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Jewish Community News
News: April 2006
Beloved San Jose Rabbi Gitin turns 100
Temple Emanu - El will host a birthday celebration
for Gitin May 8
By Cecily Ruttenberg
Rabbi Joe Gitin has put on his best navy suit and grey tie for this interview.
Just weeks from celebrating his 100th birthday, he walks, not wheels,
into the living room of his assisted-living home in San Francisco. From
the outside, his apartment is distinguishable from its neighbors by a
mezuzzah and placard on the front door displaying the Hebrew letters for
“shalom.”
Inside, Rabbi Gitin seats himself on a small couch, and confirms that
he will indeed soon be 100 years old. Born May 8, 1906, he arrived in
the world just weeks after the famous 1906 earthquake. “They blamed
it on me,” he quips.
Rabbi Joseph Gitin served as rabbi at Temple Emanu-El from 1950 to 1975,
continuing to serve in the synagogue for many years after his retirement.
In the early days, Emanu-El was the only synagogue in the San Jose area
and served all Jews from Reform to Ultra-Orthodox. Understanding of the
needs of the more observant, Gitin was instrumental in forming Congregation
Sinai, a Conservative synagogue in Willow Glen.
“He was the voice of the Jewish community for many, many, many years,”
said Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley Associate Executive Director
Janet Berg. “If the history of the Jewish community in San Jose
was going to be written, Rabbi Gitin would certainly be key among its
leaders.”
Because of his tremendous contri-butions to the Jewish community during
his years of service, Emanu-El is hosting a birthday celebration on Sunday,
May 7, at 10:30 a.m. at the temple.
Rabbi Gitin may no longer be in the pulpit, but always a rabbi, he willingly
offers words of advice culminated from his 100 years of experience. He
lived through World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War. “I was
always fighting,” he jokes.
Then seriously, “I believe in good deeds. Not words. Deeds. I once
knew a man who prayed very fervently but was very stingy and never gave
a nickel to anyone. Prayers will not lead you to God. Deeds are important.”
About his 40 years at Temple Emanu-El, Gitin says the shul was his second
home. “I even had a dog Tippy who always accompanied me. He was
an honorary member, ex-officiando,” Gitin says, adding straight-faced,
“he was a very religious dog.”
Gitin remembers being on duty 24 hours a day. Sometimes congregants would
phone in the middle of the night. Gitin remembers one late night call
in particular when a congregant refused to die without his blessing. “I
put my pants on over my pajamas and rushed over there and said a blessing,”
he recalls. “Then they closed their eyes. Mind over matter I guess.”
Gitin was also very committed to interfaith dialogue. He frequently visited
Christian camps, bringing an ever-consistent message. “I said we
all have one God and God expects us to be good people. This is how I taught
morality at Christian youth camps,” says Gitin.
Gitin recalls that through all the years—the sermons, the visits,
the youth camps—he had his beloved latewife Rosalie by his side.
The mention of her name halts the conversation, as tears clog Gitin’s
throat and eyes. When he has recovered from her memory, Gitin poses for
a few photographs.
With the use of modern technology, Gitin is shown his pictures immediately
after they are taken. “What a handsome guy,” he quips. “Nobody
else said it,
so I did.”
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