The Stone

Written by Barry Gordon, Yeshiva of Hartford Alum

One year ago, during February school vacation I was in my professional capacity, on a

homecare visit. I was in the North End of Hartford one block away from the old Yeshiva of

Hartford located on Cornwall Street. From 1950 to 1970 this was the address of the Yeshiva of

Hartford, which morphed into the Bess and Paul Sigel Hebrew Academy and is now the New England

Jewish Academy. As the Jewish community moved both westward and northward, the Yeshiva

building was sold to the City of Hartford. Over the years it served as the home to Renzulli

Academy. Now the same building is a commissary for city schools.

For some reason on that particular day, I felt drawn to stop in front of the former Yeshiva

building where I went to school. My class was the last class to graduate from that building, so

proudly built by the Yeshiva and occupied in 1950. As I was surveying the building and

reminiscing about my experiences at the Yeshiva, I noticed a man entering the building. Being

the history buff that I am I immediately saw an opportunity in front of me. Perhaps I could see

the school again, out of an older and more experienced lens. I approached the man and he

invited me in, encouraging me to look around. Déjà vu- I looked at all the classrooms and

pictured my younger self walking down the very same halls. Even the auditorium/gym where I

stood for my ninth-grade graduation had the same curtains in place on the stage from so many

years ago. I walked into the Beit Medresh/Synagogue, now a small police substation. I proudly

told the officer that this was once a school synagogue and he responded with interest and

many questions to follow.

Thinking I had taken enough of this man’s (Jim’s) time I began to thank him, but he instantly

asked me if I wished to see one more thing. This man led me down to the basement. Down the

stairs we went, and I have to admit I was a little bit uneasy about where he was taking me….

And then I saw it, sitting there, “the marble plaque” with a heading in English saying “Building

Committee 1911” and the names of men and women engraved in Hebrew. I was stunned and

not sure at all what this plaque represented….Again, being enchanted by the history of our

past, I began to wonder. What was this plaque? Who were the people whose names had been

so prominently captured? Was the plaque connected to the original founding of the school or

was it connected to another source of Jewish pride from the distant past? I took pictures and

called the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford; I met with their director and perused their files.

Elizabeth Rose, past Director of the Jewish Historical Society, and I uncovered that this stone

came from the Pleasant Street Talmud Torah, built and dedicated in 1912. The Talmud Torah

was a large and prominent edifice which served as a school and community center housing

various Jewish organizations.

So, the questions continued….. how did this plaque end up in the Yeshiva of Hartford and

remain untouched for 75 years?

Fast forward….

Through petition and resolution, the City of Hartford’s City Council has now gifted the stone to

the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford, who will collaborate with the New England Jewish Academy to preserve this stone.

And all of those questions my friends, is why I am drawn to history, the history of our people,

the history of our community. The past reigniting a spark of our present and to the future.

With excitement and determination, I wait for the rest of the story to unfold.

Update: The Stone is planned to be relocated to New England Jewish Academy with a dedication event.

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