The Jewish Community of Maui, HI

Maui

Maui is the second largest Island in Hawaii, USA, in size and population. It is known for its beautiful landscape. Maui is often called the Valley Island. Many canyons cut into the two volcanic mountains, forming the green hills and valleys, mountainous terrain, rain forests, and shorelines and beaches, all of which are dominated by Haleakala, the 11,000-foot (3,300 meter) high, inactive volcano. The island’s topography is largely responsible for guiding where people, including the relatively new Jewish community, have settled. Generally speaking, the people of Maui largely live in areas along the expanded shoreline, in the broad low isthmus in the center of the island between the mountains, and along the lower level of Haleakala, an area known as "upcountry."

Like the other Hawaiian islands, Maui has a multicultural and multiracial population. The descendants of Japanese and Chinese farm workers who came to the islands during the 18th and 19th centuries make up a large proportion of the population. The children of these workers married the descendants of native Hawaiians and Polynesians, as well as the descendants of European colonizers. Other large groups are from Polynesia, Micronesia, as well as from Australia, New Zealand, the USA and other countries. The result is a multi-racial, multi-cultured society with little, if any, racism, bigotry or anti- Semitism.



EARLY HISTORY

There are no records of when the first Jews came to Maui (pronounced mOWee). It is realistic to assume that some arrived as traders in the 19th century. As Maui’s sugar cane, pineapple, general agriculture, fishing, and livestock industries grew, merchants, sellers and other professionals arrived on the island, attracted by the various economic opportunities. Maui was also a major military base during World War II. Jewish servicemen and women attended services with military chaplains. Some chose to remain or to return to Maui after the war. During the 1950s, Maui quickly developed a reputation as a top tourist destination. The employment and business opportunities, the warm climate, and low cost of property were strong attractions for individuals and families, many of whom migrated from mainland US cities on the west coast.


Maui had a few Jewish singles and families scattered throughout the five or six towns and small cities where the majority of people lived. This small Jewish population was primarily made up of professionals and businesspeople. Doctors, dentists, and psychologists began establishing practices. Many became involved in the growing tourist industry. Others went into real estate and other businesses to serve the island's growing population.

In the 1960s and early 1970s a number of Jewish families, mostly retirees, settled around the old Lahaina-Kaanapali area on the northwest coast of Maui. This area, originally one of the centers of the sugar cane refineries, began to experience growth from the new tourist industry. A number of these families would get together in individual homes to celebrate some holidays, and an occasional Shabbat, with festive meals. These get-togethers evolved into group Passover seders and casual holiday services in beach parks and, occasionally, in hotel conference rooms.

The expansion of the tourist industry, in addition to Hawaii's popularity as a convention center brought many people from the mainland to the islands. Technology companies also began to spring up. These factors, among others, attracted numerous young Jewish singles and families to the islands. They, in turn, made Hawaii more attractive for other young Jews and, consequently, the community began to grow.

By the late 1970s, a number of young Jewish families with children established homes in various areas around Maui. Most were in the growing town of Kihei along the southwestern coast, as well as in the older towns in upcountry on the slopes of the large inactive volcano, Haleakala. Those who had more traditional backgrounds would gather to host holiday events in their homes.

The influx of young Jewish families and singles had an energizing effect on the Jewish community. These young people wanted to maintain their Judaism, and through word-of-mouth these holiday gatherings grew. By the early 1980’s the group had an informal set of directors led by Tikva Ben Dayan and her Israeli husband “Jo-Jo.” In the spring of 1983 Tikva’s and Jo-Jo’s son had his bar mitzvah. An Israeli lay leader came from Honolulu with a Torah and led services.

The Jews who have made Hawaii, and Maui in particular, a home for themselves and their families are mostly professionals, business developers, scientists, specialty storeowners, technology specialists, and managers. They tend to be drawn by the climate, professional opportunities, and the relaxed lifestyle. Others initially arrived as tourists, attracted by the opportunity to participate in their favorite sports, including surfing and sailing. They too remained after finding positions and opportunities in the growing economy.

Several of the young Jewish families who found their way to Maui settled in scattered residential areas. The dispersion of areas where people lived presented difficulties in finding a central point where Jews could meet for holidays, celebrations, Shabbat services, and cultural activities. Some realized they were missing a Jewish communal identity, which had been important to them on the mainland. As a result, even though some individuals and families had to travel long distances, Jewish people began meeting occasionally in individual homes to experience a sense of community.

