Rabbi Maklouf (“Mac”) Portal passed from this life on February 18. The rabbi of Congregation Ohev Sholom in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, for more than 16 years, Rabbi Portal was mostly retired in Ma’ale Adumim, Israel. He was buried in Jerusalem.
I was one of those responsible for the recruitment of Rabbi Portal to Williamsport. Rabbi Norman Singer, of blessed memory, had recently died, and it seemed like it would be impossible to find a replacement to fill his giant shoes.
When the board of the congregation voted on recommending Rabbi Portal for the position, I was a bit hesitant. He was Sephardic, born in Morocco, in the city of Marrakech, and had not come to the United States until age 15.
How unnecessary were my initial concerns. Indeed, Rabbi Portal went on to become that great inspirer who changes people for the better and enriches the lives of all around him.
The Portals were poor Jews living in a ghetto of their city. Morocco was Muslim, and the Jews were a tiny minority. Virtually all the Jews in Arab countries, including those in North Africa, were expelled. Instead of turning to terrorism or wandering the earth as angry people, Sephardic Jews have become some of the most respected and loyal members of the societies in which they live.
The first thing Rabbi Portal did in the United States was to serve in the U.S. military. He figured he owed it to the country that had given him a chance. When he was sent to Germany with the army, he was asked to keep an eye on a famous American also serving there. Portal’s commander made this request of the young immigrant because Portal had no idea who the popular singer was. It was Elvis Presley, whom Rabbi Portal recalled as a “very nice young man.”
The Portals found a home in Williamsport. I remember getting a call when I was president of the synagogue from a person who complained that Rabbi Portal was feeding the neighborhood dogs. The rabbi and his lovely wife, Rachael, of Ashkenazi English ancestry, would frequently sit out on their front porch. The rabbi always carried candy and treats with him. He loved dogs, and fed them liberally. Guess where all the dogs went when they wanted a little snack they could not get at home?
When young children would learn the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, the rabbi would give them a piece of chocolate as a reward. This ancient Moroccan tradition was an encouragement for plenty of kids. Everyone waited for the candy.
The rabbi was prone to send cards, letters, and treats not only to children but to adults as well. Every time Rabbi Portal came to my office to drop off some synagogue work he would hand out chewing gum and other tasty nosh to the staff. Everyone here loved him.
Rabbi Portal was an old-fashioned sort of guy. He did not try to impress people with philosophical logic or debates about existential subjects in religion. He was a simple believer in the goodness and grace of God, the mission of the Jewish people as a kingdom of priests, and the need to treat others the way we want to be treated.
I used to joke with Rabbi Portal that he was a “hyperactive man” because he was so interested in doing everything he could for the community. The only fight I ever saw Rabbi Portal have with anybody was when his wife was anxious to retire so that the family could be with their adult children. Rabbi Portal was not anxious to retire, and extended his stay in Williamsport at least two years after his planned retirement date. Finally, Rabbi Portal gave in and retired to Israel where he could be with his children and many grandchildren.