Communities and Belonging
Harvey Tobak and Irv Kaufman
Founders of B'nai Israel Reform Temple
Mollie Sebor's booklet says B'nai Israel Reform Temple began when Harvey Tobak's daughter asked to go to church like the friend next door, creating a need for a temple in the East Islip and Sayville area. A meeting of five families took place in the home of Irv Kaufman, and by July 1964 B'nai Israel Reform Temple was founded.
Why they matter
Tobak and Kaufman show how family life, children, and neighborhood ties could spark new religious institutions.
Connection to today
Their story connects an everyday question of belonging — "Where does my child fit?" — to the creation of institutions that still shape community life.
Sources
- Mollie Sebor, "The Story of the Jewish Community of Islip Town."