Temple Sinai (officially the First Hebrew Congregation of Oakland)
[ is a ]Reform
Reform ( lat, reformo) means the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The use of the word in this way emerges in the late 18th century and is believed to originate from Christopher Wyvill#The Yorkshire Associati ...
synagogue
A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worshi ...
located at 2808 Summit Street (28th and Webster Streets) in Oakland, California
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...
, United States. Founded in 1875, it is the oldest Jewish congregation in the East San Francisco Bay region.[
Its early members included ]Gertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein (February 3, 1874 – July 27, 1946) was an American novelist, poet, playwright, and art collector. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the Allegheny West neighborhood and raised in Oakland, California, Stein moved to Paris ...
and Judah Leon Magnes
Judah Leon Magnes ( he, יהודה לייב מאגנס; July 5, 1877 – October 27, 1948) was a prominent Reform rabbi in both the United States and Mandatory Palestine. He is best remembered as a leader in the pacifist movement of the World War ...
, who studied at Temple Sinai's Sabbath school, and Ray Frank
Rachel ("Ray") Frank (April 10, 1861 in San Francisco – October 10, 1948) was a Jewish religious leader in the United States. Frank was an early figure in the acceptance of women rabbis and was reported as a prospective candidate for the first ...
, who taught them. Originally traditional, the temple reformed its beliefs and practices under the leadership of Rabbi
A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...
Marcus Friedlander (1893–1915). By 1914, it had become a Classical Reform congregation.[ That year the current sanctuary was built: a Beaux-Arts structure designed by ]G. Albert Lansburgh
Gustave Albert Lansburgh (January 7, 1876 – April 1969) was an American architect largely known for his work on luxury cinemas and theaters. He was the principal architect of theaters on the West Coast from 1900 to 1930.
Life and career
Lan ...
, which is the oldest synagogue building in Oakland.[
The congregation weathered four major financial crises by 1934. From then until 2011, it was led by just three rabbis, William Stern (1934–1965), Samuel Broude (1966–1989), and Steven Chester (1989–2011).][
In 2006 Temple Sinai embarked on a $15 million capital campaign to construct an entirely new synagogue campus adjacent to its current sanctuary.][ ]Groundbreaking
Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod, or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are o ...
took place in October 2007,[ and by late 2009 the congregation had raised almost $12 million towards the construction.] As of 2015, Temple Sinai had nearly 1,000 member families.[ The rabbis were Jacqueline Mates-Muchin and Yoni Regev, and the ]cantor
A cantor or chanter is a person who leads people in singing or sometimes in prayer. In formal Jewish worship, a cantor is a person who sings solo verses or passages to which the choir or congregation responds.
In Judaism, a cantor sings and lead ...
was Ilene Keys.[ The synagogue has two emeritus rabbis, Samuel Broude (1924-2020) and Steven Chester.
]
Early years
Founded in 1875 as the First Hebrew Congregation of Oakland, Temple Sinai is the oldest synagogue in the East Bay
The East Bay is the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area and includes cities along the eastern shores of the San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay. The region has grown to include inland communities in Alameda and Contra Costa countie ...
region of the San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Go ...
.[ Olitzky and Raphael (1996), p. 54.][ Bibel (2009).] It grew out of Oakland's Hebrew Benevolent Society, which had been organized in 1862 by eighteen merchants and shopkeepers from several foreign countries—predominantly Polish Jews
The history of the Jews in Poland dates back at least 1,000 years. For centuries, Poland was home to the largest and most significant Ashkenazi Jewish community in the world. Poland was a principal center of Jewish culture, because of the lo ...
from Poznań
Poznań () is a city on the River Warta in west-central Poland, within the Greater Poland region. The city is an important cultural and business centre, and one of Poland's most populous regions with many regional customs such as Saint John ...
.[See Olitzky and Raphael (1996), p. 54 and Rosenbaum (2009), p. 66.] Although Hebrew Benevolent Societies typically ceased operations upon the founding of a synagogue, Oakland's was unusual in continuing to function independently for a number of years (the two groups did not merge until 1881).[ Kahn (2002), p. 237.]
By 1876, the congregation had purchased land on the south side of 14th and Webster streets; however, due to a severe recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction when there is a general decline in economic activity. Recessions generally occur when there is a widespread drop in spending (an adverse demand shock). This may be triggered by various ...
in California at the time, the congregation did not construct a building until 1878.[ The wooden structure, with ]Moorish Revival
Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish is one of the exotic revival architectural styles that were adopted by architects of Europe and the Americas in the wake of Romanticist Orientalism. It reached the height of its popularity after the mid-19th centur ...
elements and onion domes
An onion dome is a dome whose shape resembles an onion. Such domes are often larger in diameter than the tholobate upon which they sit, and their height usually exceeds their width. These bulbous structures taper smoothly to a point.
It is a ty ...
, was completed at a cost of around $8,000 (today $).[See Kahn (2002), p. 240, Isaac (2009), p. 15 and Rosenbaum (1976), p. 7.]
