Processed by
Laura D. Shumar
12 August 2005
Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269
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VOLUME OF |
1 manuscript box |
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COLLECTION |
1924–91 |
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PROVENANCE: |
Betty Fleck, Marion, IN, 1 July 2004 |
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RESTRICTIONS: |
None |
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COPYRIGHT: |
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REPRODUCTION |
Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society. |
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ALTERNATE |
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RELATED |
M 0743, Boxes 99-100 |
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ACCESSION |
2004.0380 |
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NOTES: |
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The Sinai Temple is a Reform congregation, currently located at 521 South Boots Street, Marion, Ind., 46953.
On 24 November, 1924, the ladies of the Sinai Temple community gathered to discuss founding a Temple Sisterhood. A guest speaker from Indianapolis, Mrs. Isaac Born, explained that “the object of a ‘Sisterhood’ is to promote Judaism and to work only for and with the Temple.” She stressed that the Sisterhood should help the temple financially, should not engage in broader civic or philanthropic work, and should work to create and support a Sunday school for the temple. After discussions of dues and procedures the participants voted to form a sisterhood, with Mrs. Sam Fleck as president of the 15 member organization. By the time of the first general meeting on 18 December 1924, the membership had grown to 25 women. In the early years of the organization, the ladies of the sisterhood raised funds among themselves, gave money to the Temple, bought chairs and card table covers, and regularly fed the Rabbi dinner.
A 1953 roster shows over 60 members, but by 1990 the Sisterhood was struggling for survival, with only 29 paid members. The sisterhood continued to raise funds through rummage and bake sales, and continued to provide financial support to the Temple, but branched out to work with other community groups. The Rabbi still got dinner.
In 2005, the Temple has 24 members and is served by a student rabbi.
Sources:
Materials in the collection
http://data.urj.org/conglist/detail.cfm?id=C102
The collection consists of one manuscript box containing the minutes of the Temple Sisterhood and other committees from the years 1924–91. Most of the papers were organized into three books, although there were some bundled papers and one file folder.
The first book, a bound notebook containing the Sisterhood minutes from its foundation in 1924 to 1930, has been stored intact with the collection. The other two sets of minutes were removed from their three-ring binders and placed in file folders. The second contained minutes of the Temple Board, the Building Committee, the Sunday School committee, and other records for the years 1950-64. The third held the Sisterhood minutes from 1974–88.
Other materials from the Sinai Temple, including additional Sisterhood minutes, are in M 0743, Boxes 99-100. Box 99, Folder 18 is a photocopy of the minute book contained in this collection's Box 1, Folder 1.
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CONTENTS |
CONTAINER |
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Sisterhood meeting minutes, 1924–30 |
Box 1, Folder 1 |
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B’nai B’rith Women minutes, 1957–68 |
Box 1, Folder 2 |
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Temple and Committee meeting
minutes, 1950–64 |
Box 1, Folder 3 |
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Temple and Committee meeting
minutes, 1950–64 |
Box 1, Folder 4 |
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Temple and Committee meeting
minutes, 1950–64 |
Box 1, Folder 5 |
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Sisterhood minutes, 1974–88 (1 of 3) |
Box 1, Folder 6 |
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Sisterhood minutes, 1974–88 (2 of 3) |
Box 1, Folder 7 |
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Sisterhood minutes, 1974–88 (3 of 3) |
Box 1, Folder 8 |
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Sisterhood minutes, 1989–91 |
Box 1, Folder 9 |
For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:
1. Go to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog: http://opac.indianahistory.org/
2. Click on the "Basic Search" icon.
3. Select "Call Number" from the "Search In:" box.
4. Search for the collection by its basic call number (in this case, M 0847).
5. When you find the collection, go to the "Full Record" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.