Wikipedia

Temple Israel (Boston)

Temple Israel (Hebrew: קק עדת ישראל) is a synagogue affiliated with Reform Judaism in Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States. Founded in 1854 as Adath Israel, the congregation is the largest Reform synagogue in New England.

Temple Israel
Hebrew: קק עדת ישראל
Religion
AffiliationReform Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organisational statusSynagogue
LeadershipRabbi Elaine Zecher
StatusActive
Notable artworksLouise Nevelson sculpture
Location
Location477 Longwood Avenue, Boston
StateMassachusetts
CountryUnited States
Temple Israel (Boston) is located in Boston
Temple Israel (Boston)
Location in Boston
Geographic coordinates42°20′25″N 71°06′33″W / 42.3403°N 71.1093°W / 42.3403; -71.1093
Architecture
Architect(s)
TypeSynagogue
Style
Date established1854 (as a congregation)
Completed
  • 1885 (Columbus Ave.)
  • 1906 (Commonwealth Ave.)
  • 1926 (Longwood Ave.)
  • 1973 (Longwood Ave.)
Website
tisrael.org

History

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600 Columbus Ave. (1885–1906)
 
602 Commonwealth Ave. (1906–1926)
 
477 Longwood Ave. (1926–present)

The congregation Temple Israel, originally known as Adath Israel,[1] was founded in 1854 when Jews of German ancestry seceded from Ohabei Shalom, then the sole synagogue in Boston, because so many Polish Jews had joined the congregation.[2]: 169  The congregation immediately renovated a house on Pleasant Street for use as a synagogue. The congregation purchased land in Wakefield in 1859 for a cemetery.[2]: 170  The Columbus Avenue synagogue building, designed by architects Weissbein & Jones, was dedicated in 1885 and was indicative of the growing size and wealth of congregation, and the influence of its members and leaders. The Auxiliary Society was founded in 1894, the first internal temple organization dedicated to social service, cultural activity, education, and social functions.

The Commonwealth Avenue Temple, designed by Clarence Blackall, was dedicated in 1907. Rabbi Harry Levi, who served as rabbi from 1911 to 1939, led to changes within the religious school by implementing new policies such as paying teachers, establishing branch schools, and refocusing the curriculum on more traditional Jewish subjects. He officiated at the first congregational Seder, held in 1913. Abram Vossen Goodman stated, "For the first time we liberal Jews indicated that we wanted to participate in old Pesach traditions with our own version." This seder was the first to follow the Reform-sponsored Union Haggadah. Rabbi Levi commenced radio broadcasts of sermons in 1924, which led to his being known as the "Radio Rabbi."[3]

With his installation in 1954, Rabbi Gittelsohn—the first Jewish chaplain of the United States Marine Corps—brought a new commitment to social action to Temple Israel during his tenure.[4] During his time as the rabbi of Temple Israel, the congregation started the Boston Ruleville Interfaith Committee (BRIC) in 1959.[5] In April 1965, during a visit to Boston, Martin Luther King Jr. visited Temple Israel and spoke at their Passover event.[6]

Murray Simon was installed as the Temple's first cantor in 1972 and in the following year, a new sanctuary was completed as part of the expanded Riverway campus, with a commissioned sculpture by Louise Nevelson, called Sky Covenant, placed at the synagogue's entrance.[7]

In 2004 the congregation celebrated its 150th anniversary, and after Massachusetts became the first U. S. state to legalize gay marriage, gay marriage ceremonies were held at the synagogue.[8]

Rabbi Elaine Zecher was elected as the senior rabbi of the congregation in 2016, the first woman to hold that post.[9][10] She succeeded Rabbi Ronne Friedman, who had become the senior rabbi in 1999, who had in turn succeeded Rabbi Bernard Mehlman.[11] The first female cantor was appointed in 2020: Alicia Stillman succeeded Roy Einhorn, who became emeritus after 27 years.

Community life

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Tikkun Central

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Tikkun Central is the umbrella for all justice and compassion activities at Temple Israel, whether directed inward toward the Temple Israel community or outward towards the larger communities within which Temple Israel resides.[12][13]

Center for Adult Jewish Learning at Temple Israel of Boston

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Religious School (Pre-K through 7)

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Temple Israel offers a supplemental education program with classes for Pre-K through 7th graders.

On-site resources

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Temple Israel Archives

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Temple Israel is the second-oldest congregation in the Boston area, and the largest Reform congregation in New England. Founded in 1854 in Boston, its long history follows the rise of the local Jewish community.[14][15] The Temple Israel Archives serves as the repository for records, documents, publications, and images relating to the history and administration of Temple Adath Israel of Boston. These records document the congregational history and provide primary source material to assist the clergy, staff, and members of the synagogue. The Archives also serve as a resource for researchers who are interested in the history of Boston's Jewish community, or in family research.

