Monday the Rabbi Took Off Read Online Free PDF Page A

which made a temple important to them. It certainly was to Wasserman. who is a deeply religious man. Besides, in those days, when the temple was just getting started, you needed men with money, and I mean a lot of money, like Wasserman and Becker, because they were expected to dig down every now and then to pay a fuel bill or a teacher’s salary out of their own pocket when the treasury was empty. They took back notes from the temple organization, but I don’t think they really expected that the temple would ever be able to make good on them. And I think some of them are still outstanding. Well, you had to be well along in years to accumulate that kind of money.”
    “That’s true.” acknowledged Harvey.
    “And then when the temple began to stabilize. I mean when we were meeting current expenses, people like Mort Schwarz came into power. Somewhat younger men, but still pretty well-to-do, because in those days we were always having drives for funds and you couldn’t urge someone to make a big donation or pledge if you hadn’t made one vourself.11
    Harvey raised an eyebrow in exaggerated surprise. “Well, you don’t have that kind of money. Or do you. Ben, and are keeping it secret?”
    But Gorfinkle didn’t react. “Oh, by the time my group came into power.” he said seriously, “the temple was completely in the black. What they wanted was somebody who could run things efficiently, the administrative-executive type.”
    “What about Raymond and Drexler? Aren’t they administrators, too?”
    Ben shook his head. “No, they’re different. They’re younger, for one thing. And they’re all either in the professions or in business for themselves, and they’re all doing pretty well. I guess, but of course they’re still on the make. And if you’re a lawyer like Bert Raymond or Paul Goodman, being a big shot in an organization like the temple is helpful. People get to know you who otherwise wouldn’t. And it helps an accountant like Stanley Agranat and the doctors and dentists who are part of the group.”
    “You mean they’re in it just for the publicity?” Harvey needled him gently. “Not like the rest of you.”
    “Well, no.” said Ben. ignoring the jibe at himself, “that wouldn’t be entirely fair. Let’s just say that they’re mindful of it. For the rest. I imagine that they feel their oats and want to run things. They’re in town politics, too, and for the same reason or reasons.”
    “All right.” said Harvey, getting serious at last, “so what have they got against the rabbi that makes you think they want to do him dirty?”
    Gorfinkle thought for a moment. “It’s a little hard to explain. For one thing, he’s the same age. thirty-five, and yet he doesn’t think the way they do at all. He’s not particularly interested in money or in getting a bigger pulpit with more prestige. He’s done some pretty spectacular things in the time he’s been here, but he’s never courted any publicity for them, not because he’s modest, because he isn’t, but because he doesn’t think such things are important. Maybe they’d tolerate that in an older man, but not in a man their own age. You understand?”
    Harvey nodded. “I think so.”
    “There’s another thing: He knows exactly what he thinks and he doesn’t hesitate to say it.”
    “You mean he’s dogmatic? Opinionated? Stubborn?”
    “No. although it might seem that way sometimes and maybe some people might think so.” Ben laughed dryly.”/ thought so at one time.”
    “I remember.”
    “But it’s something different,” Ben went on. “Old Jake Wasserman once said of him that he had a kind of radar beam of the Jewish tradition in his mind. When the congregation went off to one side or the other, he heard a beep that told him we were straying and he’d chivy us back on course. The kids, the young high school and college kids like my Stuie, go for him in a big way. I asked Stuie about it, and he said it was because they know