Services
Service may refer to:
Activities
* Administrative service, a required part of the workload of university faculty
* Civil service, the body of employees of a government
* Community service, volunteer service for the benefit of a community or a pu ...
were initially traditional, following the Polish rite. Men and women sat separately, but the '' mehitza'' separating them was soon done away with. In 1881 the new president, David Hirschberg, led a campaign to modernize, and convinced a small majority to introduce a number of reforms, including the addition of a mixed choir of Christians and Jews and organ music, and the removal of the requirement for a ''minyan
In Judaism, a ''minyan'' ( he, מניין \ מִנְיָן ''mīnyān'' , lit. (noun) ''count, number''; pl. ''mīnyānīm'' ) is the quorum of ten Jewish adults required for certain religious obligations. In more traditional streams of Jud ...
''.[ Traditionalists—who mostly came from the Hebrew Benevolent Society—objected and withdrew, forming their own ]Orthodox
Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to:
Religion
* Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pa ...
''minyan'', which eventually became Oakland's Congregation Beth Jacob.[ Rosenbaum (2009), pp. 66–67.]
Levy, Sessler eras: 1881–1892
In 1881, the congregation hired Oakland's first rabbi
A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as ''semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of ...
, Meyer Solomon Levy. Born in England in January 1852 and raised there, he was the son of Rabbi Solomon Levy of Borough Synagogue in London.[ American Jewish Year Book Vol. 5, p. 75.] Meyer Solomon Levy had been ordained in England as an Orthodox rabbi before he was twenty, and moved to Australia as a young man.[See Rosenbaum (2009), p. 66, Rosenbaum (1987), p. 22 and Isaac (2009), p. 15.] An early supporter of Zionism
Zionism ( he, צִיּוֹנוּת ''Tsiyyonut'' after ''Zion'') is a Nationalism, nationalist movement that espouses the establishment of, and support for a homeland for the Jewish people centered in the area roughly corresponding to what is ...
,[ Rosenbaum (1987), p. 22.][ Rosenbaum (2009), p. 108.] he had served as a rabbi in Melbourne before moving to California in 1872[ or 1873,][ where he served as the rabbi of Temple Emanu-El (then Bickur Cholim) in San Jose.][ Levy was paid $100 a month (today $), and ]donated
A donation is a gift for charity, humanitarian aid, or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including money, alms, services, or goods such as clothing, toys, food, or vehicles. A donation may satisfy medical needs such as blo ...
a percentage to the poor.[ Isaac (2009), p. 15.]
Levy came into conflict with Oakland's public schools, which refused to excuse Jewish students on High Holy Days
The High Holidays also known as the High Holy Days, or Days of Awe in Judaism, more properly known as the Yamim Noraim ( he, יָמִים נוֹרָאִים, ''Yāmīm Nōrāʾīm''; "Days of Awe")
#strictly, the holidays of Rosh HaShanah ("Jew ...
. He petitioned that they be excused, but the superintendent and district went even further, and directed teachers not to schedule examinations for those days.[ Although sensitive to the needs of the members, Levy was more observant than his congregants, which also led to conflict. He accepted the reforms of shortening the '']Shabbat
Shabbat (, , or ; he, שַׁבָּת, Šabbāṯ, , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical storie ...
'' services, and facing the congregation (rather than the ark
Ark or ARK may refer to:
Biblical narratives and religion Hebrew word ''teva''
* Noah's Ark, a massive vessel said to have been built to save the world's animals from a flood
* Ark of bulrushes, the boat of the infant Moses
Hebrew ''aron''
* ...
) during prayer, but he successfully resisted attempts to adopt Isaac Mayer Wise
Isaac Mayer Wise (29 March 1819, Lomnička – 26 March 1900, Cincinnati) was an American Reform rabbi, editor, and author. At his death he was called "the foremost rabbi in America".
Early life
Wise was born on 29 March 1819 in Steingrub in B ...
's 1885 "''Minhag'' America" Prayer-Book.[See Rosenbaum (2009), pp. 66 and 108, Rosenbaum (1987), p. 23 and Olitzky and Raphael (1996), p. 54]
Although traditional in some ways, Levy was progressive in others. "Deeply affected by the enlightened spirit of his day", according to historian Fred Rosenbaum
Fred Rosenbaum is an American author, historian and adult educator, specializing in the history of the Jewish community of the San Francisco Bay Area. Rosenbaum has been called a "superb storyteller".
He is a founder and the director of Lehrha ...
, he "delivered lectures with titles such as 'Progress of Science' and, while at the First Hebrew Congregation, he invited Oakland's Unitarian minister to give a series of talks at the synagogue. Levy in turn was well received at the Unitarian Church, where he spoke on the theory of evolution
Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation ...
."[
In 1885, the synagogue burned down, although the ]Torah scrolls
A ( he, סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה; "Book of Torah"; plural: ) or Torah scroll is a handwritten copy of the Torah, meaning the five books of Moses (the first books of the Hebrew Bible). The Torah scroll is mainly used in the ritual of Tora ...
were saved by a congregant who entered the burning building to retrieve them. Levy made prodigious efforts to raise funds for a new building, traveling as far away as Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
. The synagogue's female members also raised significant funds through a "Grand Fair". Their combined efforts were successful, and by 1886 a new building had been erected at 13th and Clay streets.[See Rosenbaum (1987), p. 23, Olitzky and Raphael (1996), p. 54 and Isaac (2009), p. 15.] The structure had "Moorish elements inspired by Isaac Mayer Wise's Plum Street Temple in Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...
