Did You Know?

The following is the first in a continuing series of articles about the history of our Temple.

Article submitted April 2004
Two years ago our congregation was faced with an overwhelming financial crisis but with excellent leadership and generous congregants we paid our debts and laid the groundwork for a promising future. But, did you know this wasn’t the first time?

The year was 1931 and America was in the midst of the Great Depression. Temple Beth Israel was without a rabbi and with only a partially completed sanctuary. (For the record, the property on Calavaras and N Sts. was purchased in February, l922 for $1,333.13 and deeded to the Temple for less than $100.) The community was small but was committed to providing an appropriate house of worship, a religious leader, and religious instruction for its children. How could it all be done? The congregation, not surprisingly, was divided on priorities. Some wanted to move ahead with the completion of the sanctuary, while others wanted to use the limited resources to hire a rabbi.

One day Harry Coffee, president of the congregation and a prominent merchant, invited other merchants/Temple members to a luncheon at the Commercial Club. The guests were not told the purpose of the meeting but they assumed it was scheduled to plan for “Straw Hat Day,” the annual spring promotion in the men’s clothing business. As the guests relaxed over lunch, Mr. Coffee revealed his plan—an immediate vote by those present to hire a rabbi!!

Well, Mr. Coffee was persuasive and the gentlemen returned to their places of business satisfied that a proper decision had been reached. However, “shul business” never runs smoothly! Within minutes, the Temple treasurer heard of the plot hatched by the president, ran to the bank, withdrew all of the Temple funds except for $1.00, and applied the total to the existing mortgage. By the end of the day, the deed was done and the treasurer had resigned his position!

Hopefully, decision-making procedures have improved over the years. Happily, Mr. Coffee and the congregation recovered from the crisis and committed themselves to completing the building AND hiring a rabbi---a married rabbi. Why did the rabbi have to be married? Well, that’s a story for another time…………We have scandals in our closet also!

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