Congregation Tiferith Israel thanks its heroes

Oftentimes we are so busy in our own lives that we tend to forget about the people around us. It’s easy to take others for granted, especially those who often go unnoticed, making sure the needs of others are met. That’s why Congregation Tiferith Israel paid tribute to two of their unsung heroes, Armando, and Rosario Garcia, rather than honoring one of their widely known members. Over 150 members of the congregation came together to honor the hard work and dedication to service the couple have lovingly poured into the congregation and its facilities. 

The Garcias are caretakers for the synagogue. They maintain cleanliness and the building’s general maintenance. They are the ones who cut fruit and vegetables in the kitchen, clear paths to walk through snow and ensure the spaces for Sunday school classes are clean and safe for the community’s children. The Garcias have made a difference for 10 years. 

“They kept this place open,” Rabbi Irwin Huberman said. “There was never any doubt of the role that they play in our lives, never mind the cutting of vegetables and serving everything on platters and making sure the chairs are here during Covid. They were literally lifesavers; they were here every single day.”

The couple’s journey to the hearts of the congregation started when they came to America in the 1980s seeking refuge from the civil war in El Salvador. When they settled in Glen Cove, Armando took a job as a busboy and food runner, and Rosario worked as a nanny and housemaid. 

But they knew a successful life in America meant overcoming their language barrier. They talked to locals and took vocational classes at the Boards of Cooperative Educational Service, while working their full-time jobs to support their two sons, Chris, and Steven. 

“I’ll never forget my dad one time saw a McDonald sign, and he said, ‘what is two for one mean,’” Chris Garcia recalled. “I was seven years old, and my dad said ‘Chris, you gotta eat man, you gotta be nice and strong.’ My dad sat there and watched us; I knew he was hungry.”

At one point, Armando was laid off from his job as an electrician. The couple were referred by a close friend to work at Congregation Tiferith Israel.

Chris Garcia recalls when his family faced their darkest times, both financially and emotionally, and that the house of worship was there to help. They helped Garcia find tutors, and he credits their help for his education. CTI isn’t just a synagogue to the Garcia family; they consider it their second home. 

When Chris was on the cusp of graduating from SUNY Old Westbury for his masters, he recalls feeling tired as he was nearing the end of his dissertation. He was also frustrated and considered finding a job in labor. Seeing how he felt, Armando reminded him of the opportunity his parents didn’t have. 

“My dad said, ‘You see these hands that are bruised? They’re hurt, and have calluses, my body hurts, and everything hurts,’” Garcia recalled. His father continued. “‘We’re not rich. I’m not going to leave you with cars, money, properties. You didn’t come this far, just to be that. You gotta be greater than that. Greater than us, and greater than what we never got, because we came here with nothing.” 

Garcia said his parents instilled a strong work ethic in him and his brother. They were taught to never be complacent in their lives, and to always strive to do better and be better people. 

“I have learned a lot from the members on how to be very happy,” Armando said. “Rosario and I have always loved CTI like it was our own home. I am a perfectionist, and I always want CTI to look and be the best.”