".[
The tensions between liberal-minded members and the traditional Levy were never resolved, and in 1891, the rabbi moved to San Francisco's Congregation Beth Israel.][ That year the women of the congregation formed the Ladies Auxiliary (Temple Sisterhood), whose initial mandate was to assist the work of the synagogue's Sunday school, and increase its enrollment.][ Voorsanger (1916), pp. 66–67.]
During Levy's tenure, the synagogue had several congregants who were famous, or would become so. Ray Frank
Rachel ("Ray") Frank (April 10, 1861 in San Francisco – October 10, 1948) was a Jewish religious leader in the United States. Frank was an early figure in the acceptance of women rabbis and was reported as a prospective candidate for the first ...
, the first Jewish woman to preach formally from a pulpit in the United States, settled in Oakland around 1885, and taught Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;["Tanach"](_blank)
''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''. Hebrew: ''Tān ...
studies and Jewish history
Jewish history is the history of the Jews, and their nation, religion, and culture, as it developed and interacted with other peoples, religions, and cultures. Although Judaism as a religion first appears in Greek records during the Hellenisti ...
at First Hebrew Congregation's Sabbath school,[ Rosenbaum (1987), p. 21.][ Rosenbaum (2009), p. 121.] where she was superintendent.[ Taylor and Weir (2006), p. 90.] Her students there in the 1880s included Gertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein (February 3, 1874 – July 27, 1946) was an American novelist, poet, playwright, and art collector. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the Allegheny West neighborhood and raised in Oakland, California, Stein moved to Paris ...
, later to become a famous writer, and Judah Leon Magnes
Judah Leon Magnes ( he, יהודה לייב מאגנס; July 5, 1877 – October 27, 1948) was a prominent Reform rabbi in both the United States and Mandatory Palestine. He is best remembered as a leader in the pacifist movement of the World War ...
, who would become a prominent Reform rabbi.[ Rosenbaum (2009), pp. 67–68.] Magnes's views of the Jewish people were strongly influenced by First Hebrew's Rabbi Levy, and it was at the building on 13th and Clay that Magnes first began preaching—his bar mitzvah speech of 1890 was quoted at length in ''The Oakland Tribune
The ''Oakland Tribune'' is a weekly newspaper published in Oakland, California, by the Bay Area News Group (BANG), a subsidiary of MediaNews Group.
Founded in 1874, the ''Tribune'' rose to become an influential daily newspaper. With the decline ...
''.[ Rosenbaum (1987), p. 23.]
Morris Sessler succeeded Levy as rabbi in 1892. He had served at Congregation of the Sons of Israel and David in Providence, Rhode Island, from 1887 to 1892.[ Olitzky and Raphael (1996), pp. 54–55.][See Landman (1942), Vol. 8, p. 260 and Landman (1943), Vol. 9, p. 17.] His tenure lasted only six months, as "his ideas did not harmonize with those of the congregation".[According to Olitzky and Raphael (1996), pp. 54–55. Rosenbaum (1976), p. 45 writes similarly "A Rabbi Sessler of Providence, Rhode Island, succeeded him but lasted only six months in the Golden State; we know only that 'the ideas of the people here did not harmonize with his'."] He became rabbi of Congregation Gates of Prayer in New Orleans that same year, where he served until 1904.[ Lachoff and Kahn (2005), p. 96.]
Friedlander, Franklin eras: 1893–1919
The congregation hired Marcus Friedlander of Congregation Baith Israel in Brooklyn, New York in 1893. Soon after he was hired, California experienced another economic downturn, which hurt the finances of members of the congregation. The congregation sold its property at 13th and Clay (which had become the heart of the business district) in 1895, and moved to a less expensive location at the northwest corner of 12th and Castro streets, and renovated the building there in 1896.[ Olitzky and Raphael (1996), p. 55.] Over 500 people, both Jews and non-Jews, were sheltered in the building for days after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
At 05:12 Pacific Standard Time on Wednesday, April 18, 1906, the coast of Northern California was struck by a major earthquake with an estimated moment magnitude of 7.9 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (''Extreme''). High-intensity sha ...
.[ Rosenbaum (2009), p. 173.] The synagogue had 95 members by 1907,[At the time only male heads of households were counted as members.] with annual revenues of $6,000 (today $).[ American Jewish Yearbook Vol. 9, p. 132.]
Friedlander and former congregation president Abraham Jonas persuaded the congregation to introduce a number of significant reforms in the service: they first adopted the Jastrow prayer book, and later the Reform
Reform ( lat, reformo) means the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The use of the word in this way emerges in the late 18th century and is believed to originate from Christopher Wyvill#The Yorkshire Associati ...
movement's ''Union Prayer Book
The ''Union Prayer Book'' was a Siddur published by the Central Conference of American Rabbis to serve the needs of the Reform Judaism movement in the United States.
