GLACE BAY, N.S. — The handful of members of the Sons of Israel Synagogue in Glace Bay, N.S., are placing their building on the market.

“For the last number of years, it’s only been used for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services, up until last fall when no services were held at all,” says shul president Mark Chernin.

“There are only 10 congregants, of whom only a couple actually live in Glace Bay, most of the rest several miles away. I’m the youngest at 53. Fanny Cohen is the oldest at 101. It’s been such a struggle to maintain the building that this is the right move.”

The synagogue was opened in 1902, housing a congregation of 140 people. The cost to build? $5,000. It was the first synagogue built for that purpose in the Maritime provinces, though other former church buildings had been obtained earlier in other communities. An additional building was erected as a community hall/school in 1928.

“We have to spend money for upkeep, and is it really worth it for three days of worship a year?” asked Chernin. “I’m certainly not for that. We do have our cemetery, and proceeds from the sale of the building will go to perpetual care. But who will even look after that once we’re all gone? There is no one moving back to Glace Bay.”

Most former Jewish residents, such as Lowell Shore and Arthur Zilbert, both living in Halifax, moved away from Glace Bay 40 years ago, when they entered university. Others left for social or work reasons, which have since kept them away.

Shore recalled his days in the Cape Breton community. “As a boy, I went to shul each Shabbos, helped with the davening, even pre-bar mitzvah, had 15 to 20 kids with me in Hebrew school, played on a hockey and basketball team representing the Jewish community, and softball on a field behind the shul that seemed huge to us kids but is probably like a postage stamp today.”

Zilbert, who expressed disappointment that the Orthodox shul is being sold, added, “The community held together for a long time. Even when there were only 15 men, there were always services Friday night and Saturday. Now the people aren’t there, the spirit isn’t there

“When I’d go back to visit, I felt a comfort at the shul, living with the memories I had as a child, memories of the great group of people I grew up with. The shul was one of warmth and happiness.”

Shirley Chernin, Mark’s mother, was born in Sydney, 15 kilometres away, but is a 54-year Glace Bay resident. She says the remaining people are heartbroken. “No one has the heart to tear it down, as was proposed, too, but the kindest thing is to sell it. Yet who will buy it? Churches are closing here, too. If anyone buys it, it will be probably be torn down and turned into apartments.”

She says the building is unique “with its centre bimah, upstairs seating, and a mechitzah downstairs now that was built 40 years ago when the upstairs became hazardous.” She recalls a special celebration held in 2001 that attracted 550 people from near and far. “Those who grew up here still have an attachment to the community.”

Unfortunately, for the 108-year-old building, they no longer live where their roots are planted.