Elijah’s Chair – Doreen Greenblat’s Handiwork

by Eric Bressler

When I interviewed Doreen Greenblat for the hamantaschen article in February’s Tapestry, she mentioned that she had done the needlepoint on Bet Shalom’s “Elijah’s Chair.” How did she come to create that art work? I’ve never heard this story that Doreen told me despite my being an active member since 1986.

Bet Shalom members Donna (z”l) and Sherman Broms (z’’l) got Marv (z”l) and Doreen Greenblat involved at Bet Shalom in the earlier years of our congregation. Together, they all went on a congregational trip to Israel with Rabbi Cohen and Andrea in 1995. This eventually also inspired Donna to convert to Judaism! 

Doreen accompanied Donna to the mikveh for ritual purification. Then they went to the synagogue in Hopkins to enable Donna, as a Jew hold the Torah for the first time. Doreen remarked, “She was so excited! She turned to Rabbi Cohen and asked him whether there was anything she could do for the synagogue.”

Rabbi Cohen said that as a matter of fact, there was.  An “Elijah’s Chair” for the sanctuary was an idea that had been germinating for quite a while. The first step had been taken. They had seen an old wooden chair at a rummage sale, purchased it, and stored it in the Hopkins building attic until the time came. The time was obviously now! Could she help transform it with needlepoint and appropriate covering?

Every time we have a baby naming or brit milah ceremony, the presence of Elijah the prophet is felt. The chair reminds us of Elijah’s role as guardian of the covenant between God and the Jews and that he is a protector of children. The sandek who holds the baby boy during circumcision often sits in this chair. At Bet Shalom, one of the parents sits there with the child for part of the ritual ceremony.

Donna agreed to decorate it in needlepoint with Doreen’s help. Doreen found a design by Alice Nussbaum in New Bedford, Massachusetts. They got started, and then Donna said she could no longer do her part of the project because she had developed an allergy to wool. So, Doreen took up the slack and did the entire project herself, taking about six months to finish it.

She had some additional motivation, though. Her daughter-in-law was pregnant with a boy, and she knew that her grandson would be the first one to sit in the Elijah’s Chair! Coincidentally he was named Eli.