History
An original version of the prayer book was published in 1892, based on th ...
'' (though in a revised, less radical version published specifically for First Hebrew, and authorized by the Central Conference of American Rabbis
The Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), founded in 1889 by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, is the principal organization of Reform rabbis in the United States and Canada. The CCAR is the largest and oldest rabbinical organization in the world. I ...
).[ Wachs (1997), p. 125.] By 1908, the congregation had eliminated the second day of ''Rosh Hashanah
Rosh HaShanah ( he, רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, , literally "head of the year") is the Jewish New Year. The biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah (, , lit. "day of shouting/blasting") It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days (, , " ...
'', and few men wore head coverings in the service,[ and by 1914 the congregation had moved completely to the radicalism of " Classical Reform".][
]
In 1910, First Hebrew bought a lot on Telegraph Avenue
Telegraph Avenue is a street that begins, at its southernmost point, in the midst of the historic downtown district of Oakland, California, and ends, at its northernmost point, at the southern edge of the University of California, Berkeley campu ...
at Sycamore Street, near 26th Street, for $28,000 (today $), and sold its property at 12th and Castro for the same amount. The congregation, however, decided not to build there. In 1912 it found a better location, and purchased its current site at 28th and Webster for $12,050 (today $).[See Voorsanger (1916), pp. 66–67 and Olitzky and Raphael (1996), p. 55.] Groundbreaking
Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod, or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are o ...
took place on October 26, 1913, and the building was completed there in 1914 at a cost of $100,000 (today $).[ Isaac (2009), p. 35.][ Fourteen thousand dollars (today $) of the costs were raised by the Ladies Auxiliary, which also purchased a new Austin pipe organ for the sanctuary at a cost of $5,000 (today $).][ Palmer (2008), p. 7.] The new building was called "Temple Sinai", and thereafter the congregation itself became known as "Temple Sinai", although it retained the official name of "First Hebrew Congregation of Oakland".[The name of the congregation is "First Hebrew Congregation of Oakland". The name of the current synagogue building is "Temple Sinai". See Olitzky and Raphael (1996), p. 55, Temple Sinai Bylaws, October 2006, Articles 1 and 2, and History of Temple Sinai (1875–2009), Temple Israel website.]
Designed by noted American architect G. Albert Lansburgh
Gustave Albert Lansburgh (January 7, 1876 – April 1969) was an American architect largely known for his work on luxury cinemas and theaters. He was the principal architect of theaters on the West Coast from 1900 to 1930.
Life and career
Lan ...
, the Beaux-Arts structure had six tall stained glass
Stained glass is coloured glass as a material or works created from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant religious buildings. Although tradition ...
windows, an "elliptical dome
An elliptical dome, or an ''oval dome'', is a dome whose bottom cross-section takes the form of an ellipse. Technically, an ''ellipsoidal dome'' has a circular cross-section, so is not quite the same.
While the cupola can take different geomet ...
", and an entrance characterized by "graceful Corinthian columns
The Corinthian order (Greek: Κορινθιακός ρυθμός, Latin: ''Ordo Corinthius'') is the last developed of the three principal classical orders of Ancient Greek architecture and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric order w ...
supporting a Greco-Roman
The Greco-Roman civilization (; also Greco-Roman culture; spelled Graeco-Roman in the Commonwealth), as understood by modern scholars and writers, includes the geographical regions and countries that culturally—and so historically—were di ...
portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cult ...
".[See Isaac (2009), p. 35, Palmer (2008), p. 4 and Rosenbaum (2009), p. 89.] Carved into the entablature
An entablature (; nativization of Italian , from "in" and "table") is the superstructure of moldings and bands which lies horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and ...
above the entrance was the Biblical
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
verse "MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL PEOPLE" ().[ Rosenbaum (1976), p. 52.] More modest in size than most Beaux-Arts buildings, it nevertheless had features typical of that style, including its "cross-axial composition". However, it was adorned with "simpler materials such as pressed brick and carved wood", rather than the usual "florid Classical design elements". Along with the sanctuary, the building included a social hall and classrooms.[ Palmer (2008), p. 4.] It is the only example of Lansburgh's work in Oakland, and one of about 150 Oakland buildings given an "A" or "Highest Importance" rating by the Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey, which signifies "outstanding architectural example or extreme historical importance".[ Palmer (2008), p. 2.] The building has a status code of "3S" in the California Historical Resource Information System database, indicating that it "appears eligible for the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
" (NRHP).[ Palmer (2008), p. 3.]
The outbreak of World War I, and the costs of the new mortgage, placed a significant financial strain on the members, and in 1915 they decided to release Friedlander from his contract.[ History of Temple Sinai (1875–2009), Temple Israel website.] Temple Sinai hired Harvey B. Franklin as rabbi in 1917, but his tenure there was only two years.[ During his term, the congregational school held classes twice a week, and had 285 students and 8 teachers.][ ''American Jewish Year Book'', Vol. 21, p. 440.] Franklin next served at Bickur Cholim in San Jose—the congregation from which Temple Sinai's first rabbi, Myer Solomon Levy, had come.[See Olitzky and Raphael (1996), p. 70 and Weissbach (2001).]
