Etz Chaim Synagogue (transliterated from Hebrew as "Tree of Life") is a unaffiliated Jewish congregation, synagogue, and Jewish history museum, located at 267 Congress Street, at the head of India Street, in Portland, Maine, United States. The congregation is the only immigrant-era European-style synagogue remaining in Maine.[1] It was founded in 1917 as an English-language Orthodox Sefardi congregation, rather than in the Yiddish-language tradition; and the synagogue was completed in 1921.[2] In c. 2003, the dwindling Orthodox congregation became egalitarian and unaffiliated with any movement.
| Etz Chaim Synagogue | |
|---|---|
 Exterior view of the synagogue, in 2015 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Judaism |
| Rite |
|
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | |
| Leadership | Rabbi Gary S. Berenson |
| Location | |
| Location | 267 Congress Street, Portland, Maine 04101 |
| Country | United States |
  Location in Maine | |
| Geographic coordinates | 43°39′44″N 70°15′09″W / 43.662095°N 70.252478°W |
| Architecture | |
| General contractor | Louis Serota |
| Date established | 1917 (as a congregation) |
| Completed | 1921 |
| Website | |
| etzchaim-portland | |
Gary S. Berenson is the congregation's rabbi.[3]
Located in the India Street Historic District, the building has also housed the Maine Jewish Museum since 2010.[4]
References
edit- ^ "The Great Outdoors: A winter walk through history on Portland's Congress Street". The Forecaster. December 23, 2010.
- ^ "The Story of Etz Chaim". Maine Jewish Museum.
- ^ "Retirement will wait for Gary Berenson, Portland's newest rabbi". The Forecaster. March 25, 2014.
- ^ "Restoration of synagogue complete for 100th anniversary". Portland Press Herald. January 12, 2021. Retrieved February 15, 2024 – via Associated Press.
External links
edit- Official website
- "Etz Chaim" (panoramic still images). Synagogues 360. 2024.
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