Rabbi Who Converted Bigot Moves To Flushing

Photo Robin Frank Rabbi Michael Weisser, spiritual leader of the Free Synagogue of Flushing. Rabbi Michael Weisser will never forget a chilling phone call he received just after he and his family moved into their new home in Lincoln, Nebraska. "You will be sorry you ever moved into 5810 Randolph Street, Jew boy," said a voice on the telephone before abruptly hanging up. Two days later, they received a manila packet with hate literature in the mail, and a note: "The KKK is watching you." The anonymous calls and notes were from Larry Trapp, Grand Dragon of the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan of Nebraska— a man the FBI considered armed and dangerous. He had waged a campaign of terror in Lincoln for years.

Astonishingly, Weisser undertook a campaign of his own in which he reached out to Larry Trapp with kindness and ended up turning Trapp's life around. Eventually, Trapp renounced all ties with the KKK and converted to Judaism. The Weissers grew so close to Trapp that when he was diagnosed as terminally ill, they took him into their home and cared for him until his death. That was in the 1990s. A book, Not by the Sword, tells the story of their relationship and Trapp's transformation in response to the Weissers' kindness.

Rabbi Weisser recently moved from Nebraska to become the spiritual leader of the Free Synagogue of Flushing. "We consider ourselves very fortunate that a person with his impressive background and credentials—a nationally-known leader—would come to lead our synagogue in Queens," Florence Boyar, president of the Free Synagogue, said. Boyar, who has been affiliated with the synagogue for decades, is looking to Weisser to revitalize the synagogue to make it a dynamic force to promote culture and understanding in the Flushing community.

"The commitment on the part of congregants committed to preserving the legacy and heritage of their community is very impressive," Weisser said. "This is a very old and historic synagogue that at one time had 500 families." Weisser said that his goal is to communicate the message far and wide that Free Synagogue welcomes everyone.

Flushing was once a center of Jewish life. Up until the 1970s, the downtown area around Main Street had kosher butcher shops and delicatessens, Jewish grocers and tailors, jewelers and clothiers. Today, Flushing is known for its Chinese, Korean and Indian populations and the 91-year-old synagogue stands among Korean grocery stores, Chinese restaurants and Asian houses of worship.

Over the years, Weisser has been an active voice on multicultural issues and social concerns, and the Free Synagogue has had a long-standing mission to promote peace and understanding among people of all religious beliefs. Annual Interfaith Dialogue Breakfasts featuring Muslim, Sikh and Buddhist speakers, weekly services that are open to people of all religions and the Free Synagogue's renowned Interfaith Choral Festival are among its endeavors to foster understanding among different religious groups in the Flushing, community.

The Free Synagogue is also looking to Rabbi Weisser to build on this legacy. As a rabbi in New Zealand, Weisser was called on by that country's government to serve as a representative of the country at international conferences on interfaith relations and how positive contact among people of differing traditions might serve as an antidote to terrorism. Weisser has received numerous awards for his work.

The Free Synagogue's Friday evening service, starting at 8:15 p.m., is open to all. The service is followed by a social hour offering coffee and pastries. Weisser and the synagogue's leaders are planning a number of new classes and events that will be open to the community, including a meditation course. For more information, call 718- 961-0030 or visit www.freesynagogue.org.