Life in a Pre-Fab Synagogue
Mirroring Suburban Jewry
Jewish history will be made
again this Rosh Hashanah when
the congregants of the Golf
Manor Synagogue in suburban
Cincinnati assemble for High
Holy Day services. The Golf
Manor Synagogue is the first
prefabricated synagogue in Jew-
ish history.
with 175 families.
When the transplanted con-
gregation held its first High
Holy Day services a year ago in
the new building, it had grown
to 285 families, most of the
newcomers being young mar-
rieds. The average age of the
new congregants was 35. The
average of the original congre-
gation members was 60.
Of the two major changes
in the congregation's environ-
ment, so far at least, the ad-
justment to suburban living
has been more significant
than the fact of residence in
Jewish history's first prefab-
ricated synagogue, according
By BEN GALLOB
(Copyright, 1958, JTA, Inc.)
education. In this solution, he
has an asset which he also sees
as an aspect of suburban Jew-
ishness—a questing and even
demanding attitude by the
younger congregants.
They want to know. They
have been pressing the rabbi
for classes in Hebrew. One
adult study group last year
tackled Jewish laws and cus-
toms. More such classes are
planned this year.
The appearance of the attrac-
tive building gives no indication
that its congregation differs bas-
ically from that of other houses
of worship. For a while, the
synagogue was a visitors' at-
traction for people who knew it
was pre-fabricated. "They were
pleasantly surprised in some
cases," he reported. "They came
thinking a pre-fab building
meant that if you lose your key
to the building, you need a can-
opener."
to Rabbi David I. Indich, the
congregation's spiritual. lead-
er.
The most obvious and com-
pletely unanticipated effect of
the environment was that re-
ligious school facilities were ob-
solete the day the synagogue
was opened.
The synagogue is unique not
Four classrooms were in-
only for its unusual building,
cluded in the plans for the syn-
Mr. and Mrs.
but equally interesting as an
Holiday Good Cheer
agogue for an expected enroll-
ALBERT
KING
example of the postwar exodus
ment of 40 to 50 children.
to suburbia and of the impact
There were 125 children on
GEORGE W. GRAY
and FAMILY
of suburban patterns on an orth-
hand for religious instruction—
Insurance
of
18429
Sorrento
odox congregation transplanted
an upsurge of demand by no
Wish
All
Their
Relatives
17616 WYOMING
to a suburban setting.
means unusual in suburban con-
and Friends
The pre-fabricated synagogue
UN 3-2900
gregational patterns but one for
A Most Joyous New Year
was opened on June 15, 1957
which the Golf Manor synagogue
planners were totally unpre
pared.
Mr. and Mrs.
I believe that Jewish wisdom
The age and interest differ-
New Year Greetings
Mr. & Mrs.
Harry T. Madison
is more all-human and universal ences between the original con-
than any other; and this not gregants and the newcomers af-
DE LAINE
J. Fishman & Family
14131. WINCHESTER
only because it is the first born, fected congregational life in
Oak Park, Mich.
of 18284 Steel Avenue
JEWELRY
CO.
but also because of the powerful many other ways. The younger
Wish Their Relatives
Wish
Their
Relatives
families
wanted
plenty
of
social
humaneness
that
saturates
it,
15750
LIVERNOIS
and Friends
and Friends a Happy
because of its high estimate of activities, both for themselves
DI 1-2695
A Happy New Year
New Year
man.—Maxim Gorky.
and their children. A Men's Club
and a Teen-Agers' Club were
formed to augment a flourishing
Sisterhood, a Mr. and Mrs. Club,
New Year Greetings
Best Wishes for
New Year's Greetings
Best Wishes for a Happy
and a Simchas Couples Club. So-
A
Happy
New
Year
cials were demanded and have
ART KURTZ
New Year
BURGER'S
been provided.
Fire Insurance
The
original
typical
Orthodox
PET
SHOP
Mr. and Mrs.
synagogue is moving rapidly to-
Julius & Diana
12924
GRAT
I OT
7934 West Fort St.
ward the suburban pattern in
TED GLASS
.
LA
1-2131
VI 2-1850
GREEN
which child education and adult
social programs bulk as large if
not larger than formal worship.
c.Q
SUI 0 (LS)
QRS.
Happy Holiday Greetings
Another tendency typical of
New Year Greetings
Holiday
Best
Wishes
to
New
Year
Greetings
suburban congregational life
KNUDSEN'S
Our Family and Friends
is a blurring of lines between
LOUIS
WOOLMAN
MR. and MRS.
DANISH BAKERY
ECONOMY
Jewish sects. For an Orthodox
Wedding and Party Cakes
synagogue
this
presents
some
Harry
Greenberg
and
SALES
CO.
a Specialty
obvious problems. In what
8055
LYNDON
&
Family
18601 W. McNICHOLS
ways can such a synagogue
CHARLES FINKEL
UN 4-9270
Diamonds
KE 5-0323
conform to suburban pressure•
without diluting its tradi-
33 JOHN R
r rirninmnsimms-rim51
515 -
tions?
Best Wishes
Rabbi Indich believes that
New Year Greetings
Holiday Best Wishes
on New Year's
there is a genuine religious re-
Happy New Year to All
ESQUIRE
GRILL
vival
in
America
and
that
his
HARNICK
BUTLER
congregation's membership
Restaurant - Delicatessen
BAKING CO.
