Dedications

The Joel Phillips Beis Medrash is lovingly dedicated to the memory a man who was like a father and/or grandfather to everyone who knew him in this community. A man whose life's trials and tribulations could not beat down; Joel tragically buried his younger son Donnie and his wife Esther after losing them to cancer within 3 years of each other. Heavily carrying these losses in his heart, he nevertheless maintained his Emunah in Hashem and his joy in life and started a new chapter when he moved to West Hempstead with his second wife Florence in 1983.

Torah always illuminated his soul, and the Young Israel of West Hempstead was the wick that permitted that light to perpetuate. Having the good fortune of buying a home directly across the street from shul, Joel constantly went to Minyan and Shiurim, steadily plodding across Hempstead Avenue with his walker. With his razor-sharp mind, he could be counted on not only to analyze a Sugya but also to come up with a hilarious joke on the spur of the moment. Living by the ordinance of greeting everyone “b’sever panim yafos”, he made each person feel as though they were a close and well-loved relative, giving freely of himself to others for as long as he was physically able to do so.

Joel’s love of performing mitzvos was paramount, and topping that list was blowing the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah. Those of us who are fortunate to have been there will never forget the vision of him standing with his tallis over his head, blowing heartfelt faultless Tekios even while his Parkinson's Disease started to hamper his abilities. Eventually Joel succumbed to the disease in 2007 but maintained his wit and simchas hachayim until the very end. It is only fitting the upstairs Beis Medrash is dedicated to his memory and was started with some of his own seforim which came from his library. It is constantly being updated with the latest published volumes and it is for the zechus of his unique and sweet neshama that the study of Torah continue there in his memory.

Mounted on the side of the left bookcase in the Beis Medrash is a small photo of Joel Phillips davening at the kotel. And if you look hard enough, you could almost hear his voice.

The Ira Goldschmiedt Youth Wing was dedicated in memory of Ira Goldschmiedt z”l, a pillar of the Young Israel and greater West Hempstead community, who passed away in April 2000, at the too young age of 49.  

Ira served many years as gabbai of the Hashkama minyan, on the YI Board, and was particularly active and influential in our shul's Youth Department. He served as Youth Dept Chairman as part of the founding group.  This committee spearheaded the hiring of a Youth Director, mentors and was the driving force behind recruiting our community's teenagers to serve as trained and paid youth leaders (which was never done in West Hempstead prior). He had a unique ability to act appropriately in any situation - whether he needed to be a voice of reason, take a stand on an issue he felt strongly about, compassionate to those in need, and had an unmatched sense of humor that could win over any crowd or person. 

In his memory, the Goldschmiedt family also established the Ira Goldschmiedt Youth Leadership Award, granted to one high school senior per year, with a generous financial award for outstanding service to our shul.

His was a superior influence to all who knew him, and his memory and contributions to our shul continue to have a lasting impact to this day.