Temple of Israel | |
---|---|
Religion | |
Affiliation | Reform Judaism |
Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Synagogue |
Leadership |
|
Year consecrated | May 12, 1876 |
Status | Active |
Location | |
Location | 1 South Fourth Street, Wilmington, North Carolina 28401 |
Country | United States |
Location in North Carolina | |
Geographic coordinates | 34°14′08″N77°56′40″W / 34.23546°N 77.9444°W |
Architecture | |
Architect(s) | Samuel Sloan |
Type | Synagogue |
Style | |
Date established | 1872 (as a congregation) |
Completed | 1876 |
Specifications | |
Dome(s) | Two |
Materials | Masonry; stucco |
Website | |
temple-of-israel |
The Temple of Israel is a Reform Jewish synagogue located on the corner of Fourth and Market Streets in Wilmington, North Carolina, in the United States. [1] Built in 1876, the Temple of Israel is the oldest synagogue in North Carolina and one of the earliest Reform synagogues in the American South. [2] [3] Temple of Israel is led by Rabbi Emily Losben-Ostrov. [4]
Sephardic Jews first arrived in North Carolina during the early 18th century. [3] By 1852, a Jewish Burial Society was formed in Wilmington with a Hebrew cemetery opening in 1855. [5] An Orthodox Jewish congregation was formed in 1867, but did not succeed. In 1872, a Reform congregation was started by German Jews and their synagogue, the Temple of Israel, was dedicated on May 12, 1876. [3] [6]
Designed by Samuel Sloan, [7] the synagogue is a combination of Greek Revival and Moorish Revival styles. The Moorish architecture is unique in the city of Wilmington, but was common during late 19th century for many American synagogues. The synagogue features horseshoe arches and twin towers topped with golden onion domes. [3] [8] The building's exterior was restored in 1982, 2000 and 2013. [6] It is a contributing building in the Wilmington Historic District.
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, bar and bat mitzvahs, 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.
Congregation Emanu-El of New York is the first Reform Jewish congregation in New York City. It has served as a flagship congregation in the Reform branch of Judaism since its founding in 1845. The congregation uses Temple Emanu-El of New York, one of the largest synagogues in the world.
Synagogue architecture often follows styles in vogue at the place and time of construction. There is no set blueprint for synagogues and the architectural shapes and interior designs of synagogues vary greatly. According to tradition, the Shekhinah or divine presence can be found wherever there is a minyan, a quorum, of ten. A synagogue always contains an Torah ark where the Torah scrolls are kept, called the aron qodesh by Ashkenazi Jews and the hekhal by Sephardic Jews.
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Congregation Rodeph Shalom, is an historic Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue located at 615 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Established in 1795, it is the oldest Ashkenazic synagogue in the Western Hemisphere. It is noted historically for its leadership of the Reform movement among American Hebrew congregations, for its spiritual influence upon international Jewry, and for its unique 1927 Byzantine and Moorish Revival synagogue building, with Art Deco finishes, on North Broad Street, listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2007.
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.
Congregation Mishkan Israel is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 785 Ridge Road, in Hamden, Connecticut, in the United States. Founded in 1840, it is the oldest Jewish congregation in both Connecticut and New England, and the 14th oldest continuous operating synagogue in the United States.
Ahavath Beth Israel, officially Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel, is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 11 North Latah Street, in Boise, Idaho, in the United States. Its 1896 building is amongst the oldest synagogues in continuous use west of the Mississippi River. The congregation is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism.
Temple House of Israel is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue located at 15 North Market Street, in Staunton, Virginia, in the United States. Founded in 1876 by Major Alexander Hart, it originally held services in members' homes, then moved to a building on Kalorama street in 1885, the year it joined the Union for Reform Judaism.
Temple Israel is a Reform Jewish synagogue located at 2323 Fremont Avenue South, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the United States. Founded in 1878, it is the oldest synagogue in Minneapolis and one of the largest Jewish congregations in the United States.
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Arthur Bluethenthal, nicknamed "Bluey", was an All-American football player for Princeton University, who died in combat fighting for France in World War I.