Young Israel to be rededicated

When Hurricane Sandy hit the south shore of Long Island in October of last year, it devastated the building housing Young Israel of Oceanside, a 200-member modern orthodox congregation with more than four feet of water, destroying both the building’s interior and three sacred torah scrolls that had to be buried and replaced.

“We couldn’t use the sanctuary for nearly a year,” said synagogue spokesman Art Nathan. “We had to use smaller rooms for prayer and meetings and we had to replace everything inside the building — everything is brand new.”

While the sanctuary and its ark were replaced in time for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur last month, the congregation will host grand rededication celebration at the synagogue, 150 Waukena Ave. in Oceanside, at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 17.

“We want to welcome the entire community, not just our members, to the rededication,” Nathan said. “After Sandy, this is important for everybody.”

Nathan said that there would be “prominent” speakers at the ceremony, members of local clergy and other dignitaries.

In addition, there will be a hors D’oeuvre reception to follow.

While Nathan declined to talk about the cost of the rebuilding, he did say that donations came in from all over the nation, even from California.

“People were good to us and many other Young Israel congregations from around the nation helped.

Using a quote from the bible, which he admitted he might have made up, Nathan said, “Those who toil for a good cause will reap profits.”

Those profits will be there for all to see on the evening of Nov. 17.