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Congregation Beth Israel (Gadsden, Alabama)

December 03, 2023

For similarly named synagogues, see Beth Israel.

Congregation Beth Israel (Hebrew: בית ישראל) was a Reform synagogue, located for most of its history at 761 Chestnut Street in Gadsden, Alabama.[3] An outgrowth of Gadsden's Jewish religious school, it was founded in 1908 and incorporated in 1910.[4][5] It moved into its Chestnut Street building in 1922,[1][4] and joined the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in 1924.[4]

Beth Israel
Religion
AffiliationReform Judaism
StatusInactive
Location
Location761 Chestnut Street,
Gadsden, Alabama,
 United States
Geographic coordinates34°00′51″N 86°00′39″W / 34.014076°N 86.010783°W / 34.014076; -86.010783
Architecture
StyleClassical Revival[1]
Groundbreaking1922[2]
Completed1923[2]
Website
bethisraelcongregation.org

From 1911 to 1944 it had no rabbi, and was led by "lay-religious-leader" Hugo Hecht.[2][4] In 1944, Beth Israel hired its first full-time rabbi, Ernest Appel.[2]

The synagogue was fire-bombed and its windows smashed in 1960, during a Friday night service. Two members who rushed outside were wounded with a shotgun by the attacker, a young Nazi sympathizer.[6]

Membership was never high; the congregation had 38 members families in 1918,[5] and this grew to 60 families in 1960.[2] Membership fell as major employers closed operations, and Jews emigrated from Gadsden. By 2008, family membership was down to 26.[2] The synagogue closed in 2010.[2]

Early history edit

Founded in 1908,[4] and incorporated in January 1910,[5] Beth Israel grew out of Gadsden's Jewish religious school, which was established in 1903.[4] Initially the congregation had no rabbi. Every second Sunday from 1910 to 1911, Ferdinand Hirsch, a student rabbi, would come to Gadsden and teach the Sunday School in the morning and hold services in the afternoon.[4]

Hugo Hecht, a young immigrant from Germany, acted as "lay-religious-leader" from 1911 to 1944.[2][4] He conducted Shabbat and funeral services, wrote sermons, taught the Sunday school, and acted as secretary and treasurer. After a number of years, officers of the temple decided he should be given a remuneration of $20/week for his work.[2]

Membership was 38 families by 1918. The congregational school held classes weekly, and had 15 students and 3 teachers. That year the synagogue's total income was $700 (today $13,600).[5]

Beth Israel broke ground and laid the cornerstone for its Classical Revival building at 761 Chestnut Street in March 1922, and moved in the following year.[1][2][4][7] The Masonic dedication service was attended by hundreds of Gadsden citizens, and the main speaker was Reverend W.R. Rigell of the First Baptist Church.[7] The completed structure had a stained-glass window with the Biblical verse fragment "LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF" (Leviticus 19:18) above the front door.[2]

The congregation joined the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in 1924.[4] Gadsden's Jewish community was not as badly affected by the Great Depression as others in more agriculturally-based towns, and benefited from an influx of Jewish servicemen from nearby Camp Sibert during World War II.[2]

Full-time rabbis edit

In 1944 Beth Israel hired its first full-time rabbi, Ernest Appel. From a long line of rabbis from Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Poland), Appel emigrated to the United States in 1936 as a refugee from Nazi Germany. By 1946, when he moved to a synagogue in Maryland, the congregation had grown to nearly 30 families.[2]

After receiving ordination from Hebrew Union College, Saul J. Rubin became Beth Israel's rabbi in September, 1958.[8] There he met and married Elsie Parsons, Hecht's granddaughter.[9] Rubin served until 1960, when he became assistant rabbi at Congregation Beth Ahabah in Richmond, Virginia.[8]

Antisemitic attack edit

On March 25,[10] 1960, the synagogue and its members were subject to an antisemitic attack. About 180 members were attending a Friday evening service to dedicate the new Zemurray Social Hall, and led by then-rabbi Saul Rubin and Rev. John Speaks and Dr. Franklin Denson of First Methodist Church, when windows were smashed and the synagogue fire-bombed. Two members—Alvin Lowi and Alan Cohn—who rushed out to see what was happening were met by Jerry Hunt, a 16-year-old Nazi sympathizer, who wounded them both with a shotgun, then fled. Lowi was just shot in the hand, but one of Cohn's aortas was nicked, and he almost died, requiring 22 US pints (10 L) of blood.[2][6][7] Earlier that week Hunt had attended a rally for antisemitic and white supremacist politician John G. Crommelin, and had had a fight with a Jewish boy over a chess game at the Gadsden Community Centre.[2]

