A gala evening of music and dance helped some 90 members of Congregation Shir Hadash and their guests commemorate the words of Psalm 96, “Sing a new song [a Shir Hadash] to God,” from which the synagogue’s name was taken at its founding 13 years ago.
“A year ago we started thinking about how to observe our bar/bat mitzvah year,” said Debbie Borkin and Marti Fine, co-chairs of the event planning committee of Milwaukee’s only Reconstructionist synagogue. “We came up with the idea of a community Shabbat service, which was held on March 23 with 75 people in attendance…. And we thought a big party would be a fun way to celebrate, to honor the people whose foresight and dedication got us off the ground in 1989, and to do fund-raising to build our community.”
Many of the eight founding couples came from observant Conservative or Orthodox backgrounds, according to Steve Rozansky, first co-president. “What the core members wanted in creating Shir Hadash was more flexibility and greater meaning in their Jewish experience, while maintaining tradition, length and Hebrew in the services,” he said.
Characteristic of Reconstructionism, Shir Hadash incorporates into its practice musical instruments, creativity, congregant-organized services and egalitarianism. Steve’s wife, Mimi, leads the congregation in singing, while she plays the guitar.
“Shir Hadash gives me the freedom to allow the melodies to take me to where I want to go. It’s another door to my spirituality. Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan [who founded Reconstructionism in 1934] wanted us all to be part of creating who we are, not just be told who we are,” she said.
In the 1980s, the founding members belonged to one of two havurot, through which they studied the branches of Judaism. Rabbi David Brusin, then assistant director of the Milwaukee Jewish Day School and the only Reconstructionist rabbi in Milwaukee, spoke to the two groups separately, and suggested that they visit the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston, Ill.
As David Moss and Colleen Beaman recalled, “We attended an erev Shabbat service … and it was like stepping out of the shade into the sun. We could see the unlimited possibilities. We were inspired by the joyful singing, new music, female leadership, the blending of tradition and creativity. This was a watershed event.”
Remembering the group discussion after the service, they added, “That night we decided there was no going back. Prior to that evening … we had never considered starting our own synagogue. But that evening, within 10 minutes, we reached a consensus: We would create our own synagogue.”
The summer, the founders created a board and chose a name: Milwaukee Reconstructionist Chavurah, Inc., which was later changed to the present name. They planned services and created their own High Holiday Mahzor.
Many people helped Shir Hadash get started. Sandy and Lynda Mitz remember Rabbi Ronald Shapiro of Congregation Shalom offering to lend them a Torah. “Rabbi Ron was supportive and encouraging,” they said. Karen Berman, the cantor at Shalom, shared her music and assistance.
Shir Hadash co-president Suzi Abramson-Johnson’s sister, Nancy, a cantor at a Reconstructionist synagogue in New York, also advised them on music. And Steve Rozansky’s father arranged for Shir Hadash to receive Beth El Ner Tamid’s tallitot when that synagogue purchased new ones.
For the first four years, services were led by congregants and by student rabbis from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Philadelphia who were flown in once a month.
In July 1993, Brusin became Shir Hadash’s first permanent rabbi. Though he said that was not something he had intended to do, he now believes “the founding of Shir Hadash was one of the most important moments in my rabbinic career — both personally and professionally.”
Current president Jason Steigman, concluded, “As we celebrate our 13th year as a synagogue, this is a wonderful opportunity to highlight our commitment to community and to our caring, inclusive and creative approach to Jewish life. It is also an opportunity to thank our rabbi, our musicians and all those who have volunteered their time and resources to keep Shir Hadash going strong.”
Carol Logan is a member of Congregation Shir Hadash.
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