18 | NOVEMBER 26 • 2020 

gregation to a building where 
they added a balcony to allow 
for separate woman’
s seating. 
They moved the bimah to the 
center of the congregation, as 
was customary in many Eastern 
European synagogues. A large 
mikvah was built in the base-
ment. Some of the construction 
workers referred to it as the 
swimming pool at the Jewish 
Church. 

ONE OF THE LAST 
RESIDENTS
Rachel Solom is 66 years old. 
She left Iron Mountain to attend 
the University of Michigan in 
1972 but returned in 2004 to 
help care for her ailing mother.
Family and property man-
agement responsibilities kept 
her there. Although her rela-
tives have since passed away or 
moved, Solom said she’
s recon-
nected to her hometown and 
maintains a strong connection 
to the area.
She’
s one of a handful of 
Jewish residents left in the 
area and does what she can to 
maintain a Jewish life. In Iron 
Mountain, she served as the 
most recent president of Anshe 
Knesseth Israel. 
She participates in a Sabbath 

potluck with Seventh Day 
Adventist friends who also 
observe Saturday as the 
Sabbath. Another Jewish resi-
dent typically builds a sukkah. 
Solom also participates in 
events organized by L
’
Dor v’
Dor 
Northern Michigan Jewish 
Women Rural Leadership 
Consortium. She’
s also starting 
to get involved in the Holocaust 
education program offered in 
the local school system.
When Solom attends ser-
vices, she travels 80 miles to 
Marquette, the closest function-
ing synagogue location.
“There is a sense of isola-
tion, and it is more difficult 
here because there is not the 
community to celebrate the hol-
idays and Shabbat. There aren’
t 
opportunities to talk about 
Jewish topics and philosophy or 
participate in Jewish learning,
” 
she said.

THE SHUL VS. THE CITY
In early September, those serv-
ing as synagogue board mem-
bers filed a lawsuit against the 
City of Iron Mountain and a 
handful of city officials. The 
previous year, the city assessor 
had concluded the synagogue 
building was no longer being 
used as a house of public wor-
ship, and therefore revoked its 
tax-exempt status. The suit, 
filed in federal district court, 
alleges that the assessor had 
entered the synagogue ille-
gally. 
 Zacks said the assessor 
got a key from the real estate 
company that was listing the 
property.
 The synagogue argues that 
despite the infrequency of 
religious services, the build-
ing was used exclusively as 
a house of public worship. 
Even when there were so few 

congregants that services all 
but ceased, board meetings 
continued to occur in the syn-
agogue, and the congregation’
s 
Torahs and other ritual items 
remained onsite. The building, 
they said, was never used for 
non-religious purposes.
The complaint further alleges 
that the city didn’
t give proper 
notice of the revocation of 
the congregation’
s tax-exempt 
status.
 Jim Zacks said they even-
tually learned that notice was 
sent to a former board mem-
ber who died 23 years ago. He 
maintains that the city could 
have easily given proper notice 
by contacting one of the 
named property sellers or by 
informing the board president 
who always appears at city hall 
to pay the congregation’
s water 
bill.
 In January, Board President 
Rachel Solom went to pay the 
water bill and was informed 
of the change in tax status, but 
it was too late to appeal the 
decision.
 Zacks said they tried to 
resolve the matter but were 
not successful. City Manager 
Jordan Stanchina declined 
to comment on the lawsuit, 
except to say, “We will work 
through the process and see 
how it settles out.” 
 Solom was philosophical 
about the fate of her centu-
ry-old congregation.
 “I’
m getting a sense of clo-
sure and the passage of time 
and realizing that the life of a 
Jewish community in a small 
town can have a beginning, 
middle and an end,” she said. 
 “I think it’
s possible there 
could be a Jewish community 
here again, but it’
s something 
I don’
t foresee in the near 
future.” 

ON THE COVER

continued from page 17

TOP: One of the artifacts the shul 

sold to a congregation in Illinois. 

MIDDLE: A Torah scribe in Illinois 

examines the Torah. BOTTOM: More 

of the shul’s artifacts. 

