Rabbis
Rabbi Wichefsky was not interested in serving as the religious leader for the community and therefore focused his efforts on private tutoring. As a result, the synagogue's executive committee spent considerable effort during the first half of the twentieth century securing a reputable and reliable rabbi to lead their congregation. Due to its geographic location, size and lack of kosher and Jewish amenities, it was not easy for them to attract someone with the credentials and commitment that they were looking for. Despite the fact that they were offering a generous salary of $100 a month plus free accommodations, they did not have much luck in this area.
Between 1916 and 1919 they secured six different rabbis who were employed for several months at a time, who either left of their own volition or were fired because of incompetence or fraud. One rabbi, in fact, was chastised by the executive for ignoring the children during Hebrew classes. Hyman Ironstone stated at a meeting held in December 1916 that this rabbi "lets the pupils practically teach themselves while he drinks tea, smokes and otherwise entertains himself." Another rabbi that they brought in was not only determined to be a fake by the Head Rabbi of Toronto, Rabbi Gordon, but was also discovered by Abe Weisman to be engaged in bootlegging and pimping during his short stay in Sudbury. When they finally located a rabbi in the Sault, Rabbi Rabinovitch, who appeared to be an ideal candidate, he accepted and then discovered that he could not break his contract with the congregation he was serving in Sault-Ste. Marie. Eventually, he left the Sault and took the job in Sudbury in 1919 and served the congregation for a number of years.
In addition to leading regular services, many of these rabbis were called upon to act as shochet, mohel, Baal Tefillah and Hebrew school teacher. Most of the families kept kosher at this time and would purchase chickens slaughtered by the rabbi. The meat was shipped in from Toronto each week. If it arrived late, the meat spoiled and they were forced to go without until the following week.
