Plenty of people knew Rabbi Abraham Raich in Pueblo. And they more likely saw him on the streets than in the headlines.
The quiet, unassuming man, usually accompanied by his wife, the late Adelyn Raich, stuck like Super Glue to causes – especially peace – that he cared about. That meant a lot of marching.
Raich died Oct. 27. He was 84.
The slightly-built rabbi with the white hair and beard was familiar for his protests, but he had many facets.
He had a 25-year career with CF&I steel mills, taught Hebrew classes, worked with interfaith groups and was a stalwart with the American Civil Liberties Union on issues such as rights of patients at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo. That sometimes meant making sure they had access to books, magazines and legal representation.
Raich also fought what he saw as mistreatment of suspects while they were in custody at the local jail, said his son, Robert Raich of Oakland, Calif.
Raich and his wife entertained Daniel Berrigan, an anti-war activist, in their home, and Raich was one of a handful of men belonging to the League of Women Voters, according to a story in the Pueblo Chieftain.
“He was always on the go,” his son said.
Raich was a member of the Pueblo chapter of Committee of Clergy and Laity for Equality and Justice, which dealt with, among other things, the problems of predatory lending.
Once someone yelled at him, calling him a communist. A lawyer told the rabbi he could sue for slander, but Raich declined. Instead, he met at his home with the accuser’s pastor and established a “cordial” relationship, Robert Raich said.
One year the Raichs hosted an African-American student from Alabama. The young man couldn’t afford room and board at the local university.
“He (Raich) never gave up and was a true gentleman,” said Phil Reynolds, a self-described charismatic Christian in Pueblo.
Even in arguments, “Rabbi Raich was so polite and pleasant, you didn’t think you were arguing,” said Reynolds, the only non-Jewish pallbearer at Raich’s service.
Rose Vest, a United Methodist who studied Hebrew and the history of Israel with Raich, called him “the wisest, gentlest man I knew – and he had a wealth of knowledge.”
Even in tough times “that would send other people’s pressure through the roof, Rabbi Raich was calm,” she said.
When there were disputes among people or between people and their own congregations, “Rabbi Raich always said the church or synagogue may be imperfect, but the faith isn’t. He accepted all faith journeys as valid and did all he could to enrich those journeys,” Vest said.
In recent years, as Abraham Raich was slowed with age, he continued to march for causes. But he’d sit down to rest after about 50 feet and then pick up the march again.
Raich “wasn’t the retiring type,” Robert Raich said. He never stopped caring.
Even in the nursing home the past few months, the rabbi reached out to people, holding patients’ hands and singing to them.
Marvin Read of the Pueblo Chieftain noted that for all his life, “Raich’s business was God and people.”
Abraham Raich was born in Pueblo on Oct. 25, 1922.
He graduated from Centennial High School there. While on the high school debate team, he met Adelyn Strait, who was on the Central High School debate team. She went on to the University of Colorado. They married on March 16, 1947.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Denver and a master’s in oceanography from the University of Washington.
He taught school and served in the Korean War before going to CF&I, where he was a statistician.
Upon retirement from CF&I at age 56, he decided he wanted to be a rabbi, Robert Raich said.
The elder Raich went off to Yeshiva University in New York City to study for the rabbinate and was ordained at age 60.
He purposely sought small congregations to serve, where he could work part-time, knowing they couldn’t afford a full-time rabbi. He said he didn’t need a full-time job or salary.
His main aim was to promote Jewish culture and religion, Robert Raich said, not to make a living from being a clergyman.
He served synagogues in Hampton, Va., Clarksburg, W.Va., and Santa Maria, Calif., before returning to Pueblo, where he tried to unite the Reform congregation, Temple Emmanuel, and the Orthodox congregation, United Hebrew Center. The union didn’t work, but he served them both.
In addition to son Robert, he is survived by two other sons, David Raich of Oakland, Calif., and Kenneth Raich of Pueblo; one grandson; and two great-grandchildren.
Staff writer Virginia Culver can be reached at 303-954-1223 or vculver@denverpost.com.
