Fort Worth Jewish Archives

Rabbi Isadore Garsek Photo Collection

Rabbi Isadore Garsek, whose long career was marked by learning, lyricism, and levity, emigrated from Ukraine to Des Moines, Iowa, at the age of nine. After his ordination at the Hebrew Theological College in Chicago, he began his rabbinical career at Lubbock’s Shaareth Israel (1937–1944) and served in the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps during World War II. In 1946, he became the spiritual leader of Fort Worth’s Congregation Ahavath Sholom, guiding the community for more than three decades and continuing as Rabbi Emeritus until his passing in 1985. His wife, Sadye Maye Carshon Garsek, lovingly compiled fourteen scrapbooks that chronicle his life, service, and enduring impact on Jewish life in Fort Worth.

Chaplain Isadore Garsek, 1945-1946
1940s
June 16, 1940. Attendents at the wedding of Rabbi Isadore Garsek and Sadye Maye Carshon. Congregation Ahavath Shlom Shul on Taylor Street, Fort Worth.

Bridal party: Rae Carshon Mehl, Helen Eldrich Shapiro, Betty Carshon Applebaum, Vera Bockstein Wolchansky, Dorothy Zeff Imber, Sybil Abovitz Seidel. Flower Girls: Isabelle Greenberg (Oscheritz), Saradel Applebaum (Baker). Ring Bearer: David Rubin.
Interfaith
Past chairmen of the Women’s Board of For Worth Children’s Hospital including Mrs. Tobia Ellman, seated- Sadye Maye Garsek, left- and Mrs. Shirley Garvey, right
Rabbi Isadore Garsek, undated
Rabbi Isadore Garsek and Ella Brachman
Rabbi Garsek, Sadye Mae Garsek, Fort Worth Mayor, Woodie Woods, 1979
Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Isadore Garsek carryng Torah, Cantor Abraham Friedman with Shofar, 1959
Rabbi Garsek and Jimmy Wisch Texas Jewish Post publisher
South Western Zionist Region, September, 1959
Harry Kahn, Rabbi Isadore Garsek, undated.
ZOA – UJA Conference of Southwest Zionist Region Luncheon, Sheraton Hotel in Dallas, Texas, May 3, 1959
Soldiers Passover Seder, April 1946. Army Camp, Beale, California
Studying. Sadye Mae Garsek, Alice Coplin, BA Coplin, Rabbi Garsek, undated
Sadye Mae & Rabbi Isadore Garsek, June 13, 1980. Testimonial dinner
Left to right: Rose Sankary, Al Sankary, Sadye Mae Garsek, Rabbi Isadore Garsek. Location – 8th Avenue Synogogue, 1971
Rabbi Garsek receiving his honorary doctorate of Hebrew letters form Hebrew Theological College
Israel Bonds Award Event, undated. Ahavath Sholom, 8th Avenue
Cong. Jim Wright, Rabbi Garsek, Fay Brachman, Seated: Sadye Mae Garsek. June 12, 1980, Testimonial Dinner
1952, at Ahavath Sholom on 8th Avenue
Knights Commander Court of Honor, Dallas. Rabbi Garsek Second Row, far right, 2nd from left 1961
Left to right. Rolly Shur, Rabbi Bob Schur of Beth-El, Sadye Mae Garsek, and Rabbi Isadore Garsek. Feb. 1968
Bar Mitzvah, 1940s
Rabbi Garsek, 1964
Rabbi Garsek, Undated
Steven Matthew Cohen and Rabbi Garsek, June, 1974. Photo by Don Cohen. Ahavath Sholom, Fort Worth, Texas.