I served as president of Congregation Shir Hadash for several years. During the last year of my term, it became evident that our tiny synagogue of 80-plus member units had to find a new place within which to worship. Our former home, Beth El Ner Tamid Synagogue, was put up for sale and that congregation combined with Congregation Beth Israel.
My board and I checked out places we might rent. It did not seem feasible to think about owning a building.
We finally found Plymouth Church on the east side near the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Our board agreed to sign a contract with them beginning Oct. 1.
I am writing to inform the Milwaukee Jewish community how terribly disappointed I was to observe and experience the apparent lack of interest in our plight by individuals, organizations and institutions. All summer we were “the wandering Jews” moving from home to home to hold services.
Rabbi Marc Berkson of Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun, Rabbi David Cohen of Congregation Sinai and the Milwaukee Jewish Day School were the only exceptions; but we were unable to work out details.
I had discussions with officials of the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, but its board voted not to allow us to have services there twice a month.
During this time no other Jewish institutions, individuals or organizations reached out to us. We ended up in a church. Some of our members were not happy with this, but at that point we had no choice.
I find it a sad state of affairs when a community with 25,000 Jews cannot find a way to house a “wandering synagogue.”
I hope this community in the future can be more accommodating to a small congregation that only wants to survive and to contribute to the larger community.
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