The Central Talmud Torah, also known as the Central Hebrew Free School, was a Jewish parochial school established in 1892 and located at 314-320 Catharine Street from 1911 until 1963 in the Queen Village neighborhood of South Philadelphia.
| Central Talmud Torah | |
|---|---|
 314-320 Catharine Street, Philadelphia on August 29, 2019 | |
 | |
| Alternative names | Central Hebrew Free School |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts architecture |
| Location | Queen Village, Philadelphia |
| Address | 314-320 Catharine Street |
| Town or city | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 39°56′16″N 75°08′56″W / 39.937870°N 75.149020°W |
| Inaugurated | October 29, 1911 |
| Renovated | 1980s |
Rabbi Bernard L. Levinthal initiated the establishment of the institution to serve the growing number of immigrant Jewish children in the city's Jewish quarter in South Philadelphia.
Wolf Klebansky served as the school's president and raised $75,000 to build the school's building at 314-320 Catharine Street. The new building was dedicated on October 29, 1911.[1] The building could accommodate 1,000 students with 17 classrooms, a library, an auditorium, a gymnasium, and a swimming pool.[2]
The school had 700 students in 1913.[3]
Central Talmud Torah was a "religious public school," free to those unable to pay, that taught Hebrew, Jewish history, and religious studies.[4] Jewish children attended from 4:00 PM–7:00 PM after public school.[5]
The American Jewish Year Book reported the organization counted 7,000 members and $12,000 in total income in 1919.[6]
It was known as Yeshiva Mishkan Yisroel & Central Talmud Torah in 1936.[7]
The building served as the home of the Beth Jacob Day School in the 1950s.[8] It continued to be used for Jewish education until its closure in 1963.[9] The school building was converted to loft condominiums in the 1980s.
References
edit- ^ "Talmud Torah Dedication: Elaborate Exercises Will Be Held on Sunday". The Jewish Exponent. Philadelphia. October 27, 1911.
- ^ "Talmud Torah's New Home". The Jewish Exponent. Philadelphia. November 3, 1911.
- ^ "Talmud Pupils Return; Principal Gains Victory Over Striking Teachers". Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. May 7, 1913. p. 7.
- ^ Pennsylvania. Municipal Court (Philadelphia County) (1919). Social Service Directory of Philadelphia. Municipal Court (Philadelphia County). p. 42.
- ^ "History and Activities of the Central Hebrew Free School". The Jewish Exponent. Philadelphia. July 29, 1920.
- ^ Adler, Cyrus; Szold, Henrietta (1919). American Jewish Year Book, Volume 21. American Jewish Committee. p. 550.
- ^ "Woman's Will Aids Jewish Charities". Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. June 17, 1936. p. 2.
- ^ "Charities Share in Blume Estate". Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. July 14, 1954. p. 20.
- ^ Boonin, Harry (1999). The Jewish Quarter of Philadelphia, A History and Guide 1881-1930. Philadelphia: Jewish Walking Tours of Philadelphia. p. 108.
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