Wyner Museum

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The Wyner Museum was established in 1980 and houses the Temple Israel Judaica collection.[16]

Dr. Arnold L. Segel Library Center

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The library, named in memory of Temple member Dr. Arnold L. Segel, has over 20,000 books, audio- and visual-recordings, books on CD, journals and newspapers on Jewish subjects ranging from Bible to Zohar (mystical text). Temple Israel members, students, and staff may borrow materials from the library. The library is open to the public for reading and research on site. The librarian, who has over 25 years of experience, and her staff are available to help with individual research projects, and can help you find resources on any topic from just about any location, physical or virtual. The library is a member of the Massachusetts Library System's Inter-Library Loan program.

Rabbinical leaders

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The following individuals have served as senior rabbis of the congregation:

Ordinal Name Years Notes
1 Joseph Sachs 1854–1856 [17]
2 Joseph Shoninger 1856–1874 Served as hazan[18]
3 Solomon Schindler 1874–1894 [19]
4 Charles Fleischer 1894–1911 [19]
5 Harry Levi 1911–1939 [19]
6 Joshua L. Liebman 1936–1948 [19]
7 Abraham J. Klausner 1949–1953 [20]
8 Roland B. Gittelsohn 1953–1977 Emeritus: 1977–1995[21]
9 Bernard H. Mehlman 1977–1999 Emeritus: 1999–present
10 Ronne Friedman 1999–2016 Emeritus: 2016–present
11 Elaine Zecher 2016–present

Architecture

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In 1884–1885, the congregation erected the oldest purpose-built synagogue that remains standing in Massachusetts. The Rundbogenstil-styled building, with twin towers and a rose window in the form of a Magen David, stands at 600 Columbus Avenue, at the corner of Northampton. Today, it is the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.[2]: 176 [22]

In 1906, the congregation moved to a new building that is now the Morse Auditorium of Boston University.[2]: 177 

In 1926, the congregation began work on a new temple, on the Riverway at Longwood Avenue in Roxbury, just across the Muddy River from Brookline. The "monumental" Neoclassical building was designed as an enormous domed sanctuary with flanking wings. Only the west wing, about one-fifth of the planned space, was completed before the stock market crash of 1929.[2]: 196  The auditorium and religious school on Longwood Avenue were supplemented by a new modernist sanctuary in 1973.[23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Temple Israel of Boston". hwpi.harvard.edu. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e Sarna, Jonathan D.; Smith, Ellen, eds. (1995). The Jews of Boston. Boston: Northeastern University Press. ISBN 1555532179.
  3. ^ "Some John Shepard History". www.bostonradio.org. Retrieved September 14, 2024. WNAC was the first station in Boston to offer live broadcasts of synagogue services, beginning January 20, 1924; Rabbi Harry Levi, "the Radio Rabbi", becomes the first rabbi to use broadcasting as a way of teaching tolerance and educating the public about what Jews believe. He becomes so popular that two books of his radio sermons are issued.
  4. ^ "December 13: Rabbi Roland B. Gittelsohn". Jewish Currents. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  5. ^ "Our Story". Temple Israel of Boston. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  6. ^ "The day Dr. King visited Boston Common in 1965 – The Bay State Banner". baystatebanner.com. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  7. ^ "Sky Covenant, (sculpture)". siris-artinventories.si.edu. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  8. ^ Schwartz, Penny (May 10, 2014). "Massachusetts Jews reflect on a decade of same-sex marriage". The Times of Israel.
  9. ^ "A Leader Among Men". Brandeis Magazine. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  10. ^ Sweeney, Chris (December 5, 2017). "Elaine Zecher, Talk of the Temple". Boston Magazine. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  11. ^ "Our Rabbis & Cantor". Temple Israel website. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  12. ^ "Temple Israel of Boston". pluralism.org. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  13. ^ Puterman, Tali (January 25, 2021). "Community Leadership Immersive Programs: B'nai Mitzvah Projects in a Virtual World". eJewishPhilanthropy. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  14. ^ "Temple Israel of Boston - Digital Commonwealth". www.digitalcommonwealth.org. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  15. ^ "A Guide to Boston's Religiously Significant Sites – AHA". Historians. December 1, 2010. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  16. ^ "Wyner Museum". Temple Israel of Boston. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  17. ^ "Boston Temple Will Observe 80th Birthday". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. March 20, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  18. ^ "From the American Scene: Boston's Jewish Community: Earlier Days". Commentary Magazine. May 1, 1953. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  19. ^ a b c d "Four Rabbis in Search of American JudaismCommentary on a History of Boston's Temple Israel". Commentary Magazine. February 1, 1955. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  20. ^ "Rabbi Abraham Klausner Named Rabbi of Temple Israel in Boston; Succeeds Dr. Liebman". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. March 20, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2024.
  21. ^ Stout, David (December 15, 1995). "Roland Gittelsohn, 85, Rabbi and a Marine Chaplain on Iwo Jima". New York Times. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  22. ^ Gordon, Mark W., "Rediscovering Jewish Infrastructure: Update on United States Nineteenth Century Synagogues." American Jewish History, 84.1, 1996, p. 11–27. 2019 article update.
  23. ^ "Our History". Temple Israel website. Retrieved October 20, 2016.

Further reading

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  • Dwyer-Ryan, Meaghan; Porter, Susan L.; Fagin Davis, Lisa (2009). Becoming American Jews: Temple Israel of Boston. Waltham: Brandeis University Press.
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