SOI Historical Society
The following is a historical recounting of the history of Congregation Sons of Israel adapted from a retrospective written by Larry Miller in celebration of SOI’s 120th anniversary in 2014. Since the writing of this document, SOI has continued to evolve and flourish in many ways. Over the past ten years we have seen additional Rabbinic leadership with Rabbi Shalom Shapiro as the synagogue’s Assistant Rabbi during the years of 2015 – 2019. In 2021, Rabbi Michael Davies became the rabbi of Congregation Sons of Israel and is the current spiritual leader of our shul.
On January 22, 1894, Congregation Sons of Israel was formally incorporated. Its first home was in a house at 335 Liberty Street in downtown Camden. Rabbi David Shane served as the congregation's first
Rabbi. According to census bureau information in 1903 there were an estimated 800 Jews living in the Camden area.
Camden had a thriving business of shopkeepers located in the Kaiqhn Avenue and Broadway areas. Many of these were owned by congregation members. The congregation continued to grow and by 1903 they purchased a piece of land at the corner of 8th and Sycamore Streets in Camden for $2,500. The 8th Street Shul officially opened. Its population by 1917 had grown to 2,000 in the Camden area.
After its official opening several "shteibel" shuls joined the mother shul. The most renown was the "Lichtenstein Shul" named after its founder Abraham Lichtenstein, a furniture dealer in Camden.
At the time, the who's who of Camden Jewry could be identified as a member of the shul. Then in approximately 1910 something happened that would shape the shul and Camden Jewry for 50 years.
Rabbi Riff arrived in America without money, without language and alone. Through his uncle, Rabbi Meyer Berlin, World President of Mizrachi in Philadelphia, Rabbi B.L. Leventhal, Rabbi Naftoli Riff, and the city of Camden were united; as the city's Chief Rabbi and Rabbi of Congregation Sons of Israel. For 50 years he would serve the total community and his congregation. The stories about his compassion, learnedness, sincerity, and love for his fellow Jews were told over and over by his congregants. His sermons, all in Yiddish, would leave congregants in tears of joy, love, and total emotion. It seemed that he never rested. Be it behind the scenes or in front, he seemed to always be the driving force for each activity. It was told that in 1921 the congregation raised $44,000 for causes diverse to umbrella Jewish charities. From this experience, the Jewish Federation had its original birth. The Rabbi was also influential in having his congregation initiate the original Talmud Torah located in a building at 620 Kaighn Avenue in Camden to come and learn. His own Talmud classes were universally acclaimed by one and all. Wednesday nights were reserved for these classes. Beth El, Beth Shalom, Ahava Zadek and Beth Israel all had their roots in Sons of Israel.
Rabbi Riff served the community for over 50 years. He and his wife had one daughter, Ruchel. She married Rabbi Emanuel Gettinger from New York and have 3 children.
In 1960 after serving the community and the shul, the Rabbi made a decision that would impact the community for the next 40 years.
In 1944, the Congregation celebrated its 50th anniversary gala in the Walt Whitman Hotel. This was Camden's biggest and most elaborate hotel. President Franklin Roosevelt sent the congregation a proclamation proclaiming its achievement. The year was 1945. World War II had ended, and the congregation was heading into 1946 with a major decision to be made. Camden was changing, and Congregational members were starting to feel uneasy about the walk to shul. The talk was of relocation. The vast majority of Jews at that time lived in the section called Parkside. Under the leadership of Rabbi Riff, enough funds were raised to purchase a piece of ground at the intersection of Kaighn Avenue and Park Boulevard in the Parkside area of Camden.
Groundbreaking took place on Sunday, September 18, 1949. The move was in 1950. The new home had a beautiful sanctuary, seating 500, a mikvah, and classrooms for the Talmud Torah. A social hall connected to the building followed 2 years later. Traditions continued unbroken in the new home, most notable the orthodox life of the Congregation. But new ones were also originated. Flowers adorned the bima on Shabbat and Yom Tov. A Purim Ball was added to the shul's calendar. The Sisterhood grew in its vibrancy and activities. A Men's club soon followed. The Congregation was flourishing. The Congregation had become a family of families.
At this time Rabbi Riff was extending his own activities, assuming the Presidency of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis in the United States and Canada. He also became President of the National Ezras Torah Fund. Aside from these national activities, his involvement with numerous other local organizations impacted the lives of Camden and world Jewry. The Congregation was coming into its prime and was moving with grace into a new decade. The fifties were a time of peace for the congregation but changes were on the horizon.
Towards the end of the 1950's, Rabbi Riff notified the shul that he was thinking about his retirement and a move to Israel. This put the wheels in motion to find a successor. After reviewing five candidates, the committee and Rabbi Riff made a choice; a young man currently with a congregation in Houston, Texas. His credentials were impeccable. His name was Rabbi Bernard E. Rothman, and he was ordained with Smicha by Rabbi J.B. Soloveitchik at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary at Yeshiva University with post graduate work at Columbia University.
