NATE DIRECTOR

Nate Director becomes bar mitzvah again at 90

By Jewish Review

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For his 90th birthday, Nate Director, Noahch Ben Shmuel, son of Samuel and Shifra Director (of blessed memory), was called up to the  orah at Congregation Shaarie Torah to read his Bar Mitzvah parasha, Shmot; Rabbi Arthur Zuckerman officiated at the Dec. 29, 2007, ceremony.

His first Bar Mitzvah was also held at Congregation Shaarie Torah at First and Hall streets in Portland, in 1930; at that time “The Roita Rov” presided.

Director was born in 1917 in Chartrisk, Poland, and came to Portland at age 5.  He has been a Shaarie Torah member for 85 years, and is a past president of the congregation.

Director is also an avid stamp and coin collector, as well as a fisherman.  Director  was married to his late wife, Millie, for 62 years.

Nate served in the U.S. Army from 1943-1964 as a Signal Corp officer, and was promoted to Captain. Through the Army, he attended both Harvard and Massachuessetts Institutute of Technology, and received his degree in radar engineering.

As Director did not receive a fountain pen for his first Bar Mitzvah, this time he was presented with two from the synagogue and friends.

He received a new talit made by Ethiopian immigrants in Israel from Rabbi Zuckerman, who said he should “ wear it in good health until 120 years.”

A large luncheon was held after Services in the synagogue for several hundred people, hosted by Sylvia Perkel and the Leitner family.