Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum

Last updated
Capital Jewish Museum
Capital Jewish Museum Logo.png
Location map Washington, D.C. central.png
Red pog.svg
Location within central Washington, D.C.
Former name
  • Lillia & Albert Small
    Jewish Museum
  • Jewish Historical Society
    of Greater Washington
Established
  • 1975 (1975) (museum)
  • 1960 (1960) (historical society)
Location575 3rd Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20008
Coordinates 38°53′55″N77°00′55″W / 38.898565°N 77.015212°W / 38.898565; -77.015212
Type
Website capitaljewishmuseum.org
Adas Israel Synagogue (original)
Adas Israel Synagogue.JPG
Adas Israel Synagogue in 2008
Built1876
ArchitectMax Kleinman; J. William & Co.
NRHP reference No. 69000288 [1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPMarch 24, 1969
Designated DCIHSMarch 7, 1968

The Capital Jewish Museum, officially the Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum, is a historical society and museum in Washington, D.C., focused on the history of Jewish life in the American capital city and the surrounding Washington metropolitan area.

Contents

Formerly known as the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington (JHSGW), the organization adopted a new name in 2018 as it prepared for the opening of its new museum facility. [2] The organization was founded in 1960 and incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1965. [3] From 1975 to 2016, it operated the Lillian & Albert Small Jewish Museum in the historic Adas Israel Synagogue building, an 1876 structure that is the oldest surviving synagogue in the city. [3] [4] [5] The synagogue building has been moved three times in its history, with a final move in 2019 to become part of the Capital Jewish Museum. [6] [7] [8]

Planned museum

Plans call for the Capital Jewish Museum to be a $34 million, 25,000-square-foot (2,300-square-meter) facility located in the Judiciary Square and Capitol Crossing neighborhood of Northwest Washington, D.C. [6] [9] According to the organization, the new four-story building at 3rd and F Streets NW will include three floors of exhibit and programming space. It will incorporate the historic synagogue that formerly housed the museum, with the sanctuary "restored to its original appearance." [9] [10] The museum refers to the historic synagogue as the "centerpiece" and "largest artifact" of the new museum. [9] Other artifacts in the museum's collection include a lace collar worn by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; a notebook used by Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis; [11] photographs of Jewish life in Washington, such as a 1925 image of President Calvin Coolidge dedicating a local Jewish Community Center; [6] a banner carried by Jewish lobbyist Hyman Bookbinder at the 1963 March on Washington; [5] a kippah (yarmulke) from a White House Hanukkah celebration; and items from local Jewish businesses and families, such as a bookstore sign and a wedding cup. [12]

Adas Israel Synagogue

The historic Adas Israel Synagogue was built in 1876 at 6th and G Streets, Northwest to house the Adas Israel Congregation. President of the United States Ulysses S. Grant attended the synagogue's dedication on June 9, 1876, marking the first Jewish service attended by a sitting president. [13] The building is the oldest surviving synagogue building in the District of Columbia.

Adas Israel Synagogue being moved in 2017. This was the second time the building has been relocated. Lillian & Albert Small Jewish Museum relocation 1.jpg
Adas Israel Synagogue being moved in 2017. This was the second time the building has been relocated.

Over the following decades, an influx of immigrants from Eastern Europe and Russia swelled the congregation's numbers. The congregation continued to worship in the original synagogue until 1908, when a new building at Sixth and I Streets, NW was dedicated. The congregation later moved again, and the latter building is known today as the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. [6] [14]

The original 1876 building was sold to Stephen Gatti, an Italian-American fruit dealer and real estate investor who lived a block away. In the 1910s, Saint Sophia's Greek Orthodox Church worshiped in the second-floor sanctuary. A succession of churches followed in the 1920s to 1940s. During the course of the next 60 years, the former synagogue's first floor was divided into retail spaces and housed a bicycle shop, barber, Joseph Funger's grocery store, Anthony Litteri's delicatessen, and other businesses. [6]

In the 1960s, plans for the construction of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority headquarters at the 6th and G intersection threatened the building with demolition. [6] With the support of federal and city agencies, the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington arranged to move the building three city blocks to Third and G Streets, NW. [13] On September 1, 1969, President Richard Nixon signed a law authorizing the District of Columbia government to purchase the building and lease it to the Society for historic preservation purposes at $1 a year for 99 years.

The historic synagogue building was restored by the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington and became the home of the Lillian & Albert Small Jewish Museum starting in 1975. [15]

The historic synagogue building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites, and Historic American Buildings Survey. It is among the oldest synagogue buildings still standing in the United States. [16] It is also an official project of the Save America's Treasures program.

