Shul for Scandal

A scandal is brewing at Congregation B’nai Israel. The synagogue is located in Montreal, Quebec. All of Canada is undergoing the stresses of the 2020 pandemic. In these turbulent times, like many other religious institutions, this synagogue is dealing with recovery efforts during the scourge. Some in the administration search for ways to preserve and expand their membership as others look to profit from the institution’s current difficulties. There is also much intrigue as the members of the governing board jostle for position.

Here is a brief preview of some of the unsavory characters and the heroes locked in conflict.
Except for the rare moments when he is praying, volunteer Barry Kahan is the power broker behind the scenes. He is an industrialist, used to bossing people at his factory. He expects that the employees of the synagogue, as well as its members, accept his directives. One of Barry’s other volunteer activities is the English-rights action group Mission Montreal which agitates for equal status with the French language in the Montreal area.
Barry’s wife, Roberta Ginsberg Kahan, is blessed by an unexpected inheritance. Now financially independent, her relationship with her husband undergoes a profound change. Because of her bit of luck, Roberta begins re-examining the decisions that she and Barry made as a couple.
As the story progresses, Dahlia Lallouz Bloomberg, succeeds David Meyer as executive director of B’nai Israel after he retires. Her exaltation is dampened when David dies shortly thereafter. Dahlia has lost her mentor and is overwhelmed in directing a major institution with an ingrained culture of secrecy.
Rabbi Harry Gold becomes the new rabbi at B’nai Israel. He relocates to the synagogue from Austin, Texas and brings a new wave of hip musical leadership which the members of the board hope to use to attract members. Unfortunately, Rabbi Harry really doesn’t get a chance to make his mark before becoming a casualty of the pandemic.
Once she is widowed, Rachel Gold, the rabbi’s spouse, finds herself in the difficult position of not being certain exactly what her relationship is with B’nai Israel. A strong relationship develops between her and Roberta Kahan, however, as the two women turn to each other for mutual support in dealing with life’s vicissitudes.
Fanny Rubinstein, president of the Sisterhood, searches for a meaningful expression for her leadership skills within the synagogue but finds her ambitions thwarted by Barry Kahan, who sees her as a threat to the established order.
Harold Sperling, the president of the Men’s Club, also finds his leadership role challenged as his club’s financial independence is threatened by an institutional reorganization. This is spearheaded by Dahlia Bloomberg who doesn’t take the requirements of the club into account. In the process of reacting to these changes, Harold comes across financial irregularities whose public exposure could put the non-profit status of the synagogue at risk.
The task of redressing the financial irregularities discovered by Harold Sperling, falls to the current president of the synagogue, Carol Harris. Put in office as a safe alternative to Fanny Rubinstein, Carol initially works hard to maintain the status quo, but comes to realize that a more open administration has to be put in place. She enlists a number of members of the synagogue to help her in this project including Roberta Kahan and Frank Berman, treasurer of the Men’s Club and member of the board.
Frank discovers far greater financial malfeasance than the minor misdirection of funds uncovered by Harold Sperling. Barry Kahan is embezzling from the synagogue’s endowment to finance activities that are definitely illegal and quite possibly treasonous. The story explores how Carol, Frank, Harold and Fanny deal with the dangers posed by Barry’s projects and how their work serves to install a more open egalitarian culture within the synagogue.