Hyman Judah Schachtel

Hyman Judah Schachtel was a prominent English Rabbi who played a significant role in the Houston Jewish community. Born in 1907, he went on to serve as the Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel of Houston from 1943 to 1975, a position that allowed him to guide and support his congregation for over three decades. Following his tenure as Senior Rabbi, Schachtel took on the role of Rabbi Emeritus at Congregation Beth Israel, a position he held from 1975 until his passing in 1990.

Throughout his life, Schachtel was committed to serving the Jewish community, and he continued to do so as a "rabbi-at-large" in Houston until his death. One of the highlights of his career was delivering the inaugural prayer for President Lyndon B. Johnson in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 1965. In addition to his rabbinical work, Schachtel was also a published author, writing several books including "The Real Enjoyment of Living", "The Shadowed Valley", and "How to Meet the Challenge of Life and Death", which were released in 1954, 1962, and 1980, respectively.