mitnick Wing of the synagogue building continues to provide versatile space for educational programs.

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