"Good Food Is Good Health"
HAIR STUDIO
gains stem to some degree from
LOUIS COHEN
Weddings and Parties
"No Head Too Difficult"
that renewal of interest as it
Max Mittler
A Specialty
18929 LIVERNOIS
applies to Judaism. But he is
12939 West 7 Mile Rd
12647
DEXTER
i
ready to concede that conform-
UN 1-9690
6467 Michigan
Dl 1-1607
WE
3-2656
ity and the passion for joining
which marks Jewish and Christ-
ian psychology alike in suburbia
Greetings on New Year's
also has much to do with those
Holiday Greetings
Holiday Greetings
New Year's-Greetings
gains.
CURTIS DRUGS
Edith Eckstat, R.E.
BUNGALOW
CAFE
DAVE'S
MARKET
For such synagogue-joiners an
WYOMING
NO LIQUOR, BEER OR WINE
Beer and Wine - Delicatessen
Orthodox
environment
may
be
JUST GOOD FOOD
Albert Wolgin, R.E. repellant and Rabbi Indich does
corner CURTIS
Open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
ALWAYS FINE
EL ECTROLOGISTS
Inviting Parties and Afternoon
We Deliver
13134 W. 7 MILE
not want to repel them. He also
Teas
to
Bungalow
Cafe
Annex
DI 1-2450
Just West - of Outer Dr.
Serve from 10 to 110 People
WO 3-3047 WO 3-0922 wants to dispel the notion of the Can Open
Seven Days a Week
1309 David Broderick Tower
UN. 4-9665
average American Jew that
22117 Michigan LO. 1-8239
4f\r "--4--r-e- lt\r".1 -r."--1 Arsl-r-'2Ar•
Orthodoxy is something with
horns, that it is a gloomy reli-
New Year Greetings
Best Wishes for A Happy
Greetings of the Season
gion." He contends that orth-
New Year Best Wishes
New Year to
odoxy "can be as modern as
DES AUTEL
HIGH GRADE
tomorrow."
Our Friends and Patrons
HARPER
An innovation is standardized
Dental Laboratory
FRONTIER
LINEN SUPPLY CO.
FURNITURE CO.
prayer books, in contrast to the
E-Z TERMS
Service
BUILDING
CO.
procedures
in
the
old-style
Orth-
Radios - Washers - Rugs
2847 BAGLEY
Refrigerators
5237 West Chicago
odox synagogue in which every
19320 JAMES COUZENS
TA 5-8282
7330 HARPER
worshipper knows the prayers
WE 3-4332
DI 1-1111
WA. 1-1414
and their meaning and prays
from his own prayer book, no
•
Season's Best Wishes
two of which among the con-
New Year's Greetings
Holiday Best Wishes
gregants may be alike. At Golf
DECKERT
from
New
Year
Best
Wishes
Manor Synagogue, standardized
CHAMPION
ELECTRIC CO.
HORBACH'S
prayer books make up for a
Repair - Rewind All Makes
TYPEWRITER CO. lack of knowledge of Hebrew CADILLAC FENCE
Dynamometer Tested
GARAGE
New and Used Motors
,& SUPPLY CO.
Soles & Service
typical of the suburban congre-
Expert Bumping and Painting
6544 BEAUBIEN
General
Repairs
gation.
2014 GRAND RIVER
13675 PLYMOUTH
at E. Grand Blvd.
17392 WYOMING
But Rabbi Indich draws a line
TR 1-7777
WO 1-4165
WE 3-8755
UN. 1-0077
UN. 4-9860
in such changes, as an Orthodox
rabbi must. He says: AWe want
to be as modern as our religion
Holiday Good Cheer
Season's Best Wishes
New Year Greetings
permits, but we believe in every
Season's Greetings
CAPITAL WASTE
part of the Jewish law and keep
FEDERAL
SUPPLY
CASS
CHERNOFF BROS.
every part."
PAPER CO.
Plumbing
&
Heating
While he does not know how
CAR STORAGE
PLUMBING
Peter Goldstein
SALES AND SERVICE
many
of
the
suburban
newcom-
Sinclair Products
Hyman Lipsitz - Ted Wise
19649 Appleton
Shell Paint Distributors
ers to his synagogue maintain a
Complete Parking Service
1962 TROMBLEY
3941 MICHIGAN
KE 3-7808
kosher home, he says it is un- 65 W. Baltimore at Cass
TR 1-7300
TA 5-5383
likely that more than half of
TR 2-9021
them do. He feels, however, that
the setting down of an Ortho-
New Year Greetings
New Year Greetings
dox-oriented synagogue in this
New Year Greetings
sector of suburbia has brought a
Holiday Good Cheer
MORRIS
FRANK'S
George E. Fines, Inc.
trend toward observance among
DAN
I
ELS
CHADWICK
& SON
Applicators of
Friendly Service
the suburban families who have
Cement Enamel
Junkshop
joined.
Mobilgos Station
Electric Service
We Specialize in Waste Paper
Car Wash - Lubrication
He views the essential prob-
18640 WYOMING
Rags, Metal, Scrap Iron
7015
W. 8 Mile Rd.
Quick Pick-Up Service
18900
Greenfield
lem
not
as
one
of
resistance
but
UN 3-7650
1345 BREWSTER
DI 1-1965
of ignorance and the answer as
BR 3-9888
TE 2-5798
congregation-sponsored religious
'