Coffee era: 1921–1933
After going without a rabbi for another two years, in 1921 Temple Sinai hired Rudolph I. Coffee, an Oakland native and cousin of Judah Leon Magnes.[ Coffee was outspoken, and passionately advocated liberal causes: he supported disarmament, birth control, and ]separation of church and state
The separation of church and state is a philosophical and jurisprudential concept for defining political distance in the relationship between religious organizations and the state. Conceptually, the term refers to the creation of a secular sta ...
, and opposed prohibition
Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic ...
, antisemitism
Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism.
Antis ...
, and Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York City political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society. It became the main loc ...
.[ Along with other local rabbis Jacob Nieto and Jacob Weinstein, he demanded the release of labor leaders and accused bombers Thomas Mooney and Warren Billings.][ Rosenbaum (2009), p. 129.] He also supported California's compulsory sterilization
Compulsory sterilization, also known as forced or coerced sterilization, is a government-mandated program to involuntarily sterilize a specific group of people. Sterilization removes a person's capacity to reproduce, and is usually done throug ...
of the mentally ill
A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitti ...
and mentally retarded
Intellectual disability (ID), also known as general learning disability in the United Kingdom and formerly mental retardation,Rosa's Law, Pub. L. 111-256124 Stat. 2643(2010). is a generalized neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by signifi ...
, and eugenicist
Eugenics ( ; ) is a fringe set of beliefs and practices that aim to improve the genetic quality of a human population. Historically, eugenicists have attempted to alter human gene pools by excluding people and groups judged to be inferior or ...
E. S. Gosney
Ezra Seymour Gosney (November 6, 1855 – September 14, 1942) was an American philanthropist and eugenicist. In 1928 he founded the Human Betterment Foundation (HBF) in Pasadena, California, with the stated aim "to foster and aid constructive and ...
's advocacy on this issue.[ Kline (2005), p. 94.]
Coffee was involved in the California State Prison System
The California State Prison System is a system of prisons, fire camps, contract beds, reentry programs, and other special programs administered by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Division of Adult Institutions t ...
, and during his tenure at Temple Sinai he was head of the Jewish Committee of Personal Service, a California-wide organization that "ministered to Jews in state prisons". In January 1924, California's governor appointed Coffee to the State Board of Charities and Corrections, which was responsible for supervising California's state prisons.[ Raphael (2008), p. 227.]
In 1931, Coffee opposed California legislation intended to regulate the kosher
(also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fro ...
food industry and prohibit fraudulent claims that foods were kosher. In a letter to state senator E.H. Christian he stated:
I am unalterably opposed to this bill because Judaism need not call upon the State to settle its own internal affairs. We are starting a dangerous precedent in California which can only lead to evil consequences.
Four years ago you assisted in preventing an increase of "wine rabbis." The law relative to sacramental wine was properly surrounded, and California Jews do not suffer the disgrace which eastern brethren feel.
This will bring a "meat rabbi" into existence. New York state has this kosher law and yet it did not prevent the terrible scandal which was uncovered last month in New York City. Use your best influence to prevent it.
If Judaism has not enough inner resources to meet present day conditions, the sooner it passes away the better.
Despite Coffee's opposition, the legislation was enacted.[ American Jewish Yearbook, Vol. 73, pp. 35–37.]
Coffee's advocacy, and Temple Israel's financial instability, eventually contributed to his dismissal from Temple Sinai in 1933; at the same time that the membership was experiencing financial distress due to the Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
, Coffee was advocating higher salaries for government employees.[According to Olitzky and Raphael (1996), p. 55. According to Conmy (1961), p. 51, he "resign dfirst to rest and later to participate in other Jewish activities."] After leaving Temple Sinai, he became chaplain at San Quentin State Prison
San Quentin State Prison (SQ) is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men, located north of San Francisco in the unincorporated place of San Quentin in Marin County.
Opened in July 1852, San Quentin is the ...
.[
]
Stern era: 1934–1965
In 1934, Temple Sinai hired William M. Stern (originally Sternheser) as rabbi.[ A San Francisco native and son of an Orthodox rabbi, he had been persuaded by Rabbi Martin Meyer of the Reform Congregation Emanu-El to attend ]Hebrew Union College
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
(HUC), where Stern received his ordination. He served as rabbi at a number of Southern
Southern may refer to:
Businesses
* China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China
* Southern Airways, defunct US airline
* Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US
* Southern Airways Express, M ...
and Midwestern
The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...
synagogues in the 1920s and early 1930s.[ Rosenbaum (2000), p. 130.]
Much less formal than his predecessor Coffee, Stern was seen as a poker
Poker is a family of comparing card games in which players wager over which hand is best according to that specific game's rules. It is played worldwide, however in some places the rules may vary. While the earliest known form of the game w ...
-playing, cigar
A cigar is a rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco leaves made to be smoked. Cigars are produced in a variety of sizes and shapes. Since the 20th century, almost all cigars are made of three distinct components: the filler, the binder l ...
-smoking "regular guy",[ and he focused on combating the spread of antisemitism.][ His wife Rae was also very active in the congregation. She taught at the synagogue's Hebrew school, and led the sisterhood.][ Isaac (2009), p. 55.]
