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Regular Session, 2011
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 91
BY SENATOR MCPHERSON
COMMENDATIONS. Commends Dr. Arnold Task on his retirement as Rabbi of the
Gemiluth Chassodim Jewish Temple.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To commend Dr. Arnold Task on his retirement as Rabbi of the Gemiluth Chassodim Jewish2
Temple.3
WHEREAS, Dr. Task is native of Chicago, Illinois, and a 1952 graduate of the4
University of Chicago; and5
WHEREAS, in 1955, he married Judy Wiener, and they have three children, five6
grandchildren, and three step-grandchildren; and7
WHEREAS, he was ordained in 1958 at the Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute8
of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he received a Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters, and9
in 1983, he earned a Doctor of Divinity degree; and10
WHEREAS, before moving to Alexandria, Louisiana, Dr. Task served congregations11
in St. Louis, Missouri; Newport News, Virginia; and Greensboro, North Carolina; and12
WHEREAS, in Newport News, Virginia, beyond his Rabbinical responsibilities,13
Rabbi Task was president of the Peninsula Family Services and Traveler's Aid, on the board14
of the American Red Cross, Peninsula Council on Aging, Peninsula Association of Retarded15
Children, and the National Conference of Christians and Jews; and16
WHEREAS, from 1964 to 1965, Rabbi Task served as director of the Mid-Atlantic17
Federation of Temple Youth, and dean of the National Federation of Temple Youth18 SCR NO. 91
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Leadership Institute for two years; and1
WHEREAS, in Greensboro, North Carolina, he served as president of the Family2
Service and Traveler Aid, co-chair of the North Carolina Council on the Holocaust,3
chairman of the Guilford County Commission on the Needs of Children, and chairman of4
the City of Greensboro Human Relations Commission; and5
WHEREAS, Dr. Task was president of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the Central6
Conference of American Rabbis, and served two terms on the National Executive Board of7
the Central Conference of American Rabbis; and8
WHEREAS, in addition to his congregational duties in Alexandria, Louisiana, he9
served as president of the Central Louisiana Ministers Association, the Family Counseling10
Agency, Angel Care, and is the current president of the Louisiana Maneuvers and Military11
Museum at Camp Beauregard; and12
WHEREAS, he is past chairman of the Louisiana State University at Alexandria Lay13
Advisory Committee and, for three years, he was vice president for Military Affairs of the14
Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce; and15
WHEREAS, Dr. Task has served on the Board of Directors of the United Way,16
Renaissance Home, and is past president of the Central Louisiana Community Foundation;17
and18
WHEREAS, he chaired the Alexandria Human Relations Task Force and was19
founder and first chairman of the Human Relations Commission; and20
WHEREAS, Dr. Task is a member of the Veterans Affairs Health Ethics21
Commission, co-chair of the Cenla Health Care Ethics Coalition, chairman of the State of22
Louisiana Region VI Mental Health Advisory Council, and a member of the Alexandria23
Rotary Club; and24
WHEREAS, he has lectured at colleges in Louisiana, Missouri, Illinois, Virginia,25
North Carolina, and South Carolina, and served as an adjunct professor at Greensboro26
College and Louisiana State University at Alexandria for thirty-six years, teaching Judaism27
and the Holocaust; and28
WHEREAS, since 1989, Dr. Task has been the spiritual leader of the Gemiluth29
Chassodim Jewish Temple in Alexandria, Louisiana; and30 SCR NO. 91
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WHEREAS, Dr. Task has received numerous awards and honors including, but not1
limited to, the Newport News Distinguished Merit Citation, the Greensboro Chamber of2
Commerce Human Rights Award, the Greensboro Kiwanis Club Distinguished Service3
Award, the Arthritis Foundation Humanitarian Award, the Alexandria Veteran's Affair4
Medical Center Trailblazer Award, and the State of Louisiana Legacy of Achievement5
Award; and6
WHEREAS, Dr. Task announced his retirement in January, 2011, indicating that7
June 24, 2011 will be his last day as the leader of the Gemiluth Chassodim Jewish Temple8
congregation; and9
WHEREAS, Alexandria City Councilman, Harry Silver, instrumental in recruiting10
Dr. Task, says that Rabbi Task is well accepted and respected in every aspect of family and11
religious life.12
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby13
commend Dr. Arnold Task on his retirement as Rabbi of the Gemiluth Chassodim Jewish14
Temple.15
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Dr.16
Arnold Task.17
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Michelle Broussard-Johnson.
DIGEST
McPherson SCR No.
Commends Dr. Arnold Task on his retirement as Rabbi of the Gemiluth Chassodim Jewish
Temple.