Plus ca change...

The NYT is running some excerpts from documents from the mid 19th century, which were recently found in a safe in a Brooklyn Synagogue. The documents include the minutes of the synagogue founders' first 'Board' meetings. Sounds like a good time was had by all:

"This was argued for a long time and caused a great disorder in consequence whereof several members withdrew from the meeting....
"The Pr[esident] Then proferred a complaint against the Shames for creating a disturbance in the Synagoge, and also disobedience.....
"A motion has been made and seconded that the resignation of Mr. J. Folkart [as a member of staff in the synagogue's Sunday School] be accepted, he having ['regressed' crossed out] ['broken' crossed out] violated the most important law, having transgressed Yom Kippur Day."

Aaaah, synagogue politics. Nothing like it.