Although originally anti-Zionist
Anti-Zionism is opposition to Zionism. Although anti-Zionism is a heterogeneous phenomenon, all its proponents agree that the creation of the modern State of Israel, and the movement to create a sovereign Jewish state in the region of Palestine ...
, Stern's views changed in the 1940s, and by 1942 he was strongly supported Jewish nationalism
* Zionism, seeking territorial concentration of all Jews in the Land of Israel
* Jewish Territorialism, seeking territorial concentration in any land possible
* Jewish Autonomism, seeking an ethnic-cultural autonomy for the Jews of Eastern Europe
* ...
.[See Olitzky and Raphael (1996), p. 55 and Rosenbaum (2009), p. 315.] When an Oakland branch of the anti-Zionist American Council for Judaism
The American Council for Judaism (ACJ) is an organization of American Jews. In particular, it is notable for its historical opposition to Zionism, though it is Zionist today. The ACJ has also championed women's rights, including the right for women ...
formed in 1944, Stern opposed its creation, even though many members, including its president, were leading members of Temple Sinai.[ Rosenbaum (2009), p. 316.] By 1948, however, the congregation had also become supportive of Zionism.[
During Stern's tenure Temple Sinai expanded its facilities, adding a religious school building, offices, and a chapel in 1947–1948, and moving the main entrance to Summit Street.][See Olitzky and Raphael (1996), p. 55 and Isaac (2009), p. 59.] The main building's interior was also significantly remodeled, aside from the sanctuary. The congregation also built the Temple House (called Covenant Hall), in 1950.[ The following year the synagogue put on an exhibition called "Arts in Action", "that included sculptors, weavers, filmmakers, ceramists, and others." The event's director asked poet, artist and art critic ]Weldon Kees
Harry Weldon Kees (February 24, 1914 – disappeared July 18, 1955) was an American poet, painter, literary critic, novelist, playwright, jazz pianist, short story writer, and filmmaker. Despite his brief career, Kees is considered an importa ...
to jury
A jury is a sworn body of people (jurors) convened to hear evidence and render an impartiality, impartial verdict (a Question of fact, finding of fact on a question) officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a sentence (law), penalty o ...
a show of paintings; Kees ended up having to find the paintings as well. When the Temple's board saw the selected works, they did not want display all of them, but acquiesced after "a strong protest".[ Reidel (2007), p. 251.]
In 1965, the congregation bought land in Oakland Hills
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...
, anticipating a future move.[ Olitzky and Raphael (1996), p. 56.] In December of that year Stern died unexpectedly.[See Olitzky and Raphael (1996), p. 55 and Isaac (2009), p. 71.] Following his death, Temple Sinai held for many years an annual Stern Lecture series in his memory.[ Isaac (2009), p. 74.]
Broude era: 1966–1989
In 1966, the congregation hired Samuel Broude as rabbi. A graduate of the University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...
, in the late 1940s he had worked in Pasadena
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district.
Its ...
at a Reconstructionist synagogue, as a part-time cantor
A cantor or chanter is a person who leads people in singing or sometimes in prayer. In formal Jewish worship, a cantor is a person who sings solo verses or passages to which the choir or congregation responds.
In Judaism, a cantor sings and lead ...
and Hebrew teacher, and then in the early 1950s as cantor of Reform University Synagogue of Los Angeles. After completing his rabbinic training, he became associate rabbi at Congregation Ansche Chesed
Ansche Chesed is a synagogue on the Upper West Side of the New York City borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan.
History
The congregation was founded in 1828 by a group of History of the Jews in Germany, German, History of the Jews in the ...
in Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, where he served under Rabbi Arthur Lelyveld Rabbi Arthur J. Lelyveld (February 6, 1913 - April 15, 1996) was a rabbi within the movement of Reform Judaism and activist.
Early life and education
Lelyveld was born in Manhattan on Feb. 6, 1913. He graduated from Columbia College in 1933. At ...
for six years before coming to Temple Sinai.[See Pine (2010) and History of Temple Sinai (1875–2009), Temple Israel website.]
Like Temple Sinai's previous rabbis, Broude passionately supported liberal causes, opposing U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
, and taking part in marches during the Civil Rights Movement
The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional Racial segregation in the United States, racial segregation, Racial discrimination ...
. Although he was a Reform rabbi, he had gone to an Orthodox ''yeshiva
A yeshiva (; he, ישיבה, , sitting; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are s ...
'' as a boy, and religiously he was in many ways more traditional than his predecessors.[See Olitzky and Raphael (1996), p. 56 and Pine (2010).] He re-introduced ritual into the synagogue, but more contentiously opposed intermarriage. His immediate predecessor, Stern, had officiated at intermarriages "under certain conditions". Broude initially did so as well, under "extenuating circumstances" (e.g. if the bride were pregnant). His position later hardened, and he refused to perform such marriages under any circumstances. He even refused to allow other rabbis who would be willing to do so officiate at intermarriages at Temple Sinai. The issue eventually came to a congregational vote in 1972, which supported Broude, although the debate was never completely settled.[See Olitzky and Raphael (1996), p. 56 and Rosenbaum (1976), p. 120.]