Decline edit

Membership peaked in 1960, at 60 families. In the 1970s and 1980s factories of major employers such as Republic Steel, and many Jewish-owned stores closed and younger members emigrated in search of employment.[2] Following a significant period without a full-time rabbi, the congregation engaged Rabbi Arnold Fertig from 1977 to 1979. In the 1980s and early 1990s the rabbis were Fred Raskind[11][12][13][14] and Mark Peilen.[14][15][16] Family membership was still 57 in the early 1980s,[15] but dropped to 43 in 1993, 38 in 2000, and only 26 by 2008.[2] That year the youngest member was 48, and there were no children for the educational programs.[2]

As of 2009, the rabbi was Scott Saulson of Atlanta, who came in once a month to provide services.[2][3] A former member of the Peace Corps, graduate of Hebrew Union College, and PhD in Semitics from the University of South Africa, Saulson was also chaplain at the Atlanta Jewish Family & Career Services, and was a speaker for the Darfur Coalition of Georgia.[17] The congregation still held services weekly, but, as was the case during most of its early history, they were lay-led.[2]

In 2010, the congregation ceased operation.[2] The congregation's website stated that the synagogue had closed, effective July 1, 2010.[18]

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c Preisler (2008).
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Gadsden, Alabama, Institute of Southern Jewish Life website.
  3. ^ a b Leaders and Contact, Synagogue website (January 11, 2008).
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j History, Synagogue website.
  5. ^ a b c d American Jewish Yearbook, Vol. 21, p. 338.
  6. ^ a b Webb (2003), pp. 142-143.
  7. ^ a b c Alabama Historical Association Newsletter, Vol. 25 Iss. 1, p. 13.
  8. ^ a b Shinedling (1963), p. 1491.
  9. ^ Rubin (1983), p. 332.
  10. ^ Webb (2003), pp. 142-143 and Alabama Historical Association Newsletter, Vol. 25 Iss. 1, p. 13 state that the attack was on March 25, when people were gathered for a Friday evening service. Gadsden, Alabama, Institute of Southern Jewish Life website gives the date as March 26. Friday evening that year was March 25.
  11. ^ Central Conference of American Rabbis (1984), p. 394.
  12. ^ Central Conference of American Rabbis (1991), p. 380.
  13. ^ Webb (2003), p. xi.
  14. ^ a b Central Conference of American Rabbis (1991), p. 367.
  15. ^ a b Rosen (1983), p. 4.
  16. ^ Central Conference of American Rabbis (1991), p. 378.
  17. ^ Speakers Bureau, Darfur Coalition of Georgia website.
  18. ^ Leaders and Contact, Synagogue website.

References edit

  • (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2011-02-13. (3.48 MB)], Alabama Historical Association, Alabama Department of Archives and History website, Volume 25, Issue 1, Spring 2010.
  • American Jewish Committee. ""Directories"" (PDF). (6.06 MB), American Jewish Year Book, Jewish Publication Society, Volume 21 (1919–1920).
  • Central Conference of American Rabbis Ninety-Third Annual Convention, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1984. ISBN 978-0-916694-93-7
  • Year book of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, Volume 96, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1987.
  • Central Conference of American Rabbis Annual Convention: One-Hundred-First Convention, Central Conference of American Rabbis, 1991. ISBN 978-0-88123-031-4
  • Congregation Beth Israel website.
    • History 2008-05-14 at the Wayback Machine, Congregation Beth Israel website. Accessed February 13, 2011.
    • , Congregation Beth Israel website. Accessed February 13, 2011.
    • Leaders and Contact, Congregation Beth Israel website, January 11, 2008. Accessed February 13, 2011.
  • , Darfur Coalition of Georgia website. Accessed August 19, 2009.
  • Gadsden, Alabama, Goldring / Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life website. February 13, 2011.
  • Preisler, Julian H. Alabama Sample Page[permanent dead link], American Synagogues: A Photographic Journey, 2008. Accessed November 12, 2010.
  • Rosen, Oded. The Encyclopedia of Jewish Institutions: United States & Canada, Mosadot Publications, 1983.
  • Rubin, Saul Jacob. Third to None: The Saga of Savannah Jewry, 1733–1983, S.J. Rubin, 1983.
  • Shinedling, Abraham Isaac. West Virginia Jewry: Origins and History, 1850–1958, Volume 3, Press of M. Jacobs, 1963.
  • Webb, Clive. Fight Against Fear: Southern Jews and Black Civil Rights, University of Georgia Press, 2003. ISBN 978-0-8203-2555-2

