Beth HaMedrosh Hagodol – Beth Joseph, known locally as BMH – BJ or simply BMH, and for a period after 2012 also known as The Denver Synagogue,[1] is an Orthodoxsynagogue located in Denver, Colorado, in the United States.[2]
Beth HaMedrosh Hagodol (BMH-the Great House of Study) originated as a modern Orthodox synagogue in 1897 under the leadership of shoe merchant Henry Plonsky.[3] BMH rented the original Temple Emanuel building at 19th and Curits for holiday services until it purchased the former home of Temple Emanuel in 1898. The building was severely damaged by fire in 1902.
Rabbi Charles Eliezer Hillel Kauvar came to BMH in 1902 and served until 1952. BMH laid the cornerstone of their new building on Rosh Hashanah 1916 and was a major civic event, drawing DU chancellor and former Colorado governor Henry Buchtel, Judge Benjamin Barr Lindsey and former Denver School Superintendent William H. Smiley. The congregation occupied this building until 1966; after BMH left, the building served a variety of uses, falling into increasing disrepair before an extensive remodel in 2008 converted the building into a Messianic Christian church.[4][5] In 1963, BMH secured 6.2 acres (25,000 m2) at 560 S. Monaco Parkway and the building was completed in 1969.
The congregation was a founding member of the United Synagogue of America (now called the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism), the primary organization of American Conservative Judaism. Rabbi Kauvar was the first vice-president of the organization, and BMH remained affiliated with the Conservative movement until 1955, when Rabbi Kauvar (by then serving as the emeritus rabbi) was influential in causing the congregation to leave the United Synagogue. BMH hired its first Orthodox rabbi in 1956.[6]Stanley M. Wagner became the rabbi in 1972 and BMH joined the Orthodox Union, but it maintained several ritual practices not typically followed at OU-affiliates.[3][7]
BMH's Monaco Parkway building was also the home of the Mizel Museum of Judaica, a museum co-founded by Denver businessman Larry Mizel, from the museum's founding in 1982 until it relocated in 2002.[8]
Merged congregationedit
In 2007, BMH merged with Beth Joseph, an Orthodox congregation founded in 1922, to become Beth HaMedrosh Hagodol-Beth Joseph.[9][10]
Prior to resigning its affiliation with the Orthodox Union (OU) at the end of 2015, it was the only OU affiliated synagogue in the country without a mechitza, thus allowing men and women to sit together. It was the only surviving example of a seating style that had previously been present in a substantial number of Orthodox Union affiliated synagogues, and resigned from the OU after learning the organization planned to expel them over the mixed seating issue.[11] Today, BMH-BJ describes itself as an "independent orthodox congregation".[12]
beth, hamedrosh, hagodol, beth, joseph, similarly, named, synagogues, beth, hamedrash, hagodol, disambiguation, beth, hamedrosh, hagodol, beth, joseph, known, locally, simply, period, after, 2012, also, known, denver, synagogue, orthodox, synagogue, located, d. For similarly named synagogues see Beth Hamedrash Hagodol disambiguation Beth HaMedrosh Hagodol Beth Joseph known locally as BMH BJ or simply BMH and for a period after 2012 also known as The Denver Synagogue 1 is an Orthodox synagogue located in Denver Colorado in the United States 2 Beth HaMedrosh Hagodol Beth JosephReligionAffiliationOrthodox JudaismEcclesiastical or organizational statusSynagogueLeadershipRabbi Yaakov ChaitovskyStatusActiveLocationLocation560 South Monaco Parkway Denver Colorado 80224CountryUnited StatesLocation in ColoradoGeographic coordinates39 42 20 N 104 54 44 W 39 70556 N 104 91222 W 39 70556 104 91222ArchitectureDate established1996 merged congregation 1897 Beth HaMedrosh Hagodol 1992 Beth Joseph Completed1969Websitebmh bj wbr org Contents 1 History 1 1 Beth HaMedrosh Hagodol 1 2 Merged congregation 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksHistory editBeth HaMedrosh Hagodol edit Beth HaMedrosh Hagodol BMH the Great House of Study originated as a modern Orthodox synagogue in 1897 under the leadership of shoe merchant Henry Plonsky 3 BMH rented the original Temple Emanuel building at 19th and Curits for holiday services until it purchased the former home of Temple Emanuel in 1898 The building was severely damaged by fire in 1902 Rabbi Charles Eliezer Hillel Kauvar came to BMH in 1902 and served until 1952 BMH laid the cornerstone of their new building on Rosh Hashanah 1916 and was a major civic event drawing DU chancellor and former Colorado governor Henry Buchtel Judge Benjamin Barr Lindsey and former Denver School Superintendent William H Smiley The congregation occupied this building until 1966 after BMH left the building served a variety of uses falling into increasing disrepair before an extensive remodel in 2008 converted the building into a Messianic Christian church 4 5 In 1963 BMH secured 6 2 acres 25 000 m2 at 560 S Monaco Parkway and the building was completed in 1969 The congregation was a founding member of the United Synagogue of America now called the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism the primary organization of American Conservative Judaism Rabbi Kauvar was the first vice president of the organization and BMH remained affiliated with the Conservative movement until 1955 when Rabbi Kauvar by then serving as the emeritus rabbi was influential in causing the congregation to leave the United Synagogue BMH hired its first Orthodox rabbi in 1956 6 Stanley M Wagner became the rabbi in 1972 and BMH joined the Orthodox Union but it maintained several ritual practices not typically followed at OU affiliates 3 7 BMH s Monaco Parkway building was also the home of the Mizel Museum of Judaica a museum co founded by Denver businessman Larry Mizel from the museum s founding in 1982 until it relocated in 2002 8 Merged congregation edit In 2007 BMH merged with Beth Joseph an Orthodox congregation founded in 1922 to become Beth HaMedrosh Hagodol Beth Joseph 9 10 Prior to resigning its affiliation with the Orthodox Union OU at the end of 2015 it was the only OU affiliated synagogue in the country without a mechitza thus allowing men and women to sit together It was the only surviving example of a seating style that had previously been present in a substantial number of Orthodox Union affiliated synagogues and resigned from the OU after learning the organization planned to expel them over the mixed seating issue 11 Today BMH BJ describes itself as an independent orthodox congregation 12 See also editConservadoxReferences edit BMH BJ unveils a new logo and identity Intermountain Jewish News October 11 2012 Archived from the original on September 12 2015 BMH BJ Mile Chai Synagogue Directory a b Olitzky Kerry M 1996 The American Synagogue A Historical Dictionary and Sourcebook Greenwood Publishing Group pp 70 71 ISBN 978 0313288562 via Google Books Noel Tom June 2 2001 Hiding the Heritage of a Building Rocky Mountain News via Highbeam com Jacobs Andrea November 20 2008 Then BMH now church in the city Intermountain Jewish News Archived from the original on July 14 2014 Kauvar Charles Eliezer Hillel Encyclopaedia Judaica 2nd ed 2007 Wagner Stanley M Encyclopaedia Judaica 2nd ed 2007 Dahlia Jean Weinstein Luminaries Mark Mizel Museum s 20th Anniversary Rocky Mountain News June 17 2002 Denver Encyclopaedia Judaica 2nd ed 2007 Mary Voelz Chandler Mizel Museum Exhibits Power Glory of Great Synagogues Rocky Mountain News March 16 1997 Leppek Chris BMH BJ resigns from OU ponders its future direction Intermountain Jewish News Our Community BMH BJ External links editOfficial website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Beth HaMedrosh Hagodol Beth Joseph amp oldid 1217275249, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
