The congregation started in 1920 as the North Shore branch of Sinai Congregation, and is the oldest Reform Synagogue in the Chicago North Shore suburbs. The decision to establish a separate congregation had been a subject of concerned discussion for a number of years, and was perceived as an important step in the evolution of the Jewish presence in the North Shore as a separate community.[1] The first full-time rabbi was Harvey Wessel in 1926.[2]
The congregation's 1964 building is located on a 19-acre lakefront parcel, formerly the location of a 1911 mansion that was designed by Chicago architect David Adler for his uncle, hat manufacturer Charles A. Stonehill, and was later owned by Syma Cohen Busiel, the co-founder of Lady Esther cosmetics, before it was sold to the congregation in 1961 for $500,000.[3][4] The building was designed by the well-known, Detroit-based modernist architect Minoru Yamasaki. Yamasaki composed the building as a series of arching fan vaults. The voids between the concrete shells of the fan vaults are filled with colored glass above and clear glass at eye level. Yamasaki describes his design as "a confluence of daylight and solids."[5] The building has been described as representative of "a period of post-war modernism that was characterized by assertive architectural gestures that had the strength and integrity to stand alone, without applied artwork or Jewish iconography."[5] Architecture critic Samuel D. Gruber chose an image of the interior of Yamasaki's sanctuary for the cover of his book American Synagogues: A Century of Architecture and Jewish Community,[6] and has noted that this "dramatic, awe-inspiring space" was "hard to use by a congregation, so a smaller sanctuary was built in 1979. Together, the two connected buildings create a portrait of Jewish aspirations in the late-20th century."[7]
In celebration of the 2018 Illinois Bicentennial, the North Shore Congregation Israel Synagogue was selected as one of the Illinois 200 Great Places [8] by the American Institute of Architects Illinois component (AIA Illinois).
^"Glencoe Estate Is Party Setting: Famed Mansion to Be Razed". Chicago Tribune. August 27, 1961. p. 8:2. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
^ abStoltzman, Henry; Stoltzman, Daniel (2004). Synagogue Architecture in America; Path, Spirit, and Identity. Images Publishing. p. 193.
^Smorol, Lorraine (September 15, 2004). . Syracuse New Times. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 17, 2015. – via HighBeam Research(subscription required)
^"10 great places to share history of the Jewish faith". USA Today. September 30, 2005. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
^Waldinger, Mike (January 30, 2018). "The proud history of architecture in Illinois". Springfield Business Journal. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
External linksEdit
Official website
at Archive.org
North Shore Congregation Israel Synagogue
Society of Architectural Historians SAH ARCHIPEDIA entry on North Shore Congregation Israel Synagogue
north, shore, congregation, israel, reform, synagogue, located, 1185, sheridan, road, glencoe, illinois, congregation, started, 1920, north, shore, branch, sinai, congregation, oldest, reform, synagogue, chicago, north, shore, suburbs, decision, establish, sep. North Shore Congregation Israel is a Reform synagogue located at 1185 Sheridan Road in Glencoe Illinois The congregation started in 1920 as the North Shore branch of Sinai Congregation and is the oldest Reform Synagogue in the Chicago North Shore suburbs The decision to establish a separate congregation had been a subject of concerned discussion for a number of years and was perceived as an important step in the evolution of the Jewish presence in the North Shore as a separate community 1 The first full time rabbi was Harvey Wessel in 1926 2 The congregation s 1964 building is located on a 19 acre lakefront parcel formerly the location of a 1911 mansion that was designed by Chicago architect David Adler for his uncle hat manufacturer Charles A Stonehill and was later owned by Syma Cohen Busiel the co founder of Lady Esther cosmetics before it was sold to the congregation in 1961 for 500 000 3 4 The building was designed by the well known Detroit based modernist architect Minoru Yamasaki Yamasaki composed the building as a series of arching fan vaults The voids between the concrete shells of the fan vaults are filled with colored glass above and clear glass at eye level Yamasaki describes his design as a confluence of daylight and solids 5 The building has been described as representative of a period of post war modernism that was characterized by assertive architectural gestures that had the strength and integrity to stand alone without applied artwork or Jewish iconography 5 Architecture critic Samuel D Gruber chose an image of the interior of Yamasaki s sanctuary for the cover of his book American Synagogues A Century of Architecture and Jewish Community 6 and has noted that this dramatic awe inspiring space was hard to use by a congregation so a smaller sanctuary was built in 1979 Together the two connected buildings create a portrait of Jewish aspirations in the late 20th century 7 In celebration of the 2018 Illinois Bicentennial the North Shore Congregation Israel Synagogue was selected as one of the Illinois 200 Great Places 8 by the American Institute of Architects Illinois component AIA Illinois North Shore CongregationReferences Edit Ebner Michael H 1988 Creating Chicago s North Shore A Suburban History University of Chicago Press pp 226 237 ISBN 978 0226182056 Excerpts available at Google Books Olitzky Kerry Raphael Marc 1996 The American Synagogue A Historical Dictionary and Sourcebook Greenwood Press p 135 Salny Stephen M 2001 The Country Houses of David Adler W W Norton amp Company pp 24 27 ISBN 978 0393730456 Excerpts available at Google Books Glencoe Estate Is Party Setting Famed Mansion to Be Razed Chicago Tribune August 27 1961 p 8 2 Retrieved March 17 2015 a b Stoltzman Henry Stoltzman Daniel 2004 Synagogue Architecture in America Path Spirit and Identity Images Publishing p 193 Smorol Lorraine September 15 2004 Temples of Swoon Syracuse New Times Archived from the original on April 2 2015 Retrieved March 17 2015 via HighBeam Research subscription required 10 great places to share history of the Jewish faith USA Today September 30 2005 Retrieved March 17 2015 Waldinger Mike January 30 2018 The proud history of architecture in Illinois Springfield Business Journal Retrieved January 30 2018 External links EditOfficial website Architectural tour at Archive org North Shore Congregation Israel Synagogue Society of Architectural Historians SAH ARCHIPEDIA entry on North Shore Congregation Israel Synagogue 42 09 01 N 87 45 31 W 42 1502 N 87 7585 W 42 1502 87 7585 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title North Shore Congregation Israel amp oldid 1145125831, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
