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B'nai Israel Synagogue (Sons of Israel Synagogue) is an historic synagogue in South Bend, Indiana. The oldest synagogue in South Bend, it is also thought to be "America's only ballpark synagogue." In 2012 the unused synagogue was renovated and reopened as a gift shop for the South Bend Cubs minor league baseball team, whose ballpark abuts the property.〔 The synagogue was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.〔 ==History== The modest synagogue was built in 1901 by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. The congregation was Orthodox for most of its history; in 1982 it became a Reconstructionist temple and was renamed B'nai Yisrael.〔 After some years of declining attendance in a neighborhood that continued to deteriorate despite renewal efforts, including construction of a minor league ballpark adjacent to the synagogue, the last services were held in the building in 1990.〔 It was then was donated to the Indiana Landmarks Foundation.〔 In 2005, the Foundation sold the synagogue to Chris Wood for use as a residence; however the city decided to use the building or the land it stood on as part of its urban renewal efforts and bought the building from Wood in 2007 for $130,000.〔 Plans to use the building as a museum, or to move it to a new location fell through due to lack of funds, and the building stood neglected and deteriorating for several years.〔〔 In 2012 Andrew T. Berlin, new owner of the South Bend Cubs baseball team purchased the synagogue and funded a $1-million renovation.〔 Berlin paid for restoration, including a refurbishment of the building's handsome brass chandelier, and for new wall paintings combining biblical and baseball themes. A mural of Noah's Ark is captioned "Rain Delay", and a copy of Michelangelo's ''Creation of Adam'' from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel shows God's hand encased in a baseball glove as he hands a baseball to Adam. The caption reads: "Play Ball."〔 The preserved building stands on the grounds of Four Winds Field at Coveleski Stadium, where it serves as the Cub's team gift shop.〔〔 A short film about the restoration of the synagogue won a 2013 Emmy Award. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ballpark Synagogue」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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