By Loren Christie
     High atop a snowy mountain a man paused. It was at that moment, not in a formal worship setting, but while skiing, that Rabbi Irwin "Cy" Lowenheim felt the strong presence of God in nature. This experience intensified the rabbi's deep belief that "one God has taught us that we're all brothers and sisters."
      Known in the community as a spiritual leader who seeks to build bridges between different faiths, it has been his life's work to bring people closer to God. This coming June, Lowenheim will retire after 44 years of active service because of his battle with Parkinson's disease, and members of the Mastic Beach Hebrew Center, where he has served in recent years, have formed a committee to search for a successor.
      According to Arthur Rosen, a member of the congregation and the search committee, this is no easy task, since Lowenheim is loved by all. In recent years the congregation has grown and changed considerably. The building and grounds have been upgraded. The sanctuary has undergone major renovations, including several handicapped-accessible improvements. Parts of the building have been repainted and the parking lot has been repaved.
      According to Rosen, Friday night services are packed with families and children of all ages, (largely because of the rabbi's warm and welcoming demeanor).
"He's the reason why my family got back into Judaism," said Rosen. He and his wife, Linda, are an interfaith couple who participate actively at the center; however, they are not a minority.
      Lowenheim has nurtured a Jewish congregation that welcomes interfaith couples, and makes them feel at home. By setting a tone of acceptance, the spiritual leader has created a dramatic change in atmosphere at the center. Once a more orthodox community, the center has become the only reform temple on the south shore of Brookhaven, according to Mark Grossman, a member of the congregation.
      "Membership is at a record high; the large majority of families are interfaith, some even inter-racial," said Grossman, a trustee on the South Country School District board of education.
      Grossman, who grew up as a member of a large Jewish congregation in Brooklyn, was not at first accustomed to the kind of synagogue where the rabbi knows everyone by name.
      To create a welcoming atmosphere, the rabbi has reached out to the congregation in many ways. For example, interfaith couples are sometimes called up to the altar for a special blessing. Children are always invited to actively participate in the service. During High Holy Day services, the rabbi sets the tone with a prayer that acknowledges and welcomes those of different faiths.
In the past, Lowenheim has established ties with St. Jude's Roman Catholic Church and St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, holding clergy meetings and inviting members of other faiths such as Father Joe Miro and Pastor David Plank to participate in services. The Mastic Beach Hebrew Center will hold a Passover Congregation Seder this April in which people of all faiths are welcome. "We have more in common than different," Lowenheim said.
      Fifteen years ago, when Mark and Lisa Grossman planned their wedding, they searched for interfaith clergy to perform the ceremony since Mark is Jewish and Lisa is Catholic. Through a referral service at C.W. Post College they were connected with Lowenheim who in turn introduced them to Father Peter Brennan of Hempstead.
"They performed a most memorable and beautiful ceremony that included the best of both religions," Mark recalled. Years later, the Grossmans were reunited with Lowenheim at the Mastic Beach Hebrew Center. According to Mark, in other temples, there would have been pressure on his wife to convert, and their children may not have been accepted.
      "While most come from communities in south Brookhaven, some travel much farther distances because they feel that no other rabbi or congregation is as accepting and open as Rabbi Cy's," Grossman said. The rabbi has reached out personally to Lisa, especially during times of mourning. "He really accepted my family," said Lisa.   
      It's that warmth and concern that seems to draw people of all faiths to the rabbi, who has taught his congregation to be more tolerant and open by sheer example. "Before you become a good Jew, you must be a good person," said Lowenheim, and he lives that philosophy.
      As he approaches retirement, Lowenheim assures the congregation that he will always remain close to the Mastic Beach Hebrew Center. As Rabbi Emeritus, he will always have a place on the altar, which in the Jewish faith is called the bima. He and his wife, Sandi, will soon embark on a new adventure but they say their hearts will always remain at the Mastic Beach Hebrew Center.