A TOUR BUS WENT TO CITY ISLAND: A NEW ENGLAND FISHING VILLAGE IN THE BRONX

On October 3, 2017, forty-nine members and guests toured the Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org located on 220 acres in Pelham Bay Park, the largest park in New York City.  We learned the history of the Bartow and Pell families and toured the mansion, carriage house, and gardens.

Under a cloudless sky, we travelled across the bridge to City Island. While overlooking Long Island Sound and chatting with old and new friends, we enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Lobster Box.

Our third stop was the City Island Nautical Museum www.cityislandmuseum.org, a charming museum housed in an old school house built in 1930 and packed full of art and memorabilia about the history of City Island.  Our member Kate Storch who grew up on City Island shared her memories attending school in the building.

Our final stop, for many the high point of the trip, was Temple Beth-El, affectionately known as “Your Shul by the Sea.” www.yourshulbythesea.org. Entering the sanctuary, we were drawn into its haimish atmosphere with songs from Rabbi Shohama Wiener on the guitar, and Bob Berent, a longtime board member, on the accordion.  Temple Beth-El is an all-inclusive, welcoming 80-year-old congregation with 125 members.   Rabbi Shohama and Bob shared the importance of the Shul in their lives. Kate Storch reminisced about her religious school education and raising funds for the Shul. We all enjoyed perusing their prayer book and visiting the sukkah that had a crystal chandelier. What a hoot!

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Kate Storch (center) surrounded by members.