Rabbi Robert Widom said he has wanted to develop strong local community ties since he became senior rabbi of Temple Emanuel of Great Neck in 1969.
With the release of the temple’s 2015-16 lecture program, Widom said, he has taken another major step in that direction.
The program features an all-star cast of public officials, media members and entertainers including retired General Wesley K. Clark, Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, Paul Begala, a political commentator and former top aide to President Bill Clinton, and Steve Schmidt, a top campaign strategist for President George W. Bush. Begala and Schmidt are appearing together
“Now it’s with a view to build and have a place that all can feel that they can come join us,” Widom said. “Not just for Jewish people but to touch all bases and attract all types of people.”
Widom said the program is intended to serve the community that the temple has already established and reach out to attract new people regardless of their background.
“We want to expose people to thoughts and views that could effect their lives,” Widom said. “We want to be a center which offers the best in intellectual thought as well as musical endeavors and musical productions.”
The program, which began on Sept. 11 with a presentation by United States Eastern District Judge Jack B. Weinstein, continues with a lecture by Walter Russell Mead, James Chace professor of International Affairs and Humanities at Bard College and editor-at-large of the American Interest magazine, on Oct. 2. on the relationship between the United States and Israel.
Meade will be followed on Oct. 11, by Clark for a public sit-down interview with Newsday editor Steve Wick on leadership strategies in the 21st century.
Widom said Temple Emanuel’s ability to present notable speakers with backgrounds in politics, education, media, and religion has been made possible by contributions from the Temple Emanuel community.
“People personally contribute to this so that we can have the type of speakers that we’d like here,” Widom said.
Widom said the temple receives personal donations from individuals who want to help make sure they secure the speakers they would like.
He added that the temple takes suggestions from all people associated with the community in deciding who they want to bring in for the program.
“We decide who we would like based on suggestions made by either the offices of the synagogue, members of the board, or members of the synagogue,” he said.
All the events in the lecture series take place at Temple Emanuel’s location at 150 Hicks Lane and are organized by the committee for Stephen C. Widom Cultural Arts.
The schedule, which is currently to run through June 5, includes performances by the Long Island Choral Society, comedians Stewie Stone and Freddie Roman, and a concert by the Platters and the Drifters.
The performances take place on Sunday afternoons at 3 p.m., Thursday and Friday nights as well as two presentations on Tuesdays at 2 p.m.
A schedule for the series can be found at emanuelgn.com or by calling the synagogue at 516-482-5701.
Temple Emanuel of Great Neck was founded in 1953 and identifies as a Reform Jewish synagogue, according to their website.
