Rabbi Samson Shain arrived in 1956 just as the congregation was about to celebrate its 100th Anniversary. An erudite and scholarly rabbi with a commanding presence on the pulpit, Shain was much involved in the local community. Greatly respected by Jews and non-Jews alike, he served as president of the Lancaster chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and he established the annual Brotherhood banquet which continues to this day. The first Jew to become a member of the Lancaster Rotary Club, he also received the Wheatland Sertoma’s “Service to Mankind Award.”
The Shain years reflected what is now called Classical Reform Judaism. The rabbi wore a formal black robe; he wore neither tallit nor kipah. The service was nearly all in English. Holidays were celebrated on the closest Friday evening, and formal ritual music showcased the talents of the professional paid choir. In 1959, property adjacent to the temple was acquired and a new religious school built. Bar mitzvah increased in popularity and beginning in 1961 bat mitzvah as well. In 1957, the congregation reaffirmed its commitment to Confirmation by insisting that all bar mitzvah candidates continue their religious education through Confirmation. Women’s congregational role focused largely on the Sisterhood, whose own organizational mission was fund-raising for various congregation projects and providing a social outlet for members.
The Jews of Lancaster, Pennsylvania was published in 1976
A student of history and a prolific writer, Rabbi Shain inspired and encouraged member David Brener to research and write the first complete history of the congregation and of Lancaster’s colonial Jewish community. The first edition of Brener’s book, The Jews of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was published in 1976 in commemoration of the congregation’s 120th Anniversary. It was dedicated to Samson Shain, who died just a few months before the celebration. When Shain died in 1976, Rabbi Stanley Funston served the congregation until 1979.
Reform Judaism – adapting to change
Shaarai Shomayim’s typical Classical Reform style of worship had moved far from the traditional practices of the congregation’s founders. Soon a new generation of Reform rabbis would accelerate the pace of change and bring Shaarai Shomayim into the mainstream of late 20th century Reform Judaism. Traditional ritual practices discarded by earlier generations would return to the congregation’s services.
Today the scene is quite different. Jews are more comfortable than ever with their American Jewish identity. Acceptance and entrance into the highest levels in political, social, and economic circles are no longer issues. But there remains a curious anomaly. As modern life becomes increasingly fast-paced and technological, there is a growing desire to reach back to Judaism’s spiritual tradition. Reform Judaism is not a fixed point on a spectrum, but a continuum wherein Jews are rediscovering the rich ritual tradition of earlier generations and applying it to the present.
Perhaps the most significant changes in the last 30 years have been in the area of ritual practice. This may be Rabbi David Sofian’s greatest legacy to Shaarai Shomayim. Sofian arrived in Lancaster with his wife, Simone, in 1980. An intensely spiritual couple, the Sofians were catalysts for a wide spectrum of changes. The most dramatic move occurred immediately after his arrival, when religious school classes were switched from Sunday to Saturday. While parents argued that Saturday religious school would limit their children’s participation in other activities, Sofian countered that Saturday religious school with a regular Shabbat service would provide a far richer and more meaningful experience for the children. Beginning in September 1980, for the first time since the early years of the 20th century, Shaarai Shomayim held regular Shabbat morning services.
Sofian revised and strengthened both the religious school curriculum and the Wednesday Hebrew curriculum. It was not long before the wisdom of these changes was apparent as b’nai mitzvah read or chanted their Torah, Haftarah, and prayerbook Hebrew with considerable expertise. Sofian also encouraged informal Jewish education through more active youth groups and participation in regional activities. At his urging, both the Sisterhood and the Brotherhood adopted programs to increase Jewish experiences for Shaarai Shomayim’s children. In 1981, the Sisterhood began providing camperships for children to attend Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC) summer camps, while in 1982, the Brotherhood initiated a program to sponsor post-Confirmation trips to Israel. If the singular mission of Judaism is to prepare the next generation, Shaarai Shomayim’s future was assured.
Worship returned to a more personal and traditional style as Sofian broadened member participation in services. He wore a tallit and a kipah and added more Hebrew. He introduced more music, and the congregation was encouraged to sing along. By 1991, some interested congregation members had established their own congregational choir, Chavrai Zamir, and in June 1983, the first adult b’nai mitzvah was held.
After two years of planning, the 1991 renovations to the sanctuary represented more than just a facelift. They were the very reflection of all the ritual changes that had accumulated in the ten years since Sofian arrived. While the atmosphere of the original historic sanctuary was retained, the pulpit and the area directly in front of it were enlarged to increase participation in services and to bring the rabbi and the congregation closer together. The sanctuary is now warmer and more intimate. When Sofian departed in 1993 to become rabbi of Temple Emanuel in Chicago, he left a congregation that was spiritually stronger than it had ever been. With an accomplished lay leadership, a comprehensive educational program for members across the age span, and a style of worship that invited participation, Shaarai Shomayim was an active and dynamic congregation.
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