A little over 50 years ago, the Jews of Racine, comprising Orthodox (Beth Israel) and Reform (Sinai) groups, did not have a proper place of worship. Both had been meeting separately in makeshift temples.
Recalled Ruth Hulbert, a member of the Racine Jewish community for 63 years: “We had been having services at a house. We thought it was time to have a building, so we raised money.”
But to worship together, the new congregation had to merge the groups. They became Beth Israel Sinai Congregation and agreed to become Conservative (though the synagogue today is not officially affiliated with the Conservative movement). A few years after the merger, the community erected its house of worship.
In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of that event, which literally brought the Racine Jewish community together under one roof, the synagogue held a celebration on May 31 and June 1 at its building, located on 944 Main St.
While today, Beth Israel Sinai has about 65 membership units, or about 125 individuals, some 200 people attended the anniversary celebration, including former Racinians from throughout the U.S. and Canada. Jazz musician Ben Sidron, a famous son of the synagogue, entertained guests with his music.
“Beth Israel … truly holds a special place from generation to generation in all of our hearts and lives,” said Audrey Bernstein, the current president of the congregation. “Being there that weekend gave a very warm feeling to each and every one of us.”
Stephen E. Shovers came all the way from Brooklyn to attend the celebration. He said returning “was like peeling back the years, seeing the synagogue as I remembered it. The people haven’t aged, and everyone was as warm and loving as when I was growing up.”
According to Dr. Michael Jacobson, past president of the synagogue, the building “has become an historical landmark in Racine in the sense that this last fall it was included in the tour of historic places. It has had a lot of visitors and they had a lot of nice things to say about the architecture. It is a building of the fifties era.”
“It is simply a beautiful building,” said Hulbert. “We’ve kept it up so that it looks as good as new.”
Leah Grant, another long-time member of the synagogue, said her friends, Leah and Norm Shovers, were “the first marriage [officiated] in that temple.”
She also recalls some of the fundraising activities the community had.
“We had a group called The One Hundred Club,” she said, which was an entirely female initiative. One hundred women “raised $100 [each]. I also recall the cookbook they put out. It is still in existence and I still use it.”
“It has been a place where people come and learn,” said Grant. “We have fostered programs to teach people about Judaism. Our rabbis have always been a part of the council of churches and we have always been taken seriously by the non-Jewish community. The synagogue has fulfilled its purpose. This building was and is our symbol.”
At present, Cantor Martyn Adelberg of Morton Grove, Ill., officiates at services part time.
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