In 1962, Rabbi Rothman took his position as Assistant Rabbi of the congregation. His initial duties were to deliver the sermon on Shabbat mornings and to familiarize himself with the Congregation. Shortly after, there was great excitement as Rabbi Rothman took a bride. Her name was Greta. The wedding took place in June of 1963 in New York City. Many of the congregants attended. Over the years the Rothmans had four children - two girls and twin boys.
Congregation Sons of Israel was slowing in growth and was becoming a much older congregation through the 1960's. Another factor affecting the congregation was demographics. Suburbia was calling. What started as a trickle was turning into a steady stream. Rabbi Rothman was facing a growing problem with his congregation. To turn the tide, the informal structure of the shul needed revamping. The relaxed dues system could not be continued. More organized action was needed. The Men's Club looked to restructure. Rabbi Rothman looked to reach out to the younger couples. An initial meeting of five couples took place. From this meeting the Young Affiliates group was born, with Larry Miller as its initial president. This group grew from a beginning of five couples to forty couples and became an important part of the shul. For the next three years, Rabbis Riff and Rothman continued to lead the Congregation, seeing where changes could be made to strengthen it.
But then it was time to bid farewell to Rabbi Riff. In May of 1966, the Jewish community saw something never before experienced in Camden: the farewell testimonial dinner honoring Rabbi Riff. Six hundred people filled the ballroom of the Cherry Hill Inn (a large hotel now occupied by the Loews theatre complex). The ballroom was filled with congregants, Rabbanim and leadership of every synagogue in the area. Many people were turned away due to space restraints. It was fitting that Rabbi Rothman acted as toastmaster: he was to pick up the gauntlet of greatness from his mentor and close friend.
For the next year and a half the shul was filled with cantatas (plays) from the graduating classes of Hebrew school students, Chanukah Balls, and Purim parties. But by 1967 many congregants had already planted new roots in Cherry Hill. The era of Camelot was giving way. It was time for the Congregation to consider leaving Camden.
As Son of Israel continued to struggle in Camden, attention turned to the idea of building a branch in Cherry Hill. After more evaluation, a total move seemed the only logical solution. A search for a location began - with one stipulation- that the shul be near apartment complexes to serve the senior congregants selling their homes and moving to Cherry Hill. After reviewing several choices, 720 Cooper Landing Road was determined to be the best choice for a new building. The location had 5.5 acres to build on and an existing house (called "the Little White House" by congregants) that could be used until the new complex was built. In 1969, the first nursery school class opened in the Little White House, and Hebrew school classes followed. While the main Shul in Camden still operated, additional Shabbat morning minyanim were held in the Little White House, followed by kiddushes arranged by Sisterhood. Leah Zarge was one of the founding workers to work in the little kitchen. As per Leah, it was a warm bonding experience. During this time period, there were no sidewalks on Cooper Landing Road and no traffic lights at the intersection of Chapel Avenue & Cooper Landing Road.
In the meantime, long time member Abraham Besser informed Rabbi Rothman and then President Sam Supnick that he had an architect friend in Columbus, Ohio who had just built a new shul there. He said the architect would be agreeable to us using the same building plans at a very reasonable fee. Upon hearing this, the three men went to Columbus to inspect the building. They liked what they saw and agreed to engage this architect and use these plans, with some revisions.
In June of 1967, the official ground breaking took place. Irwin Levy, the shul's First Vice President, was the building contractor and Larry Miller, the shul's Second Vice President, undertook the administration of the job. Many of the congregants participated in making decisions along the way.
Another important decision was made at this time: to hire a full time Cantor. After reviewing 5 or 6 candidates, a young man from Borough Park, New York was chosen. His name was Isaac B. Horowitz. He and his wife Pnina moved to Cherry Hill in 1968, where he led the davening, also taught Hebrew School and gave Bar Mitzvah lessons.
Finally, in September of 1971, Congregation Sons of Israel moved into the new building. Shabbat services took place in a room in the lower level, and Rosh Hashanah services were held in the main Shul on folding chairs and plain cement floors. At the very time when the congregation's joy should have been complete, ominous clouds began to block the sun. Right after SOI's move to its Cherry Hill location, ominous clouds began to descend. The Shul was about to enter one of the most difficult periods in its
history. The post building problems had initial roots in the construction itself. There had been escalating costs, longer than estimated construction schedules, and the Congregation's inability to commit to a mortgage repayment plan. Projections of the Congregation's growth were proving to be inaccurate, which compounded the situation. A devoted group of congregants sought various solutions. Finally, Rabbi Rothman, whose confidence never faltered, was designated to meet with the banks. He came back to the leadership and congregants with the news that the banks would be willing to convert the construction loans into an actual mortgage with a lower interest rate than the prevailing rates. The Congregation was ecstatic with the news and could begin its steady journey to recovery.
