Congregation Emanu-El (San Francisco)

Last updated
Temple Emanu-El
Congregation Emanu-El.jpg
Religion
Affiliation Reform Judaism
LeadershipRyan Bauer (senior rabbi)
Joel Roos and Jon Holman (Presidents)
StatusActive
Location
Location2 Lake Street, San Francisco,
California, United States
Congregation Emanu-El (San Francisco)
Geographic coordinates 37°47′14″N122°27′35″W / 37.7872°N 122.4597°W / 37.7872; -122.4597
Architecture
Architect(s) Arthur Brown Jr.
Style Byzantine Revival
Completed1926
Specifications
Dome(s)1
Dome height (outer)150 feet
Website
http://www.emanuelsf.org

Congregation Emanu-El of San Francisco, California is one of the three oldest Jewish congregations in California, [a] and one of the largest Jewish congregations in the United States. A member of the Union for Reform Judaism, Congregation Emanu-El is a significant gathering place for the Bay Area Jewish community.

Contents

History

During the Gold Rush in 1849, a small group of Jews held the first High Holy Days services in a tent in San Francisco; it was the first Jewish service on the West Coast of the United States. [2] This group of traders and merchants founded Congregation Emanu-El sometime in 1850, and its charter was issued in April, 1851. The 16 signatories were mostly German Jews from Bavaria.

In 1860, Reform rabbi Elkan Cohn joined the Emanu-El congregation; in 1877, he led the congregation as the first in the West to join the Reform Movement. [2] As the Reform Movement in Judaism spread in the United States during the early twentieth century, the synagogue became affiliated with this framework.

In 1884 Julie Rosewald became America's first female cantor when she began serving in Emanu-El, although she was not ordained. [3] [4] She served as a cantor there until 1893. [3] [4]

Among its major programs today, the synagogue includes worship, youth and adult education programs, and also a major emphasis on social justice. [5]

Early Temple Emanu-El. Sutter Street, San Francisco, from Robert N. Dennis collection of stereoscopic views Jewish Synagogue, Congregation Emanu-El. Sutter Street, San Francisco, from Robert N. Dennis collection of stereoscopic views.png
Early Temple Emanu-El. Sutter Street, San Francisco, from Robert N. Dennis collection of stereoscopic views

Clergy

Stained glass window at Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco Stained glass window at Temple Emmanuel in San Francisco 2.jpg
Stained glass window at Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco
Mosaic at Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco Mosaic at Temple Emmanuel in San Francisco.jpg
Mosaic at Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco

Notable members

Notes

  1. ↑ Temple Israel (Stockton, California) was the first. The two next oldest congregations in California are Emanu-El and Sherith Israel in San Francisco. Both were founded in 1851. The two synagogues were founded simultaneously because the city's Jews could not agree on whether to follow the prayer customs of the Polish or German Jews. Emanu-El was founded as the congregation of the German Jews and Sherith Israel as the congregation of the Polish Jews. [1]

References

Pews at Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco Pews at Temple Emmanuel in San Francisco.jpg
Pews at Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco
  1. ↑ Sarna, Jonathan. American Judaism. Yale University Press, 2004. p. 73
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Emanu-El's pedigree: a towering presence". J. weekly. 1999-10-08. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  3. 1 2 "Julie Rosewald: America's first woman cantor". jwa.org.
  4. 1 2 "The Forgotten Woman Cantor: Julie Rosewald Now Getting Her Due - The Jewish Week". The Jewish Week. Archived from the original on 2016-05-14. Retrieved 2014-09-15.
  5. ↑ "Tikkun Tikvah - Working to Reform California's Criminal Justice System - Congregation Emanu-El". Congregation Emanu-El. Retrieved 2016-10-18.
  6. ↑ Kirschner, Robert (1991). "A Singular Elegance". In Rischin, Moses; Asher, Raphael (eds.). The Jewish legacy and the German conscience. Berkeley, CA: The Judah L. Magnes Museum. p. 47.

Further reading

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