External links edit

    December 03, 2023
    congregation, beth, israel, gadsden, alabama, similarly, named, synagogues, beth, israel, congregation, beth, israel, hebrew, בית, ישראל, reform, synagogue, located, most, history, chestnut, street, gadsden, alabama, outgrowth, gadsden, jewish, religious, scho. For similarly named synagogues see Beth Israel Congregation Beth Israel Hebrew בית ישראל was a Reform synagogue located for most of its history at 761 Chestnut Street in Gadsden Alabama 3 An outgrowth of Gadsden s Jewish religious school it was founded in 1908 and incorporated in 1910 4 5 It moved into its Chestnut Street building in 1922 1 4 and joined the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in 1924 4 Beth IsraelReligionAffiliationReform JudaismStatusInactiveLocationLocation761 Chestnut Street Gadsden Alabama United StatesGeographic coordinates34 00 51 N 86 00 39 W 34 014076 N 86 010783 W 34 014076 86 010783ArchitectureStyleClassical Revival 1 Groundbreaking1922 2 Completed1923 2 Websitebethisraelcongregation wbr orgFrom 1911 to 1944 it had no rabbi and was led by lay religious leader Hugo Hecht 2 4 In 1944 Beth Israel hired its first full time rabbi Ernest Appel 2 The synagogue was fire bombed and its windows smashed in 1960 during a Friday night service Two members who rushed outside were wounded with a shotgun by the attacker a young Nazi sympathizer 6 Membership was never high the congregation had 38 members families in 1918 5 and this grew to 60 families in 1960 2 Membership fell as major employers closed operations and Jews emigrated from Gadsden By 2008 family membership was down to 26 2 The synagogue closed in 2010 2 Contents 1 Early history 2 Full time rabbis 3 Antisemitic attack 4 Decline 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksEarly history editFounded in 1908 4 and incorporated in January 1910 5 Beth Israel grew out of Gadsden s Jewish religious school which was established in 1903 4 Initially the congregation had no rabbi Every second Sunday from 1910 to 1911 Ferdinand Hirsch a student rabbi would come to Gadsden and teach the Sunday School in the morning and hold services in the afternoon 4 Hugo Hecht a young immigrant from Germany acted as lay religious leader from 1911 to 1944 2 4 He conducted Shabbat and funeral services wrote sermons taught the Sunday school and acted as secretary and treasurer After a number of years officers of the temple decided he should be given a remuneration of 20 week for his work 2 Membership was 38 families by 1918 The congregational school held classes weekly and had 15 students and 3 teachers That year the synagogue s total income was 700 today 13 600 5 Beth Israel broke ground and laid the cornerstone for its Classical Revival building at 761 Chestnut Street in March 1922 and moved in the following year 1 2 4 7 The Masonic dedication service was attended by hundreds of Gadsden citizens and the main speaker was Reverend W R Rigell of the First Baptist Church 7 The completed structure had a stained glass window with the Biblical verse fragment LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF Leviticus 19 18 above the front door 2 The congregation joined the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in 1924 4 Gadsden s Jewish community was not as badly affected by the Great Depression as others in more agriculturally based towns and benefited from an influx of Jewish servicemen from nearby Camp Sibert during World War II 2 Full time rabbis editIn 1944 Beth Israel hired its first full time rabbi Ernest Appel From a long line of rabbis from Breslau Germany now Wroclaw Poland Appel emigrated to the United States in 1936 as a refugee from Nazi Germany By 1946 when he moved to a synagogue in Maryland the congregation had grown to nearly 30 families 2 After receiving ordination from Hebrew Union College Saul J Rubin became Beth Israel s rabbi in September 1958 8 There he met and married Elsie Parsons Hecht s granddaughter 9 Rubin served until 1960 when he became assistant rabbi at Congregation Beth Ahabah in Richmond Virginia 8 Antisemitic attack editOn March 25 10 1960 the synagogue and its members were subject to an antisemitic attack About 180 members were attending a Friday evening service to dedicate the new Zemurray Social Hall and led by then rabbi Saul Rubin and Rev John Speaks and Dr Franklin Denson of First Methodist Church when windows were smashed and the synagogue fire bombed Two members Alvin Lowi and Alan Cohn who rushed out to see what was happening were met by Jerry Hunt a 16 year old Nazi sympathizer who wounded them both with a shotgun then fled Lowi was just shot in the hand but one of Cohn