Etz Chaim Synagogue

For other uses, see Etz Chaim.

Etz Chaim Synagogue
Exterior view of the synagogue, in 2015
Religion
Affiliation	Judaism
Rite	Orthodox Nusach Sefard (1917–c. 2003) Non-denominational (since c. 2003)
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Synagogue Jewish history museum
Leadership	Rabbi Gary S. Berenson
Location
Location	267 Congress Street, Portland, Maine 04101
Country	United States
Location in Maine
Coordinates	43°39′44″N70°15′09″W / 43.662095°N 70.252478°W / 43.662095; -70.252478
Architecture
General contractor	Louis Serota
Established	1917 (1917)(as a congregation)
Completed	1921
Website
etzchaim-portland.org

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.

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

1. "The Great Outdoors: A winter walk through history on Portland's Congress Street". The Forecaster. December 23, 2010.
2. "The Story of Etz Chaim". Maine Jewish Museum.
3. "Retirement will wait for Gary Berenson, Portland's newest rabbi". The Forecaster. March 25, 2014.
4. "Restoration of synagogue complete for 100th anniversary". Portland Press Herald. January 12, 2021. Retrieved February 15, 2024– via Associated Press.

External links

• Official website
• "Etz Chaim" (panoramic still images). Synagogues 360. 2024.