BRINGING MAUI'S JEWISH COMMUNITY TOGETHER

By the early 1980s, the Jewish community had become sufficiently large that individuals' homes could no longer accommodate the numbers of attendees and so they began meeting in field houses in the local parks. They named themselves The Jewish Congregation of Maui and were soon meeting at least once a month for Shabbat services on Friday evenings and Shabbat mornings. In the early 1980s, Jonathan Waxman, a young professional with a strong Conservative Jewish background, moved to Maui. He was very active in the leadership of the growing community, and was eventually named as president of the congregation. He felt more could be done to bring together the Jews who had settled on Maui, so he enlisted the help of his friend, Joel Richman, who had also settled on the island. Joel’s grandfather was the rabbi of an Orthodox congregation in the eastern US; Joel himself was brought up in a dedicated Jewish environment and was knowledgeable about Jewish texts, ritual, and observance. Consequently, Joel began leading services. With the help of others who were involved in the congregation, they launched an aggressive program to reach out to other Jewish people living on Maui. They also sought to reach out to Jewish visitors to Maui, especially those who came for extended vacations. The Feuerstein family, which regularly visited the island and maintained a winter residence there, contributed a Torah scroll. Another member gave a yad, a pointer for reading the Torah. Money was raised to purchase siddurim (prayer books) for Shabbat and holidays. After services, the siddurim, the ark, the Torah scroll, and the yad were packed into boxes and taken to members' homes for safekeeping.

As the new congregation grew, its distinctive characteristics, and the broad spectrum of its members' Jewish experiences and geographic origins, began to emerge. Most people had come from the US mainland. Others arrived from South America, Mexico, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel. They brought with them a wide range of Jewish traditions and experiences. Jews with little or no Jewish background sought out the new group and the distinctive support it offered to living in a multicultural community. Senior citizens who had retired on Maui helped in enriching the broad Jewish character of the group.

The lay leadership expanded as more people joined. Joel Richman took over the presidency from Jonathan in 1989. The community focused on finding a building of their own, which would be both a synagogue and cultural center, and building a Jewish cemetery. The cemetery was soon established and one of the older retirees, who had devoted much of her time and energy to the congregation, was the first to be buried in the new cemetery. In 1995, the community mourned when Jonathan Waxman, who had remained a director of the congregation, was killed in a car accident. He was buried, according to his wishes, in the congregation’s cemetery, in “Jewish soil."

Following Jonathan's death, Joel took over the lay leadership. In addition to acting as president of the congregation, he conducted all Shabbat and High Holiday services. Recognizing the range of Jewish practice that existed within the group, the leadership worked to create an environment that would bring together people with different levels of Jewish practice. Howard Cooper, a noted Jewish educator and author, was brought in to lead High Holiday services; during the next four years, his progressive influence was a major factor in shaping the group's ideology. The objective was to develop a community where each person could maintain their own level of Jewish practice while simultaneously feeling comfortable within the broader community. Ultimately, the Orthodox members accepted that men and women could sit and pray together while those with Reform and secular backgrounds acknowledged the importance of Halacha (Jewish law) to the Orthodox. As an example of the ways in which the community was able to compromise, the special ceremony of the Birchat Kohanim - the priestly blessing, which is not generally a part of Reform services, was incorporated into the High Holiday services. Men and women were able to chant from the Torah, and read the haftara. Bar and bat mitzvahs were celebrated, and bar and bat mitzvah students were taught by other members of the community. Those with Orthodox backgrounds accepted women being called for an aliya to Torah, to read or chant from the Torah, and to wear a kipah (skullcap) and talit (traditional prayer shawl). The congregation continued to flourish as other Jews came to Maui and sought out this unique community. Numerous prominent Jewish public figures who lived on Maui or had vacation homes there, were drawn to the group. Among them was Linda Lingle, a mayor of Maui who later went on to become the governor of Hawaii.

As the community grew, it began to institutionalize. Leaders were elected, and board and committee members were chosen to help direct and develop congregational and community functions. In 1991, The Jewish Congregation of Maui was incorporated as a non-profit organization. Members with strong backgrounds in Judaism and Judaic studies, those who spoke Hebrew, and others came forward to help start continuing education classes and to plan programs for young children and the growing numbers of teens. Cultural programs were created for the entire community. Jewish entertainers, scholars, and lecturers were invited from the mainland to Maui to perform, lecture and teach.

It became apparent that the congregation needed a permanent home to serve as a synagogue and cultural center. After the initial funding was secured, in 1997 the community was able to rent a building from a small Christian group that no longer met. One large room could seat a little over 100 people. A small stage was redone as a bima. The traveling ark was assembled to be a permanent home for the Torah. The group adopted the name Beit Shalom for their new home, and thus a new chapter began in the story of the Maui Jewish community. At the end of 1998 The Jewish Congregation of Maui purchased the building.

David Glickman, who would later become the rabbi of the congregation at Beit Shalom arrived in Maui in 1990 as a member of a team doing research on humpback whales. David was born in Los Angeles. His father was a cantor, and he was raised Modern Orthodox. When he was 16, David made aliya to Israel and settled in Jerusalem, where his father was born. He continued his religious high school education and served in the famous Golani brigade after his graduation. Soon after coming to Maui he became involved in the congregation by teaching in the bi-monthly Hebrew school, conducting services, and helping to organize life cycle events. He also studied at the University of Hawaii and earned a BA in Psychology. In 1998, he traveled to the east coast of the US to assist his father with High Holy Day services. There, at the urging of two rabbis, he began intensive private Judaic and Talmudic studies and was ultimately ordained as an Orthodox rabbi. The Maui congregation immediately invited Rabbi Glickman to return as their full-time rabbi, and he accepted. His wife Jody-Lynn, a native of Maui, works part-time in the synagogue office, is the administer of the congregation’s Jewish School of Maui, and is an active volunteer.


THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF THE 21ST CENTURY

There are approximately 2,500-3,000 Jews living on Maui. Most live on the island throughout the year, though many maintain second homes on Maui and come from the mainland for long periods during the winter months. During the tourist season, the number of Jews in Maui increases by several hundred. The majority of Jewish families live in the city of Kihei on the island’s southwest coast and some of the smaller towns located on the slopes of the mountain. The larger supermarkets in the area sell kosher food.

Beit Shalom and The Jewish Congregation of Maui are known today as the center for Jewish activity on the island. The congregation strives to be welcoming to Jews of all different denominations and backgrounds. The Jewish Congregation of Maui now has three Torahs. The first was donated by the Feurman family, and two are Czech Torahs, from the over 1500 Torahs that were confiscated by the Germans during World War II, on permanent loan from the Czech Torah Network.
Services are held every Shabbat, both Friday evening and Saturday mornings that attract a sizeable number of permanent local residents, part-time residents, regular visitors, and vacationers. On the second and fourth Fridays of each month, the services are co-led by Rabbi Glickman and cantorial soloist Rose Roselinsky Crowe. Cantor Crowe was the lay leader of the Reform congregation, Gan Eden, before they disbanded. Her participation has allowed former members of Gan Eden to feel welcome at Beit Shalom. These co-led services include a slightly shortened Kabbalat Shabbat and a full Maariv. Many of the prayers are
chanted in a cantorial style, and others are read in English. Services on other Fridays are led by Rabbi Glickman and are more traditional and comprehensive. The amount of Hebrew used during services depends on the level of knowledge of those attending. The triennial Torah portion is read based on the division established by the Conservative movement.

High Holiday services are well-attended, with approximately 130 to 150 worshipers. Beit Shalom's close proximity to the beach gives those who participate in the Tashlich ceremony the opportunity to walk a short distance to the ocean shore. The final blowing of the shofar on Yom Kippur is standing-room only and is followed by a communal break-fast brought in by a kosher caterer.

Life cycle events have become an important part of congregational life. All Jewish families can celebrate their child’s birth with a baby-naming ceremony. A local Jewish pediatrician can perform a brit milah (circumcision), should the family not wish to bring in a traditional mohel from the mainland. Adolescents celebrating bar and bat mitzvahs have the luxury of creating a personalized learning experience to mark this special time in their lives. Ceremonies have varied from beach and hotel ceremonies to traditional services. Additionally, families celebrating bar and bat mitzvahs come from the mainland to celebrate on Maui. A number of people have found their life partners in the congregation, married, and built their homes on Maui. Jewish couples also arrive from the mainland to be married in Maui; Rabbi Glickman will provide couples with an Orthodox marriage ceremony. There is a Jewish cemetery, and when there is a death in the community, volunteers help prepare the body for burial through the hevra kadisha.

Children between the ages of 4 to 16 attend The Jewish School of Maui every Sunday for two hours. They learn under the guidance of skilled teachers from among the congregation who have extensive backgrounds in Judaic studies. The curriculum covers basic Hebrew, religious symbols, holidays, customs, life cycle events, mitzvot, Torah, history, and Israel. B’nei Mitzvah students meet with the rabbi for additional individual study.

The Jewish holidays provide opportunities for families to gather and celebrate. Pesach is one of the busiest holidays of the year with a community Seder that is attended by up to 350 people, including children. Lag B’Omer is celebrated at a beach park with events for adults and children. The congregation plants trees and goes on a picnic during Tu B'Shevat. Purim features a carnival with fundraising for the school through local craft vendors, plant and produce sales, and events for the children in costumes. Simchat Torah is an exciting day of celebration with hakafot (holding the Torahs aloft and passing them around), and Israeli dancing. On Shavuot the congregants gather for a dairy dinner, and many remain to study Torah into the early hours of the morning.

A Chanukkah party is held every year, in which well over one hundred families and children participate. There is a group candle-lighting with brachot (blessings). Volunteers prepare and serve hundreds of traditional potato pancakes. Everyone sings Chanukkah songs and plays dreidle. Additionally, Chanukkah candles are lit in one of the big shopping malls in Maui. This provides the opportunity for many more Jews to come together and participate in lighting the candles, and allows many non-Jews to experience the holiday. Maui is a place where there is a great deal of religious tolerance among the many cultures and for Jews, no ascertainable anti-Semitism.

The Jews of Maui have established a young and growing Jewish community in an area isolated from the major centers of Jewish life.