The history of the Synagogue of the Hills can be traced back to Deadwood, S.D., during the Black Hills Gold Rush era. There were many Jewish pioneers in the area during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. From the beginning Jewish business people found their way into the area, many of whom established mercantile locations on Deadwood’s main streets. Few of the pioneering descendants remain in the Black Hills today. After holding services in various locations, the Synagogue of the Hills building was officially consecrated in May 1996. A brief history of the Jewish people in the Black Hills area can be read in the book “Jewish Pioneers of the Black Hills Gold Rush”, written by Ann Haber Stanton. Ann is a longtime member of our synagogue. Autographed copies of the book are available for sale in our gift shop. A portion of the purchase is tzedakah; $5.00 from each copy is donated to the synagogue.
Note: please see the article in the history section of the website titled “A Destination in the Wilderness”, also written by Ann Haber Stanton.