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HNT HISTORY ARCHIVES
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DECADE 3
Herzl Discovers its
Conservative Voice: The Trials and Triumphs of 1929 - 1936The late 1920’s and early 1930’s were times of trials and triumphs.
As Europe continued to recover from World War I, Black Tuesday sent
the U.S. economy into a long and harsh depression. Despite the
immense challenges of the time, Herzl continued to develop its
spiritual voice as it became a conservative congregation.
In 1929, shul members voted to modernize Herzl’s services. Long-time
member Freddie (Florence) Meyers, now 95 years young, recalls
conversations with her father, synagogue founder Wolf Warshall. "He
wanted to sit with his daughters, so when Herzl decided to go
conservative, he was happy." Starting with the sweet sounds of the
High Holy Days in 1930, families freely davened together for the
first time, voices in the sanctuary rising in unison.
Not everyone was comfortable with Herzl’s philosophical move. At the
end of the meeting to “modernize,” Herzl Rabbi Baruch Shapiro
resigned. A month later, he and several like-minded members founded
Congregation Machzikay Hadath, one of the strictest orthodox
synagogues in Seattle.
Herzl, like countless other institutions throughout the country, was
hard hit by the Great Depression. In 1929, creditors threatened to
foreclose on the mortgage and sell the shul’s building. Even though
synagogue dues at the time were only $1 a month, congregants
responded at a synagogue banquet, prepared by the Ladies Auxiliary.
More than half of the $75,000 needed to pay the creditors was
raised, saving our house of worship.
In 1932, Herzl merged with the newly founded New Conservative
Congregation and became Herzl Conservative Congregation. In that
same year, Conservative Rabbi Phillip Langh joined the synagogue.
Rabbi Langh’s dynamism and love of Conservative Judaism energized
the congregation. Shabbat evening services, followed by an hour of
tea and cookies, was “standing room only, although the synagogue
seated close to 1,200 people,” recalls Charles Jassen, son of Rev.
William Jassen, who served Herzl in the 1930’s as Rabbi, Hazzan and
Shamus. This became the place to be on Friday night.”
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