Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim

Last updated

Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim
Alex temple 6.jpg
Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim
Religion
Affiliation Reform Judaism
Rite Nusach Ashkenaz
Ecclesiastical or organisational status Synagogue
LeadershipRabbi Raina Siroty
StatusActive
Location
Location2021 Turner Street, Alexandria, Louisiana
CountryUnited States
USA Louisiana relief location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location in Louisiana
Geographic coordinates 31°17′53″N92°27′17″W / 31.2979616°N 92.4548251°W / 31.2979616; -92.4548251
Architecture
Architect(s) Max Heinberg
TypeSynagogue
Style Mid-Century modernist
Date established1859 (as a congregation)
Completed1952
Specifications
Capacity350 worshippers
Materials Brick
Website
jewishtemple.org

Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim known locally as "The Jewish Temple" is an historic Jewish synagogue located in Alexandria, Louisiana, in the United States. Founded in 1859 by Jews from the Alsace region of France, it is one of the oldest congregations in Louisiana and one of the original founding members of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, now known as the Union for Reform Judaism.

Contents

History

Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim was originally established as the Hebrew Benevolent Society of Rapides Parish in 1852 in order to provide a Jewish Cemetery for burials. One belief for this is that certain families bought a burial ground when a small outbreak of yellow fever claimed six Jewish lives in the early 1850s. Eventually, the society evolved into a congregation in 1859. [1] The first President of the Temple was Isaac Levy.

In 1860, the Jewish women of Alexandria assembled to found the Ladies' Hebrew Benevolent Society in order to raise money to buy real estate on which a temple could be built. The Ladies Hebrew Benevolent Society eventually changed its name to the Temple Sisterhood. In 1869, the Temple Sisterhood held a fundraising ball to raise money to build a synagogue at the corner of Third and Fiske Streets. Construction of the temple concluded in 1871. Two years later the congregation joined the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (now URJ) and hired Rabbi Marx Klein as its first rabbi.

Gemiluth Chassodim experienced great increase in its membership, from 123 families in 1925, to 154 families in 1930 and 203 families in 1945. The "Second Temple," which stood as an imposing Greek Revival structure (more than three stories tall) with a dome burned in 1956. The congregation had already constructed its current Mid-Century modern structure on Turner Street in the early 1950s. Designed by Max Heinberg, it stands as a unique example of Mid-Century modern architecture even to this day. In the early 1960s, the current sanctuary, offices, and classrooms were added. The sanctuary is capable of holding some 350 people at maximum capacity.

Thirty-four presidents and 25 rabbis have served the temple. In 2013, Rabbi Harley Karz-Wagman became the twenty-fifth rabbi of the Temple after leaving Mt. Sinai Synagogue in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In 2016, Rabbi Peter Schaktman served the congregation.

The congregation hired its first female clergy member since its founding in 1859, Rabbi Cantor Raina Siroty in 2017.

Today

Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim remains an active part of the Greater Alexandria community. It serves as a regional synagogue drawing in members from such neighboring communities as: Natchitoches, Leesville, Natchez, Winnfield, and Fort Johnson. Its current membership consists of approximately 120 member families with a religious school of 30 students. Its previous two rabbis, Martin Hinchin and Arnold Task served a combined 52 years in their service to the congregation.

Shabbat services are held weekly on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings. The Temple actively hosts numerous guest speakers, concerts, and cultural events for the Jewish and non-Jewish communities of Alexandria.

Rabbis

Below is a listing of the rabbis who have served the congregation since 1873: [2]


Notable members

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Synagogue</span> Place of worship for Jews and Samaritans

A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It has a place for prayer where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as weddings, b'nai mitzvah, choir performances, and children's plays. They also have rooms for study, social halls, administrative and charitable offices, classrooms for religious and Hebrew studies, and many places to sit and congregate. They often display commemorative, historic, or modern artwork alongside items of Jewish historical significance or history about the synagogue itself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temple Emanu-El of West Essex</span> Former Reform Jewish synagogue in New Jersey, US

Temple Emanu-El of West Essex is a former Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue that was located at 264 West Northfield Road, in Livingston, in the West Essex section of New Jersey, in the United States. Founded in 1955, the congregation merged with Temple Sinai in Summit in 2018, due to financial reasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congregation Ner Tamid</span> Synagogue in Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Congregation Ner Tamid, officially Congregation Ner Tamid of South Bay, is a Conservative Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 5721 Crestridge Road, Rancho Palos Verdes, Los Angeles, California, in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chachmei Lublin Yeshiva Synagogue</span> Synagogue in Poland

The Synagogue in Chachmei Lublin Yeshiva is a synagogue located in Lublin, Poland, in the building of Chachmei Lublin Yeshiva, on Lubartowska 85 Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temple Sinai (Oakland, California)</span> Reform Jewish synagogue in California, United States of America

