Rabbi Peter B. Schaktman (front right) and members of Temple Emanu-El, Honolulu, Hawaii by the International Department & Jewish-Arab Center for Peace
Givat Haviva’s International Department certainly lives up to their name with so many individuals and groups coming from far away – and often rather exotic – places. Hawaii is definitely one that would fit very nicely in to the exotic slot!
Members of Temple Emanu-El in Honolulu and accompanied by Rabbi Peter B. Schaktman, the Hawaiians presented International Department staff member Lydia Aisenberg with a gift never before seen on campus – a Kukui lei.
The lei consists of large brown and highly polished nuts from the kukui tree (apparently native to Southeast Asia and introduced to the Hawaiian Islands as long ago as 200 CE) threaded on a ribbon, a small cluster of tiny sea shells in between each nut.
The Hawaiian word kukui means light, lamp or torch, Lydia is told by one of the group members who placed the lei around her neck.
“The nuts are a source of light due to their abundance of oil. Several nuts are strung together on the midrib of a coconut frond, set afire and they provided light in the darkness. A common name for the tree is candlenut tree.”
It would seem that the tree has many uses with its wood, gum from the bark, oil and nut meat being used for building canoes, waterproofing surfboards, food seasoning, a source of dye and also used as medicinal aids.
Before the nut is used in the decorative lei, it is drilled and the contents of the nut removed. Each nut is then laboriously polished to obtain its high gloss. Kakui lei are permanent and may be worn with pride for generations one is told.
The kukui lei were originally worn only by Hawaiian alii (the royalty of the region). In present times they are still given – as was the one to Lydia at Givat Haviva – and worn for special occasions as a symbol of light, and by extension also a symbol of enlightenment, knowledge and learning.
In Hawaii kukui lei are often given to students upon graduation or completion of their program of study.
A most unusual and very attractive gift, one bringing light upon maybe not the nation, but definitely to the International Department at Givat Haviva.
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Temple Emanu-El is a Reform congregation in Honolulu. Established in 1938, Temple Emanu-El joined the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in 1952 and the building where the synagogue is presently situated was consecrated in 1960.
In 1886 a gentleman by the name of Elias Abraham Rosenberg arrived in Hawaii from San Francisco. He used the title ‘rabbi’ although it has not been verified if he was actually an ordained one! He developed a friendship with King David Kalakaua, told him Bible stories and taught him Hebrew.
A year later he returned to San Francisco due to political unrest in Hawaii but he left his Torah and yad (Torah pointer) with King David Kalakaua for safe-keeping.
The Torah and yad remained in the royal family and during the 1930s and 1940s the House of Kawananakoa would lend the scroll to the Honolulu Jewish community for High Holy Day services. The Torah and yad were eventually given to Temple Emanu-El and are permanently displayed in the main sanctuary.
