Temple Israel Portsmouth

04/19/2026

More than 100 people gathered for Temple Israel’s Yom Hashoah Holocaust Remembrance Day Commemoration last Sunday. The highlight of the solemn occasion was 90-year old Holocaust Survivor Janet Applefield who shared her poignant journey as she triumphed over one of the darkest chapters in history, rebuilding her life with resilience, inspiring hope, and carrying the enduring legacy of remembrance.

The following related article appeared in Friday’s Portsmouth Herald.

Holocaust survivor Janet Applefield shares her story in Portsmouth

Residents gathered at Temple Israel in Portsmouth to honor Holocaust Remembrance Day with a program that combined solemn reflection, historical testimony and a call to carry the memory forward, according to a community announcement.

The event, held April 12, drew a full audience and featured a commemoration ceremony, the display of a significant Holocaust artifact collection, and an address by survivor Janet Applefield.

A ceremony of remembrance

The evening began with a formal ceremony led by Temple Israel staff and community leaders, organized by a longtime, devoted leader of Temple Israel, Rich LeSavoy, according to the announcement. Attendees lit memorial candles and recited the kaddish, the traditional Jewish prayer of mourning. A moment of silence honored the millions who perished in the Holocaust.

"Yom HaShoah asks us not to look away," one organizer said. "It asks us to hold grief alongside hope — and that is exactly what our community did tonight."

The program also featured a display of Holocaust artifacts assembled by Dr. Ira Schwartz, a member of Temple Israel. The collection, now housed at Keene State University, includes primary artifacts from the Holocaust era and offered attendees a tangible connection to the history being remembered.

Janet Applefield shares her story

The highlight of the evening was an address by Janet Applefield, a Holocaust survivor whose account of persecution, loss and survival held the audience in silence. Applefield described her childhood in wartime Europe, the fear and displacement her family experienced, and her eventual journey to freedom.

"I tell my story so that it is never forgotten," Applefield said. "And so that the world will understand what hatred, left unchecked, can do to human beings."

Applefield's testimony resonated beyond the Jewish community, as members of a neighboring Christian congregation attended to listen and show support.

Book signing and community conversation

After her address, Applefield signed copies of her memoir for attendees, many of whom brought children and grandchildren to meet her. The book signing provided an opportunity for personal conversations and a chance to connect with a living witness to history.

The program served as a reminder of the importance of remembering the Holocaust, especially as the number of survivors continues to dwindle, organizers said. Through shared testimony and collective reflection, the community reaffirmed its commitment to bearing witness and carrying the memory forward.

10/09/2025

Monday night our congregation gathered in the Shapiro House Sukkah at Strawbery Banke for an Erev Sukkot pot luck dinner. Reb Rosalind joyfully ushered in the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, marking the start of the seven-day festival of booths. Celebrations involve entering the sukkah (a temporary hut) to eat festive meals and say special blessings, beginning with the Shehecheyanu blessing to acknowledge being brought to this season, and followed by a blessing to dwell in the sukkah.

The Shapiro House was home to Jewish immigrants from Ukraine who immigrated to Portsmouth in the early 1900s. The Shapiro Family and their descendants have been congregants of Temple Israel for more than 100 years.

09/18/2025

This past week the children of the Early Learning Center baked sweet, round Rosh Hashanah challah for the New Year with Laura Sher.

05/19/2025

Nerf archery 🎯, relay races 🏃‍♂️, puzzle challenges 🧩, and a community song session 🎶 to bring it all home — our Lag BaOmer Field Day had something for everyone!

We wrapped up the day with DIY s’mores (featuring the gooey magic of marshmallow fluff) and a whole lot of smiles.

Here’s a look back at a day full of teamwork, laughter, and some seriously good vibes. Sound On!

05/12/2025

Hot dog supper with a Pickle Bar!!! Annual Meeting starts tonight at 6!

05/04/2025

Kol hakavod Rabba Kaya Stern-Kaufman ! Ian Michael Kaner said it best.

04/27/2025

Have you seen the cherry tree currently blooming in front of Temple Israel? It is a descendant of the cherry trees along the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. which were given to the United States more 100 years ago by the Mayor of Tokyo to acknowledge the important role played by President Roosevelt in the 1905 Peace Treaty of Portsmouth negotiations.

The Treaty of Portsmouth formally ended the 1904–05 Russian-Japanese War. It was signed on September 5, 1905 after a month of negotiations at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Delegates from Russia and Japan were warmly received by Portsmouth residents including the Jewish Russian immigrants of Portsmouth who founded Temple Israel. President Theodore Roosevelt who was instrumental in the negotiations won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.

The plaque at the tree’s base reads:
“This cherry tree is a living memorial to the Portsmouth Peace Treaty celebrating New Hampshire citizen diplomacy and the 1905 founders of Temple Israel. Presented by the Japan-America Society of New Hampshire 2015. Descended from the original Washington, D.C. cherry trees given by Japan to the US in thanks for the 1905 Portsmouth Peace Treaty diplomacy.”

04/18/2025

Let my people munch! 🍫🕎 When tradition meets dessert—our Hebrew School Chocolate Seder was so sweet, even Pharaoh would’ve joined the party!

04/17/2025

03/16/2025

Did you follow the Yellow Brick Road to Temple Israel's Purim in Oz Carnival?
It was an afternoon of fun, food, games and even a magic show!

Purim is the joyous celebration of events in ancient Persia, when Queen Esther and her cousin Mordechai prevented the evil plans of the “wicked” chancellor Haman aimed against the Jews.