Temple Sinai is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue located at 2808 Summit Street in Oakland, California, in the United States. Founded in 1875, it is the oldest Jewish congregation in the East San Francisco Bay region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congregation Beth Israel (Worcester, Massachusetts)</span>

Congregation Beth Israel is an egalitarian Conservative synagogue and congregation located at 15 Jamesbury Drive in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States. Founded in 1924 as an Orthodox synagogue, the congregation formally affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism in 1949, and describes itself as the "leading Conservative congregation in Central Massachusetts."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congregation Beth Israel Ner Tamid (Milwaukee)</span> United States historic place

Congregation Beth Israel Ner Tamid is an egalitarian Conservative synagogue located at 6880 North Green Bay Road in Glendale, a suburb north of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congregation Beth Yeshurun (Houston)</span> Synagogue

Congregation Beth Yeshurun is a Conservative synagogue at 4525 Beechnut Street, Houston, Texas, in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodef Sholom (San Rafael, California)</span> Reform Jewish synagogue in San Rafael, California, US

Congregation Rodef Sholom is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located on the Lonee C. Hoytt Jewish Campus, at 170 North San Pedro, in San Rafael, Marin County, California, in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temple Beth El (Alpena, Michigan)</span> Unaffiliated synagogue in Michigan, United States

Temple Beth-El is a non-denomational Jewish synagogue, located at 125 White Street, in Alpena, Michigan, in the United States. It is the only synagogue in northeastern Lower Michigan. The congregation is closely associated with the Hebrew Benevolent Society Cemetery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temple Israel (Tulsa, Oklahoma)</span>

Temple Israel is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue located at 2004 East 22nd Place in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the United States. Founded in 1914, the congregation affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism in 1915, and constructed its first building on the corner of 14th and Cheyenne Streets in 1919. Early rabbis included Jacob Menkes, Charles Latz, Samuel Kaplan, Jacob Krohngold, and Benjamin Kelsen.

Har Sinai – Oheb Shalom Congregation is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue located at 7310 Park Heights Avenue, in Pikesville, Baltimore County, Maryland, in the United States. Established in 1842 in Baltimore and known as Har Sinai Congregation, and in 1853 near Camden Yards as Temple Oheb Shalom, the two congregations merged in 2019 and is the oldest Reform congregation in the United States that has used the same prayer rite since its inception.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B'nai Israel Traditional Synagogue</span>

B'nai Israel Traditional Synagogue is a Conservative synagogue located at 1907 Vance Ave, Alexandria, Louisiana, in the United States. It was founded in 1913 as an Orthodox synagogue by Jews from Poland and Russia, many of whom arrived in Alexandria and Central Louisiana as part of the Galveston Movement. In the 1950s the congregation became Conservative.

Congregation Beth Adam is a Humanistic Jewish synagogue located in Loveland, Ohio. Beth Adam gives voice to Judaism with a humanistic perspective. The congregation was founded by Rabbi Robert B. Barr in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ahavas Shalom Reform Temple</span> Historic former Reform synagogue in Ligonier, Indiana, United States

Ahavas Shalom Reform Temple ) is an historic former Reform Jewish synagogue building located at 503 Main Street, in Ligonier, Noble County, Indiana, in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Country Reform Temple</span> Reform synagogue in New York (state), US

North Country Reform Temple-Ner Tamid is a Reform Jewish synagogue located at 86 Crescent Beach Road, in Glen Cove, Nassau County, New York, in the United States.

The Great Park Synagogue is an Orthodox synagogue situated in Houghton, Johannesburg. The present building was consecrated in 2000, after the congregation vacated their long-time home, the Great Synagogue on Wolmarans Street, Hillbrow in 1994, after eighty years. The Wolmarans Street synagogue came to be known as the city's mother synagogue and "the crown jewel of Orthodox Judaism in South Africa." All large-scale Jewish events in Johannesburg were held in the building, and throughout its existence it was the seat of the country's chief rabbi. Northward migration by congregation members led to the synagogue closing its doors in 1994. The relocated synagogue was built on the model of the Great Synagogue, whose own architecture in turn was inspired by the Hagia Sophia. Great Park Synagogue was also the original name of the synagogue on Wolmarans Street before it became the Great Synagogue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temple Adath Israel of the Main Line</span> Synagogue in Pennsylvania

Temple Adath Israel of the Main Line is a Conservative synagogue located in Merion, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The synagogue offers religious services, pre-school, Hebrew Sunday school, adult education, and community programming. It was founded in 1946 and moved to its current location in 1953. The congregation serves approximately 800 families. Rabbi Eric Yanoff has served as senior rabbi since 2010.

References

  1. "History of Alexandria Congregations". Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities. Goldring-Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Archived from the original on December 6, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2012.
  2. Hinchin, Martin. ""Four Score and Eleven:" A History of the Jews of Rapides Parish, Louisiana".