The Little Shul That Could: 100 Years of Mt. Sinai

by Various, Tara Woolpy (Editor), Julie Kobin (Editor)

Jews began settling in Wausau, Wisconsin in 1873. In 1914, they founded Mt. Sinai, the first synagogue in Wausau. In essays, memoirs, and photographs, this volume tells the story of a small Midwestern congregation. Over the years, Mt Sinai has weathered financial uncertainty, inadequate buildings, and the difficulty of finding and keeping a rabbi as a small congregation in a primarily non-Jewish area. At 100 years old, Mt. Sinai finds itself stronger than ever, serving 83 families who span Generation X through "The Greatest Generation." With a beautiful, energy efficient building, a healthy endowment and a beloved rabbi who has been with the congregation for over a quarter of a century, Mt. Sinai really is the little shul that could.

296 pages, Paperback

First published April 12, 2014

About the author

Various is the correct author for any book with multiple unknown authors, and is acceptable for books with multiple known authors, especially if not all are known or the list is very long (over 50).

If an editor is known, however, Various is not necessary. List the name of the editor as the primary author (with role "editor"). Contributing authors' names follow it.

Note: WorldCat is an excellent resource for finding author information and contents of anthologies.

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful book that sheds a lot of light on the history of a Jewish community in central Wisconsin. Numerous narratives provide different depictions of the various triumphs and pitfalls of a synagogue that defied the odds for many years. It is surprisingly in depth and very enjoyable, especially for those of us from this community. There are some editorial glitches, but this is minor. Some narratives contradict each other, but the book provides multiple perspectives, so this is natural and makes it more complete. One can't help but feel at times that it makes the congregation seem more dynamic and welcoming than it actually is, but it captures the spirit of a small Midwestern Jewish community.