Broude was, however, not opposed to all religious innovations. Under his leadership, Temple Sinai began holding monthly fine arts performances as part of the Friday night service, in place of the usual sermon. In December 1970, the Temple's fine arts committee commissioned an original dance work from Anna Halprin
Anna Halprin (born Hannah Dorothy Schuman; July 13, 1920 – May 24, 2021) was an American choreographer and dancer. She helped redefine dance in postwar America and pioneer the experimental art form known as postmodern dance and referred to hers ...
and her multi-racial dance troupe. For the next two months Broude met weekly with Halprin, educating her regarding the Friday night prayers.[ Ross and Schechner (2007), p. 292.] The completed work, titled ''Kadosh'', included a candlelight vigil, and dancers tearing their clothes and shouting questions at Broude that reframed the classic question about God and The Holocaust
The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...
in terms of the Vietnam War: "How can there be a God if He allows all the suffering of the Vietnam War to continue?"[ Ross (2003), p. 37.] The performance engendered passionate responses from the congregation; according to Broude "I don't know if anyone was neutral. Half thought it was fantastic, half thought it was terrible!"[ Ross and Schechner (2007), p. 293.]
Broude also argued that the congregation should remain in downtown Oakland
Downtown Oakland is the central business district of Oakland, California, United States; roughly bounded by both the Oakland Estuary and Interstate 880 on the southwest, Interstate 980 on the northwest, Grand Avenue on the northeast, and Lake ...
, and in 1975, convinced them to stay. He retired in 1989, the year the buildings survived the Loma Prieta earthquake
The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake occurred on California's Central Coast on October 17 at local time. The shock was centered in The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park in Santa Cruz County, approximately northeast of Santa Cruz on a section of t ...
.[See Olitzky and Raphael (1996), p. 56 and History of Temple Sinai (1875–2009), Temple Israel website.] After his retirement from Temple Sinai he remained active, filling in at synagogues mostly in the Bay Area, and teaching. He also wrote an autobiography, and a one-man show based on it called "Listening for the Voice", which he performed at a number of East Bay synagogues, including, in 2009, at Temple Sinai.[ Pine (2010).]
Rabbi Broude died on January 24, 2020, at the age of 95, three days after suffering a stroke at his wife, Judith's, funeral.
Chester era: 1989–2011
Steven Chester, a graduate of UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...
, and ordained by HUC in 1971, became rabbi in 1989.[ He had previously served as rabbi of Temple Beth Israel in Jackson, Michigan, from 1971 to 1976, and Temple Israel in Stockton, California, from 1976 to 1989, where he was also an adjunct professor in the Religious Studies department of the University of the Pacific. Chester added a pre-school and adult education programs to the services offered by the synagogue, and supported the congregation's return to more traditional practices, including the re-introduction of Hebrew into the service. He also continued his predecessors' passion for social justice, taking up causes "from advocating for local affordable housing and health care for the disenfranchised to supporting women's reproductive rights and protesting the genocide in Darfur." In 2006, Chester was voted Reader's Choice for "Minister/Rabbi/Imam with the Biggest Heart" in the '']East Bay Express
The ''East Bay Express'' is an Oakland-based weekly newspaper serving the Berkeley, Oakland and East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is distributed throughout Alameda County and parts of Contra Costa County every Wednesday.
The ''E ...
''.[See Tracey (2007), Roth (2001), Isaac (2009), p. 92, Temple History, Temple Beth Israel (Jackson, Michigan) website and Clergy, Temple Sinai website.]
The synagogue survived the Oakland firestorm of 1991
:
The Oakland firestorm of 1991 was a large suburban wildland–urban interface conflagration that occurred on the hillsides of northern Oakland, California, and southeastern Berkeley over the weekend of October 19–20, 1991, before being br ...
mostly unscathed,[ although a number of congregants lost their homes.][ Membership was over 640 families by 1993.][ In 1994, the congregation again significantly remodeled the interior of the main building, aside from the sanctuary.][ In December of that year, the building was designated a Historic Property by the City of Oakland.][
Temple Sinai has had three associate or assistant rabbis since 1998.][ Andrea Berlin joined the synagogue as its first assistant rabbi in 1998, after being ordained at HUC in Cincinnati. From 2006 to 2008, she also served on the board of the Jewish Family and Children's Services of the East Bay.][See Isaac (2009), p. 105 and Board of Directors, July 1, 2007, to June 30, 2008, JFCS of East Bay website.] Suzanne Singer joined Temple Sinai in 2003, after graduating from HUC in Los Angeles. Before becoming a rabbi, Singer had for two decades been a producer of television programs and documentaries, winning two Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
s.[ Cohn (2003).] In 2005 she became interim rabbi of Temple Beth El of Riverside, California, and later its permanent rabbi.[ Olson (2009).] Jacqueline Mates-Muchin, a San Francisco native, graduated from HUC in New York in 2002. She is the first Chinese-American
Chinese Americans are Americans of Han Chinese ancestry. Chinese Americans constitute a subgroup of East Asian Americans which also constitute a subgroup of Asian Americans. Many Chinese Americans along with their ancestors trace lineage from m ...
rabbi in the world. After serving as an assistant rabbi in Buffalo, New York, she joined Temple Sinai in 2005.[ Clergy, Temple Sinai website.][ "Shorts", j., September 1, 2005.]