While all of this was going on, the shul continued with its day to day operations. In 1972, the Shul sponsored its first annual Dinner Dance, held in the new auditorium. This became a popular annual event for many years. The shul also received a prestigious award by the Union of Orthodox Congregations for being the most progressive orthodox synagogue in the country. Cantor Horowitz oversaw the concerts featuring world renowned entertainers. The Shul's auxiliary arms were also flourishing. The Men's Club held a monthly brunch, hosting a lively array of speakers on subjects including sports, medicine, theater, politics, and Judaism. It provided the Shul with ushers for the holidays and had many fundraising events. The Sisterhood was the shining light of the Shul. Women of all ages were embraced for their ideas and enthusiasm. The function of the Sisterhood, as always, was to serve in any capacity needed. Annually, they presented the Sisterhood's highest award, the Woman of Valor Award, to a deserving woman. The Young Affiliates continued to grow and offer assistance to the Shul when needed. As an outgrowth of the Young Affiliates, the Couple's Club came into existence several years later under the Presidency of Michael Krug. The Mikvah Association was always there for those in need.
But then a great tragedy struck the Congregation - Irwin Levy, its President, was killed in a tragic traffic accident. It shook the Congregation to its foundation. Larry Miller, the Shul's First Vice President, had to step up to lead the Shul forward. The 1970's were filled with many memorable events. There was the dedication of the Adleman Sanctuary at one of the Shul's Dinner Dances. The Mikvah was dedicated in memory of Goldie Shapiro, mother of Sandi Crass. On a sad note, Rabbi Riff passed away. Soon after, another financial crisis was rearing its head. The expected and projected growth was just not happening.
As Congregation Sons of Israel continued into the 1970's, the financial pressures resulting from the mortgage payment schedule continued to besiege the Congregation. Projections for growth in membership, based on the growth explosion that had occurred when Congregation Beth El moved from Camden to Cherry Hill also fell short. SOI had expected at least an increase from 150-175 families during the first few years in Cherry Hill (Beth El was reaching 700-800 families). Due to the financial strain and shortfall, payroll checks for our clergy occasionally had to be held, the electric company came to shut off the power, and the phone company was close to shutting off our service.
During this difficult period, Herb Zarge stepped into the role of President. Under Herb's leadership, a professional fundraiser was hired. He drew the leadership of the Congregation into a program to raise funds and put the Congregation back into a financially stable situation. It was called the Mortgage Redemption Campaign. Larry Miller undertook the chairmanship of the campaign along with Rabbi Rothman and Her Zarge. Everything in the shul was marked for dedication. Evenings were spent in parlor meetings speaking to people about dedicating items in honor or in memory of loved ones. In the end, the campaign raised $500,000 in cash and pledges. Like any recovery, this one was slow, painstaking and sometimes threatened by relapses. But as financial health returned to the congregation, the leaders could finally turn their energies to steering the congregation into new areas of vitality.
One of the big additions to the Congregation's list of activities was Bingo. Bingo was introduced to the Congregation under the leadership of Lou and Bea Krichev, longtime members. It proved to be very successful. There were 15-20 men who worked the game every Monday night. On a good night, Bingo raised $900 -$1,000 for the Congregation. In addition, a cadre of 6 - 8 Sisterhood women worked in the kitchen from 4:00 to 10:00 pm, making items for sale, including sandwiches, meatballs, tuna fish, cakes, etc. The Sisterhood was able to raise a nice profit from their effort as well.
Another new addition to the Congregation was a nursery school. Under the leadership of Shirley Tannenbaum, an excellent teacher in the area, the school grew and was considered one of the leading nursery programs in the area. The Congregation was seeing many new and exciting events on its calendar, including spaghetti dinners, Sisterhood fashion shows, guest speakers, and outings to Phillies games.
To augment the High Holiday services, a symphonic choir of 10 men and 7 boys (under the leadership of Larry Miller) added to the beauty of the service. Choir members included Kenny Baker, Charlie Miller, Naftoli Horowitz and Joseph Zarge. Every seat was taken in the main sanctuary, and folding chairs were put up in the back for the overflow. The Congregation was alive with activities for everyone.
As the Congregation moved into the 1980's, new ideas and programs were introduced. Congregational Shabbatons became special events, with guest speakers from Yeshiva University and kumzits fellowship programs on Motzei Shabbat. Theatre parties and various outings to Boro Park in New York led by the Chazzan became normal events for the Congregation. The Couples Club initiated a nursery sitting service to allow parents to daven in peace.
