A Jewish Father Figure to All

Most people in the Jewish community see a bar or bat mitzvah as a rite of passage for a teenager. Some rediscover it later in life. But very few continue to honor it, year after year, chanting the very same haftorah portion they did at age 13 into their late nineties.

On Sept. 27, members of Congregation Etz Chaim in Marietta gathered for a once-in-a-lifetime simcha — the 85th anniversary of Lou Rosengarten’s bar mitzvah, occurring not even one week before his 98th birthday on Oct. 3. The celebration was more than a milestone; it was a testament to his lifelong devotion to Judaism and his decades of service to Etz Chaim.

Known lovingly throughout the congregation as “Papa Lou,” Rosengarten has been an active member for many years, from helping in the office and reading to preschoolers to attending Shabbat services without fail. His warmth and constancy have made him both a role model and a beloved father figure to generations within the synagogue.

Lou’s Jewish journey began in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he was raised in an Orthodox home that faithfully observed every holiday and the laws of kashrut. When he was 13, in 1940, he celebrated his bar mitzvah in a one-car garage behind his great-uncle’s house in Coney Island. Space was so tight that only the men could fit inside, while the women sat outside to watch. Rosengarten still vividly recalls the end of his haftorah, when guests replaced the customary soft candy with hard-shelled nuts. As he remembers it, “boy, it hurt.”

After Lou and his late wife, Helen, moved from New York to Maryland, they began practicing in the Conservative denomination, continuing to observe Jewish laws and traditions to the best of their ability. In Bowie, Md., both served on their synagogue’s board before eventually relocating to Atlanta, where they found a spiritual home at Congregation Etz Chaim.

At Etz Chaim, Lou’s volunteer work quickly became a cornerstone of his connection to the community. One of his fondest memories was reading to preschoolers. He adored watching their faces light up as he told stories, then seeing those same children years later as bar and bat mitzvah students. It gave him, he says, comfort and confidence that Judaism would thrive for generations to come.

Rosengarten’s dedication has deeply influenced his family. His daughter, Debbie Deutsch, serves as the director of the religious school and preschool at Etz Chaim. Watching her father’s example in Maryland and the way he gave time and care to their synagogue taught her the importance of nurturing a Jewish community from a young age.

“Etz Chaim has been the focal point of our family for the past 30 years,” she said. “It’s where we’ve celebrated all of life’s milestones, from b’nai mitzvah to burial.”

Lou’s late wife, Helen, was also a familiar presence in the congregation, running the gift shop and teaching crocheting, knitting, and mah jongg. Together, they modeled what it means to live a life of faith, family, and service.

Each year, Rosengarten commemorates his bar mitzvah by chanting the haftorah for Shabbat Shuvah. Though he admits to still feeling nervous, he continues to inspire those who hear him. Rabbi Emeritus Shalom Lewis noted that the congregation is always “enthralled that this 98-year-old man can still read from the Torah and recite such a flawless haftorah.”

Though the haftorah was definitely the milestone of the occasion, the celebration continued with a lunch that customarily follows the services each week, with the addition of eating cake.

Rabbi Lewis reflected on the day with admiration. He recalled Rosengarten’s humility and how he turned an extraordinary moment into something quietly routine, as though such devotion were simply second nature.

Rabbi Daniel Dorsch, senior rabbi at Etz Chaim, describes Rosengarten as “a gentle soul — respectful, warm, and kind-spirited.” He explains that Rosengarten embodies Etz Chaim’s belief that Judaism is a lifetime commitment and that “it starts when you are young and never stops.”

Rabbi Lewis calls him “a role model for the Etz Chaim community [who has been] a mensch and a devoted, proud Jew for nearly a century. Lou reminds us of that old-world foundation on whose shoulders we stand.”

Now approaching a century of life, Rosengarten offers a message that resonates deeply within his community: “the need for younger generations to continue practicing Judaism, remain affiliated with all things Jewish, and pass it on to their families.”

To a congregation that calls him “Papa,” Lou’s message is loud and clear: continue practicing Judaism, honor traditions, and never stop.