Anshe Sholom B'nai Israel (Hebrew for: "People of Peace" followed by "Children of Israel") is a Modern Orthodox congregation located in the Lakeview neighborhood on the north side of Chicago, Illinois.[1]
The Anshe Sholom B'nai Israel Congregation was founded in 1870 as Ohave Sholom (Lovers of Peace) by a group of Lithuanian Jewish families primarily from Marijampolė, Lithuania.[2] This congregation is considered to be the oldest Orthodox congregation still existing in Chicago.[3]
In the summer of 1870, Duber (Dov Ber) Ginsburg, an immigrant from Marijampolė, appeared for services at the Bais Medrash Hagodol synagogue wearing a straw hat. The leaders of the shul considered it frivolous and threw him out. Offended, Ginsburg assembled a minyan (congregation) from his old-country friends and founded a competing shul (synagogue), Ohave Sholom Mariampol, at Polk and Dearborn Streets.
In 1871 the Great Chicago Fire drove many homeless Jewish men and women into the neighborhood, and membership grew rapidly. In 1892, the congregation merged with the Anshe Kalvarier shul (whose building had been demolished when 12th Street, now Roosevelt Road, was widened) and adopted the name, "Anshe Sholom Congregation." In 1894, they retained their first rabbi, Abraham Samuel Braude, who served until his death in 1907. It was long known unofficially as "The Mariampoler Shul" and also informally as "The Straw Hat Shul."
In 1910 Saul Silber became the rabbi and the congregation moved west into a new domed building by Chicago architect Alexander Levy at Polk and Ashland. However, the Jewish community was moving farther west into the Lawndale district, and so the congregation opened a branch on Homan Avenue and during the 1920s sold the Ashland Avenue structure to a Greek Orthodox Christian congregation. They soon built another building at Independence and Polk. It was also at this time that Silber helped to establish the Hebrew Theological College and served without salary as its first president, while continuing at Anshe Sholom until his death in 1946.
In 1940, a group of members opened a branch called "Lakeview Anshe Sholom Center" in a converted greystone residence at 540 West Melrose Street on the North Side, where Herman Davis became the rabbi in 1945.
Under Davis the congregation constructed a school building directly east of Anshe Sholom. After this a new shul was erected, and dedicated in 1959.
In 1960, the last few members of Congregation B'nai Israel in Old Town ceased operations in the 1300 block of Sedgwick Street, and the shul became "Lakeview Anshe Sholom B'nai Israel." Two years later the main Anshe Sholom Congregation on Independence Boulevard also merged, creating the present shul's name.
After Davis' death in 1975 Joseph Deitcher became the rabbi, and after Deitcher's death in 1994 Asher Lopatin succeeded him. In 2013, David Wolkenfeld succeeded Asher Lopatin and served as the rabbi for 10 years.
^Passing on the Faith: Transforming Traditions for the Next Generation of Jews, Christians, and Muslims, James Heft, Fordham Univ Press, 2006, p. 117, 119
^Ethnic Chicago: A Multicultural Portrait, By Melvin G. Holli, Peter d'Alroy Jones, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1995, p. 579
^The Jews of Chicago: From Shtetl to Suburb, Irving Cutler, University of Illinois Press, 1996, p. 283
External links
Anshe Sholom B'nai Israel Congregation Homepage
July 07, 2023
anshe, sholom, israel, similarly, named, synagogues, israel, hebrew, people, peace, followed, children, israel, modern, orthodox, congregation, located, lakeview, neighborhood, north, side, chicago, illinois, contents, history, also, references, external, link. For similarly named synagogues see B nai Israel Anshe Sholom B nai Israel Hebrew for People of Peace followed by Children of Israel is a Modern Orthodox congregation located in the Lakeview neighborhood on the north side of Chicago Illinois 1 Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksHistory EditThe Anshe Sholom B nai Israel Congregation was founded in 1870 as Ohave Sholom Lovers of Peace by a group of Lithuanian Jewish families primarily from Marijampole Lithuania 2 This congregation is considered to be the oldest Orthodox congregation still existing in Chicago 3 In the summer of 1870 Duber Dov Ber Ginsburg an immigrant from Marijampole appeared for services at the Bais Medrash Hagodol synagogue wearing a straw hat The leaders of the shul considered it frivolous and threw him out Offended Ginsburg assembled a minyan congregation from his old country friends and founded a competing shul synagogue Ohave Sholom Mariampol at Polk and Dearborn Streets In 1871 the Great Chicago Fire drove many homeless Jewish men and women into the neighborhood and membership grew rapidly In 1892 the congregation merged with the Anshe Kalvarier shul whose building had been demolished when 12th Street now Roosevelt Road was widened and adopted the name Anshe Sholom Congregation In 1894 they retained their first rabbi Abraham Samuel Braude who served until his death in 1907 It was long known unofficially as The Mariampoler Shul and also informally as The Straw Hat Shul In 1910 Saul Silber became the rabbi and the congregation moved west into a new domed building by Chicago architect Alexander Levy at Polk and Ashland However the Jewish community was moving farther west into the Lawndale district and so the congregation opened a branch on Homan Avenue and during the 1920s sold the Ashland Avenue structure to a Greek Orthodox Christian congregation They soon built another building at Independence and Polk It was also at this time that Silber helped to establish the Hebrew Theological College and served without salary as its first president while continuing at Anshe Sholom until his death in 1946 In 1940 a group of members opened a branch called Lakeview Anshe Sholom Center in a converted greystone residence at 540 West Melrose Street on the North Side where Herman Davis became the rabbi in 1945 Under Davis the congregation constructed a school building directly east of Anshe Sholom After this a new shul was erected and dedicated in 1959 In 1960 the last few members of Congregation B nai Israel in Old Town ceased operations in the 1300 block of Sedgwick Street and the shul became Lakeview Anshe Sholom B nai Israel Two years later the main Anshe Sholom Congregation on Independence Boulevard also merged creating the present shul s name After Davis death in 1975 Joseph Deitcher became the rabbi and after Deitcher s death in 1994 Asher Lopatin succeeded him In 2013 David Wolkenfeld succeeded Asher Lopatin and served as the rabbi for 10 years See also EditHistory of the Jews in ChicagoReferences Edit Passing on the Faith Transforming Traditions for the Next Generation of Jews Christians and Muslims James Heft Fordham Univ Press 2006 p 117 119 Ethnic Chicago A Multicultural Portrait By Melvin G Holli Peter d Alroy Jones Wm B Eerdmans Publishing 1995 p 579 The Jews of Chicago From Shtetl to Suburb Irving Cutler University of Illinois Press 1996 p 283External links EditAnshe Sholom B nai Israel Congregation Homepage Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Anshe Sholom B 27nai Israel amp oldid 1160967316, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