s aortas was nicked and he almost died requiring 22 US pints 10 L of blood 2 6 7 Earlier that week Hunt had attended a rally for antisemitic and white supremacist politician John G Crommelin and had had a fight with a Jewish boy over a chess game at the Gadsden Community Centre 2 Decline editMembership peaked in 1960 at 60 families In the 1970s and 1980s factories of major employers such as Republic Steel and many Jewish owned stores closed and younger members emigrated in search of employment 2 Following a significant period without a full time rabbi the congregation engaged Rabbi Arnold Fertig from 1977 to 1979 In the 1980s and early 1990s the rabbis were Fred Raskind 11 12 13 14 and Mark Peilen 14 15 16 Family membership was still 57 in the early 1980s 15 but dropped to 43 in 1993 38 in 2000 and only 26 by 2008 2 That year the youngest member was 48 and there were no children for the educational programs 2 As of 2009 update the rabbi was Scott Saulson of Atlanta who came in once a month to provide services 2 3 A former member of the Peace Corps graduate of Hebrew Union College and PhD in Semitics from the University of South Africa Saulson was also chaplain at the Atlanta Jewish Family amp Career Services and was a speaker for the Darfur Coalition of Georgia 17 The congregation still held services weekly but as was the case during most of its early history they were lay led 2 In 2010 the congregation ceased operation 2 The congregation s website stated that the synagogue had closed effective July 1 2010 18 Notes edit a b c Preisler 2008 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Gadsden Alabama Institute of Southern Jewish Life website a b Leaders and Contact Synagogue website January 11 2008 a b c d e f g h i j History Synagogue website a b c d American Jewish Yearbook Vol 21 p 338 a b Webb 2003 pp 142 143 a b c Alabama Historical Association Newsletter Vol 25 Iss 1 p 13 a b Shinedling 1963 p 1491 Rubin 1983 p 332 Webb 2003 pp 142 143 and Alabama Historical Association Newsletter Vol 25 Iss 1 p 13 state that the attack was on March 25 when people were gathered for a Friday evening service Gadsden Alabama Institute of Southern Jewish Life website gives the date as March 26 Friday evening that year was March 25 Central Conference of American Rabbis 1984 p 394 Central Conference of American Rabbis 1991 p 380 Webb 2003 p xi a b Central Conference of American Rabbis 1991 p 367 a b Rosen 1983 p 4 Central Conference of American Rabbis 1991 p 378 Speakers Bureau Darfur Coalition of Georgia website Leaders and Contact Synagogue website References edit Alabama Historical Association Newsletter PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2012 10 23 Retrieved 2011 02 13 3 48 MB Alabama Historical Association Alabama Department of Archives and History website Volume 25 Issue 1 Spring 2010 American Jewish Committee Directories PDF 6 06 MB American Jewish Year Book Jewish Publication Society Volume 21 1919 1920 Central Conference of American Rabbis Ninety Third Annual Convention Central Conference of American Rabbis 1984 ISBN 978 0 916694 93 7 Year book of the Central Conference of American Rabbis Volume 96 Central Conference of American Rabbis 1987 Central Conference of American Rabbis Annual Convention One Hundred First Convention Central Conference of American Rabbis 1991 ISBN 978 0 88123 031 4 Congregation Beth Israel website History Archived 2008 05 14 at the Wayback Machine Congregation Beth Israel website Accessed February 13 2011 Leaders and Contact Congregation Beth Israel website Accessed February 13 2011 Leaders and Contact Congregation Beth Israel website January 11 2008 Accessed February 13 2011 Speakers Bureau Darfur Coalition of Georgia website Accessed August 19 2009 Gadsden Alabama Goldring Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life website February 13 2011 Preisler Julian H Alabama Sample Page permanent dead link American Synagogues A Photographic Journey 2008 Accessed November 12 2010 Rosen Oded The Encyclopedia of Jewish Institutions United States amp Canada Mosadot Publications 1983 Rubin Saul Jacob Third to None The Saga of Savannah Jewry 1733 1983 S J Rubin 1983 Shinedling Abraham Isaac West Virginia Jewry Origins and History 1850 1958 Volume 3 Press of M Jacobs 1963 Webb Clive Fight Against Fear Southern Jews and Black Civil Rights University of Georgia Press 2003 ISBN 978 0 8203 2555 2External links editCongregation Beth Israel website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Congregation Beth Israel Gadsden Alabama amp oldid 1186878658, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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