The Mikvah became a "tourist attraction" for groups outside of the Congregation. These tours were led by Pnina Horowitz. Fashion and wig shows became annual activities for the ladies. The annual Mikvah Melava Malka was the keystone event of the Mikvah Association.
The Chevra Kadisha was organized with Bill Heine and Herb Rosin at the helm. Marcy Heine and Adina Rosin led the Chevra Kadisha for the women. It was during this period that the small chapel was completed thanks to the generosity of Judge Norman Heine and his family. It was dedicated in memory of his parents, Morris and Olga Heine.
The Thursday night Beis Midrash program came into existence with a group of dedicated Rabbis coming in from Lakewood to teach. The class still goes on to this day. Our Shul sponsored its first organized trip to Israel, led by Rabbi Rothman. There were sixteen people on this first trip, including Herb and Leah Zarge, Larry and Janet Miller, Fred and Brenda Gross, Sandi Crass, Betty Silver, Nate & Norma Rosenberg, and Rabbi and Greta Rothman. All agreed it was a trip to remember.
While all the above was going on, a major change in the shul was rearing its head. It would totally impact the operation of the shul. Through the 1980's and into the 1990's Congregation Sons of Israel continued its successful nursery school and an active Talmud Torah. This was the focus of the educational offerings for our boys and girls. But our Congregation was changing. More young, observant families were moving to town, and they were seeking an orthodox day school education for their children.
The day school option for most families was Torah Academy in Ardmore, PA. But the long commute was trying for the younger children. Sons of Israel responded by creating kindergarten and first grade; the beginning of our own orthodox day school in Cherry Hill. Rabbi Rothman played a major role in helping the school grow further by securing a significant donation from Perry Politz. This donation resulted in the creation of the Politz Foundation School. The intent was for the school to go through third grade and to provide a solid foundation for students who could then transition to other institutions. There just wasn't sufficient space for additional grades.
This worked for several years, but the demand for a full elementary school began to grow. In the mid 1990's the School Board met and made a commitment to expand the school to eighth grade. One grade would be added each year, with the first 8th grade graduation to be in the year 2000. The interim plan for space involved placing trailers on the shul property, but the ultimate goal was to build an adjoining $2 million facility to house the full elementary school.
At the time both the Shul and the School realized that being joined together was highly problematic. The School's expansion immediately started having an impact on the Shul's finances. More teachers were needed, and tuition from school families was not able to offset the costs. The Shul could no longer afford this accumulated debt. From the school side, the School Board desired full control over its decision making, and growth and success for its upcoming major fundraising campaign depended upon its being an independent institution serving students throughout the region. An important meeting of the Congregation was called where all this was presented. The social hall was packed. A decision was made to legally separate the school from the synagogue. The Shul would no longer underwrite the cost of running the school. Politz would no longer be a Foundation School but would now be incorporated as the Politz Day School of Cherry Hill.
The Shul was able to arrive at a debt restructuring plan with the bank to alleviate its own financial challenges. These decisions played a major role in the overall development of our community today. The demographics of our shul were changing to a younger, more vibrant and more observant Congregation.
The 1990's brought about many additions to Sons of Israel. The mid 1990's introduced us to the "Jews Brothers" otherwise known as the "JB's", "MIB's", and the "Men in Black." Howard Horwitz, a member at the time, (now living in Lakewood) had an idea of putting together a program that not only the children would enjoy, but their parents also. He assembled a cast from the members of the Congregation. The original members of the Jews Brothers were Howard Horwitz, Richard Zorowitz, Ken Panitch, Larry Fried, Larry Rauer, and Larry Miller. Jeff Schwartz and Simcha Reich joined when Fried and Rauer moved away (after two years of performing). The JB's appeared in black suits, black ties, white shirts, black hats and sunglasses. Their musical numbers were creative and fun, often poking fun at Shul members, Shul leaders, our clergy, and the issues of the day.
After its initial performance, the group was expected to appear each Purim. Their shows grew in complexity, special effects, costumes, and material - finding new ways each year to poke fun at the Shul's leaky roof, construction of the Politz Day School, and shul finances, to name a few. The electricity felt around the shul each and every Purim was legendary. The culmination of their time at SOI was a Saturday night performance entitled "The Best of the Jews Brothers" live and in video. The Sisterhood sponsored the evening with a dinner to a packed auditorium. Many of our members had to be turned away. Due to this response, the Jews Brothers put on a second performance on Sunday night for the overflow. They put on an hour and a half performance that had everyone asking for more!
Celebrating 120 years of existence is a remarkable milestone for our shul. Under the guidance of four rabbis—Rabbi Shane, Rabbi Riff, Rabbi Rothman, and Rabbi Epstein—alongside the unwavering dedication of countless lay leaders who generously invested their time and resources, our shul has built a legacy that we can all be proud of and honor.
