My earliest memories of the shul were during the High Holidays in the mid 1950’s.  During that time both shuls were filled to capacity.  The woman would dress up in their furs and sit upstairs. Mr Shiffman, the Hebrew school principal, would conduct Hebrew School services alternating downstairs in Congregation Sons of Israel and in the Vestry at Congregation Anshe Sfard..  Little’s Lane and Elliot St were overflowing with people during the services.  I used to go to Anshe Sfard during the holidays to visit my grandparents, Ida and Abe Bazer, who were instrumental in builiding that synagogue.   On Kol Nidre, Dave Kirstein would make his annual pledge for the Talmah Torah (Hebrew School)< SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  He would deliver a speech and at the conclusion would go up and down each row and ask every male to make a donation.  I later found out that when someone said same as last year, that meant there was no pledge to be made.  When I was 10 I couldn’t take the fasting and a friend and I had lunch at Santoro’s.. We walked back and met my brother Michael outside and informed him of the snack we just consumed.  We were told to be quiet and not to tell anybody.    Today the shul is crowded for the High Holy days but it will never have the same feeling as it did back in the late 50’s and early 60’s

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