Relocation to Capital Jewish Museum site (2016-2021)

Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish museum.jpg

Starting in 2016, the development of the Capitol Crossing project required the building to move again, as the District of Columbia government sold the land on which it sat. [13] In response, the museum was closed so that the building could be moved to a new permanent home, where it would re-open as part of a new museum building that would be constructed around the historic synagogue.

The move proceeded in two stages. First, the structure was first moved about 50 feet to a temporary location on Third Street NW, to await the construction of a parking garage that would serve as its permanent base. [13] Then, in early 2019, the building was moved to its final stop at the corner of Third and F Streets, NW. Local elected officials attended the move and gave speeches, and a rabbi offered a traveler's prayer. [11] At the new location, the synagogue will face east, in accordance with Jewish custom. [6] It is now part of the Capital Jewish Museum.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judiciary Square</span> Neighborhood in Ward 6, United States

Judiciary Square is a neighborhood in the northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C., the vast majority of which is occupied by various federal and municipal courthouses and office buildings. Judiciary Square is located roughly between Pennsylvania Avenue to the south, H Street to the north, 6th Street to the west, and 3rd Street to the east. The center of the neighborhood is an actual plaza named Judiciary Square. The Square itself is bounded by 4th Street to the east, 5th Street to the west, D Street and Indiana Avenue to the south, and F Street to the north. The neighborhood is served by the Judiciary Square station on the Red Line of the Washington Metro, in addition to Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority bus stops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">16th Street NW</span> Road in Washington, D.C.

16th Street Northwest, briefly known as the Avenue of the Presidents, is a prominent north-south boulevard in Washington, D.C., located in Northwest D.C. The street was laid out as part of the 1791 L'Enfant Plan, which served as the original blueprint for the city. The street begins just north of the White House, across from Lafayette Square in the President's Park, and continues north along the Washington meridian until Blair Circle.

Jews in Philadelphia can trace their history back to Colonial America. Jews have lived in Philadelphia since the arrival of William Penn in 1682.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington Hebrew Congregation</span> Reform Jewish synagogue in Washington, D.C.

Washington Hebrew Congregation, abbreviated as WHC, is a Reform Jewish synagogue location at 3935 Macomb Street NW, in Washington, D.C., in the United States. Established as a congregation in 1852, the congregation manages two places of worship, the temple in Washington, D.C., completed in 1955, and the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center, a community center, located at 11810 Falls Road, Potomac, Maryland, completed in 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congregation Mikveh Israel</span> Synagogue in Philadelphia

Congregation Mikveh Israel, is a Sephardic Orthodox Jewish synagogue located at 44 North Fourth Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The congregation traces its history from 1740. Mikveh Israel is a Spanish and Portuguese congregation that follows the rite of the Amsterdam esnoga. It is the oldest synagogue in Philadelphia, and the longest running in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ohev Sholom Congregation</span> Orthodox synagogue in Washington, D.C.

Ohev Sholom Congregation is the oldest Orthodox synagogue in the Shepherd Park neighborhood of Washington, D.C., in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B'nai Israel Synagogue (Baltimore)</span> Synagogue in Baltimore, Maryland, United States

B'nai Israel Synagogue is a Modern Orthodox synagogue located in the historic Jonestown neighborhood, near downtown and the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States. The synagogue is one of the oldest synagogue buildings in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temple Adas Israel (Brownsville, Tennessee)</span> Historic Reform synagogue in Tennessee, US

Temple Adas Israel is an historic Reform Jewish synagogue located at the intersection of Washington and College streets in Brownsville, West Tennessee. Built in 1882 by German Jewish immigrants and descendants, it is the oldest synagogue building in Tennessee and one of fewer than one hundred surviving 19th-century synagogues in the country. On January 19, 1979, Temple Adas Israel was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lloyd Street Synagogue</span> Historical former Reform synagogue in Baltimore, Maryland, United States

The Lloyd Street Synagogue is a Reform and Orthodox Jewish former synagogue located on Lloyd Street, Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States. The Greek Revival-style building is the third oldest synagogue building in the United States and was the first synagogue building erected in Maryland. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and designated as a Baltimore City Landmark in 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congregation Beth Israel (Scottsdale, Arizona)</span> Reform Jewish synagogue in Scottsdale, Arizona, US

Congregation Beth Israel is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 10460 North 56th Street in Scottsdale, Arizona, in the United States. Incorporated in 1920, the congregation affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism in 1935.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adas Israel Congregation (Washington, D.C.)</span> Largest Conservative synagogue in Washington, D.C.