To accommodate the large number of people attending on the High Holy Days, since 2001 Temple Sinai has held its main High Holy Day services at Oakland's NRHP-listed Art Deco
Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...
Paramount Theater. While it still holds smaller High Holy Day services in the sanctuary at 2808 Summit Street, the main services at the Paramount fill the entire 1,800 seats on the mezzanine of the theater, and most of the 1,200 seats in the balcony.[ Altman-Ohr (2009).]
In 2006, the congregation embarked on a campaign to create a new campus for Temple Sinai, to be located adjacent to the existing sanctuary and social hall. The $15 million project included "new offices, a larger chapel, a kitchen upgrade, outdoor sacred space, a new preschool with six classrooms and a 4,500-square-foot playground ... 10 additional classrooms for Midrasha teens and adult education, an art room, library, teen lounge and expanded parking."[ Pine (2008).] The L-shaped two-story school/office building would be , and accommodate approximately 100 children in the pre-school. The chapel, which would hold up to 250 people, would be an addition to the rear of the existing social hall.[ Palmer (2008), p. 9.]
Groundbreaking took place in October 2007,[According to History of Temple Sinai (1875–2009), Temple Israel website. According to Isaac (2009), p. 123, the groundbreaking took place in October 2008.] with an expected completion in Autumn, 2010.[ In order to accommodate the new buildings, the school and chapel built in the late 1940s were razed, along with two office buildings on adjoining lots purchased for the expansion. Nine ]portable building
A portable, demountable or transportable building is a building designed and built to be movable rather than permanently located.
Smaller version of portable buildings are also known as portable cabins. Portable cabins are prefabricated structu ...
s were installed on the campus of Merritt College
Merritt College is a public community college in Oakland, California. Merritt, like the other three campuses of the Peralta Community College District, is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. The college e ...
in Oakland Hills
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...
to serve in the interim.[See Pine (2008), Palmer (2008), p. 9 and Isaac (2009), p. 123.] As of December 23, 2009, Temple Sinai had raised almost $12 million from 651 households (70% of the congregation).[ Im Tirtzu: If you will it, it is no dream, Temple Sinai website.]
Chester had planned to retire in June 2009, and the congregation embarked on a search for a new senior rabbi in 2008. Twenty-three candidates were narrowed down to one finalist, but in early December that individual informed the search committee that he was withdrawing his name from consideration.[ Letter from Rabbinic Search Co-chairs, December 2008.] While the search was progressing, Chester had realized that, due to the 2008 financial crisis
8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9.
In mathematics
8 is:
* a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2.
* a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number of t ...
, he would have to keep working. After the main candidate withdrew, the synagogue's president approached Chester, asking if he would stay on for another term, which Chester agreed to do.[ Letter from Rabbi Chester to the congregation, December 18, 2008.] Chester retired in June 2011, becoming (along with Broude) Rabbi Emeritus.[
]
Present era: 2011–2021
Andrew Straus joined Temple Sinai as senior rabbi in December 2011. A graduate of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...
(HUC), he had previously served as assistant rabbi of Peninsula Temple Sholom
Peninsula Temple Sholom (PTS) is a Reform Jewish Congregation in Burlingame, California. It was founded in 1955, and since then, has constantly grown its congregation and has expanded its facilities to include a social hall, a Religious School a ...
in Burlingame, California, Temple Beth Sholom of New City, New York, and most recently for 13 years as rabbi of Temple Emanuel of Tempe, Arizona. Rabbi Straus resigned his position in 2014 by mutual consent with the Board of Trustees. He joined Central Synagogue in New York City as Interim Rabbi for one year.
In January 2015, Rabbi Mates-Muchin was overwhelmingly elected senior rabbi. As of 2014, Temple Sinai, the East Bay's oldest synagogue, had nearly 1,000 member families.[See Isaac (2009), p. 92, Bibel (2009) and History of Temple Sinai (1875–2011), Temple Israel website.] The full-time rabbis were Mates-Muchin and Yoni Regev, and the cantor was Ilene Keys.
In 2017, antisemitic graffiti was written on the temple walls on Rosh Hashanah.
Notable congregants
*Judah Leon Magnes
Judah Leon Magnes ( he, יהודה לייב מאגנס; July 5, 1877 – October 27, 1948) was a prominent Reform rabbi in both the United States and Mandatory Palestine. He is best remembered as a leader in the pacifist movement of the World War ...
, rabbi, first President of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...
Notes
References
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External links
Temple Sinai website
* Eskenazi, Joe
''J. The Jewish News of Northern California
''J. The Jewish News of Northern California'', formerly known as ''Jweekly'', is a weekly print newspaper in Northern California, with its online edition updated daily. It is owned and operated by San Francisco Jewish Community Publications In ...
'', August 4, 2005.
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Culture of Oakland, California
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Synagogues in Oakland, California