44 years ago, on November 17th, 1966, the Supreme Council for Israel was installed. Brethren Isaac Grassiani 33° was the one who was tasked with the development of the Scottish Rite in Israel. Following this, Grassiani has formed a team of Brethrens and a petition to the European Conference of Sovereign Grand Commanders, an event that took place in the Hague Valley, Netherlands, in 1963.
As a result of this petition, the Sovereign Grand Commander of Turkey, Most Powerful Brethren Hazim Atif Kuyucak became responsible for the official start of the installation of a Lodge of Perfection in Israel. But because of political problems in Turkey, the Supreme Council of Turkey could not perform the task.
In these circumstances, the Supreme Council of Germany was appointed to replace the Supreme Council of Turkey. On November 9th, 1964, Brethrens from Israel have sent an invitation to Dr. Erich Schalscha 33°, Most Powerful Sovereign Grand Commander of Germany, and he arrived in Israel on December 23rd that year. The Sovereign Grand Commander is received with great pomp by Grassiani and Israeli Brethrens. Also, the Sovereign Grand Commander Schalscha attended the ceremony of Installation of the Romanian speaking Hashchar Lodge, an event which took place on December 28th, 1964.
On January 3rd, 1965 the first meeting took place in Tel Aviv, an event attended by the following Brethrens: Yehuda Treivish, Menachem Talmon, Fellman Abraham, Isaac Grassiani, Dr. Erich Schalscha, Dr. Ron Jona, Dr. Joseph Lamm, Jacob Segal, B. Katinka, Zvi Levy, Joseph Bar-Ner, I. Werber, M. Weintraub, B. Tiomekin, Asher King, Hans Koehler, Zevulun Caspi, Pinchas Biezunski, M. Amity, W. Guttman, Joseph Schattner, Itzhak Hacohen, MY Levy, D. Chorin, E. Heinemann, S. Slonim, M. Shmerling, R. Moskuna, Alex Candrea, M. Maor Shor, Moshe Tagari, Rabbi Jacob, Zvi Artzi, Shlomo Gross, Mordechai Falkovitz, Haron Z. Abraham Abir, Felix Klug, Issar Choroshansky, Joseph Stark and Martin Gehl.
On May 30th, the Sovereign Grand Commander of Germany presented a report to the Conference of Laussanne. From January 8 to 19, 1966 took place the coronation ceremony of Sovereign Grand Inspector Generals of Israel, a ceremony organized by the German Supreme Council, headed by Lieutenant Grand Commander of Germany Selter. On this occasion, were crowned the following SS.GG.II.GG.: Abraham Fellman, Max Silverstone, Dr. Michael Joseph Lamm, Isaac Grassiani, Dr. Ron Jona, Zoltan Harmat and Ionel Branisteanu.
Falling ill suddenly in hospital Grassiani is hospitalized and Roger Nicolet immediately contacts by phone the Sovereign Grand Commander of Germany. He comes immediately to Israel and on the morning of June 16th, at his bedside, Schalscha proclaimed Grassiani Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council of Israel. Over time his medical condition improved.
On November 2nd, 1966, 15 Sovereign Grand Inspectors General were established in a Supreme Council. They voted the constitutions and recognized Brethren Isaac Grassiani as Sovereign Grand Commander. The official Installation Ceremony of the Supreme Council took place on November 17th, 1966. The ceremony was led by the Sovereign Grand Commander of Germany, assisted by Lazzaro Emilio Franco 33° and by Hazim A. Kuyucak 33° (Supreme Council of Turkey), Willem Hofman 33° (Sovereign Grand Commander of the Netherlands), Otto Bachman 33° (Supreme Council of Switzerland).
Greetings from around the world have arrived after the event from: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, England, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Scotland, Switzerland, Turkey , USA (North and South Jurisdiction) and Venezuela.
Romanian Isaac Grassiani 33° - Israel's first Sovereign Grand Commander
Brethren Isaac Grassiani (born on March 7, 1886 in Silistra, Romania) has spent a good part of life in Romania, from where he and his family went to Bavaria (Germany), and then in Austria.
In 1904 he became a graduate of Commerce High School in Vienna and then he went to Bulgaria, where he became sales manager of a grain company. In 1918 he married and returned to Bucharest, Romania, where he opened a travel company, becoming the agent for the North Eastern Europe Deutscher Lloyd. In 1950 moved with his wife in Isarel (Tel Aviv) and joins the Eastern Carmen Travel Office (where he worked until his death).
In the country, namely in Romania, was an Illustrious Mason. He was initiated in the (Steaua Dunarii) Danube Star Lodge on March 22nd, 1922; from 1924 to 1925 was Grand Treasurer of the Grand Lodge. In 1938 he joined the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, and in 1946 he was crowned Sovereign Grand Inspector General, and became an active member of the Supreme Council of Romania (founded in 1881 by Most Powerful and Most Woshipful Brethren Constantin Moroiu 33° and being led now by Most Powerful Sovereign Grand Commander Andre Pierre Szakvary 33°).
In Israel he was a member of the Romanian speaking Hashahar Lodge, installed in 1951; the Lodge practice the ritual in Romanian (the Lodge still exists and is active in the obedience of the Grand Lodge of Israel). Until 1954 he was elected and reelected several times as Worshipful Master.
It also was the Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of Israel, and at age 80, he became Grand Chaplain of Honour ad vitam. On November 17th, 1966, Brethren Grassiani became Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council of Israel, until 1968. On May 12th, 1969, Isaac Grassiani died at the age of 83 years.
Source: Jurnalul Ritului Scoţian
With special thanks for the courtesy of the Masonic Press Agency of Romania Founder for the biography of Brethren Isaac Grassiani 33°