Adas Israel is a Conservative synagogue in the Cleveland Park neighborhood of Washington, D.C., in the United States. It is the largest Conservative synagogue in the city.

Adath Israel or Adas Israel may refer to the following Jewish synagogues:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sixth & I Historic Synagogue</span> Jewish synagogue in Washington, D.C.

The Sixth & I Historic Synagogue is a non-denominational, non-membership, non-traditional Jewish congregation and synagogue located at the corner of Sixth Street and I Street, NW in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. It is one of the oldest synagogues in the city. In addition to hosting religious services for different Jewish denominations, the synagogue hosts many lectures, concerts, and art exhibitions for the general public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congregation Adas Emuno (New Jersey)</span> Reform Jewish synagogue in New Jersey, US

Congregation Adas Emuno is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue in Leonia, Bergen County, New Jersey, in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oheb Shalom Congregation</span> Conservative Jewish synagogue in New Jersey, United States

Oheb Shalom Congregation is an egalitarian, Conservative Jewish congregation and synagogue located in South Orange, Essex County, New Jersey, in the United States. The synagogue is affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Museum of American Jewish Military History</span> Museum in Washington D.C., U.S.

The National Museum of American Jewish Military History (NMAJMH) was founded September 2, 1958, in Washington, D.C., to document and preserve "the contributions of Jewish Americans to the peace and freedom of the United States...[and to educate] the public concerning the courage, heroism and sacrifices made by Jewish Americans who served in the armed forces." It operates under the auspices of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America (JWV), National Memorial, Inc. (NMI), and is located at 1811 R Street NW, Washington, D.C., in the Dupont Circle area, in the same building that houses the JWV National Headquarters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edlavitch Jewish Community Center of Washington, D.C.</span>

The Edlavitch Jewish Community Center of Washington, D.C. is a Jewish Community Center located in the historic district of Dupont Circle. It serves the Washington, D.C. area through religious, cultural, educational, social, and sport center programs open to the public, although many programs are strongly linked to Jewish culture, both in the United States and in Israel. It is part of the JCC Association (JCCA), the umbrella organization for the Jewish Community Center movement, which includes more than 350 JCCs, YM-YWHAs, and camp sites in the U.S. and Canada, in addition to 180 local JCCs in the Former Soviet Union, 70 in Latin America, 50 in Europe, and close to 500 smaller centers in Israel.

The history of the Jews in Washington, D.C. dates back to the late 18th century and continues today. From only individual Jews settling in the city to the waves of Jewish migration in the 1840s, during the American Civil War, and in the late 19th century to the early 20th century and beyond, the community has steadily grown.

References

  1. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. ↑ "About Us". Capital Jewish Museum. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  3. 1 2 "Mission & History | Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington | Lillian and Albert Small Jewish Museum". Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington. Archived from the original on 2016-06-23. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  4. ↑ "About Us". Capital Jewish Museum. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  5. 1 2 ABC7, John Gonzalez and Sam Ford (2019-01-09). "DC's oldest synagogue moves to site of new Capital Jewish Museum". WJLA. Retrieved 2019-11-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Lefrak, Mikaela (2019-01-09). "Yes, That Was D.C.'s Oldest Synagogue Moving Down The Street (Again)". WAMU. Retrieved 2019-07-03.
  7. ↑ Myers, Phyllis (August 14, 2005). "The Temple That Traveled". Washington Post . Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Historic Synagogue". Capital Jewish Museum. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  9. 1 2 3 "Making the Museum". Capital Jewish Museum. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  10. ↑ Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum / Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington (2018). "2018 Annual Report" (PDF). Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  11. 1 2 Malet, Jeff (2019-01-10). "Oldest Synagogue Building Moves to New D.C. Site (photos)". The Georgetowner. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  12. ↑ "Collections". Capital Jewish Museum. Retrieved 2019-11-18.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Austermuhle, Martin (2016-11-03). "A 273-Ton D.C. Synagogue Is Being Moved To Make Way For Development. Again". WAMU. Retrieved 2019-07-03.
  14. ↑ "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form". National Park Service. December 1968. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Lillian & Albert Small Jewish Museum | AMERICAN HERITAGE". www.americanheritage.com. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  16. ↑ Gordon, Mark W. (1996). "Rediscovering Jewish Infrastructure: Update on United States Nineteenth Century Synagogues". American Jewish History. Project MUSE, Johns Hopkins University. 84 (1): 11–27. Retrieved May 22, 2018– via jhu.edu. 2019 article update.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.