Rabbi Chaim "Charles" Heilpern List of honorees Louis Rose Society Jewishsightseeing home
Writings about Rabbi Chaim "Charles"
Heilpern
-World War II
(At left) Rabbi Chaim Heilpern, wearing clothes of
British military chaplain, points a passage out to his nephew, Monty Romney, in this
photograph estimated by another nephew, David Romney, as having been taken in 1945.
At right, according to David Romney, "My uncle
and
aunt are sitting in the middle of the front row. On my aunt's right is
Mrs. Frieda Saipe, her best friend and closest co-worker. On my
uncle's left is Sadie Halpern, the daughter of my uncle's predecessor, Rabbi D.
Halpern (1917-1926). This photo is reprinted in the
Centenary Book though I have copy of my own (see September 2005 photo and
entry)
-1957-
Undated 1957 —"The last
thing I discovered about my uncle was that he spent one year as rabbi of
the Conservative Congregation in Palo Alto in 1957/58. The remaining years
of his life remain a mystery." —David Romney to Donald H. Harrison (Louis
Rose Society), November 2005.
-1974-
August 1974—Rabbi Chaim
Heilpern dies in San Diego on August 28; his funeral is conducted at Home of
Peace Cemetery by Rabbi
Samuel Penner.—David Romney to Donald H. Harrison (Louis Rose Society),
November 2005.
-2003-
September 25, 2003—David
Romney, Rabbi Chaim Leib Heilpern: Minister of the Bournemouth Hebrew
Congregation during World War II; The Mysterious Disappearance of My Uncle Chaim,"
Calgary Jewish News, reprinted at oldsynagogues. org; http://www.coseti.org/www.oldsynagogues.org/bournemouth_13.htms
-2005-
June 2005—Visit to Rabbi Chaim
Heilpern's gravesite, Home of Peace Cemetery, San Diego, California:
HEBREW INSCRIPTION—Our teacher, Rabbi Chaim ben Avraham, may the memory
of
this pious man be blessed. 
10th Elul 5734. May his soul be bound up in the bond
of eternal life.
September 2005— Steven H. White, Ivor Weintroub and
David Weitzman, Bournemouth
Hebrew Congregation Centenary, page 30, concerning Rabbi Heilpern's tenure
as spiritual leader from 1927 to 1946: Rabbi Heilpern was both an orator
and chazan, and his brilliant preaching is said to have attracted large numbers
of visitors to the synagogue. He worked untiringly on behalf of refugees,
evacuees and members of the armed forces. His secular offices included
Chairmanship of the International Services committee; Rotary Club, Royal
Victoria and West Hants Hospital, Council of Social Service, Executive of World
Congress of Faiths, Chairman of the Army and Navy Committee, and numerous other
offices. He was awarded the certificate for meritorious service from the
National Jewish Welfare Board. He traveled extensively, visiting the USA,
Australia and Cyprus. Mrs. Heilpern was the founder and Chairman of the
Bournemouth Red Cross.
September 2005—Michael Indech to David
Romney, as later related by Romney: Michael Indech, the son of my uncle's
successor, the late Rabbi Jonah Indech, wrote to me afterwards {following the
September 3-4 centennial celebration}: "The communal service was something
very special. The Chief Rabbi, Dayan Erentrau, the Mayors of Bournemouth,
Christchurch and Poole plus members of the Bournemouth Town Council and the
Chief of Police were present at the Musaf service. The Chief Rabbi
spoke eloquently and special prayers to celebrate the occasion were made. The
synagogue was packed. I was honored with an Aliyah to the Torah. There was
a beautiful Kiddush afterwards. There were about 150 people
present at the afternoon and evening services with a beautiful sit down Seudah
Shlishit. The Chief Rabbi gave a brilliant discourse, something to be
remembered. The Shul had set up an exhibition in the Menorah Suite of the
100 years history of Bournemouth Hebrew Congregation, with pictures and
descriptions. I learnt a lot about things that I never knew before.
Your uncle was well represented."
-2006-
2006-06-30 Donald H. Harrison, "New Weekly Feature:
An Alef Bet of San Diego County's Jewish community," jewishsightseeing.com
-2007-
2007-05-21—Donald H. Harrison, "Two dead rabbis, father and son,
symbolically reunited in San Diego," San Diego Jewish World