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Congregation Beth Israel (Hebrew: בית ישראל) is an egalitarian Conservative synagogue and congregation located at 15 Jamesbury Drive in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States. Founded in 1924 as an Orthodox synagogue, the congregation formally affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism in 1949, and describes itself as the "leading Conservative congregation in Central Massachusetts."
| Beth Israel | |
|---|---|
Hebrew: בית ישראל | |
 Beth Israel synagogue building | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Conservative Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Synagogue |
| Leadership | Rabbi Aviva Fellman |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 15 Jamesbury Drive, Worcester, Massachusetts |
| Country | United States |
  Location in Massachusetts | |
| Administration | United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism |
| Geographic coordinates | 42°16′59″N 71°49′41″W / 42.283111°N 71.828077°W |
| Architecture | |
| Date established | 1924 (as a congregation) |
| Groundbreaking | 1958 |
| Completed |
|
| Construction cost | $735,000 (today $7.9 million) |
| Capacity |
|
| Website | |
| bethisraelworc | |
The congregation first worshipped at a house on Pleasant Street; it constructed a synagogue building in its place in 1939. It completed its current location on Jamesbury Drive in 1959.
The congregation hired its first permanent rabbi, Israel Chodos, in 1940. Subsequent rabbis have included Emanuel Green (1942-1944), Sidney Guthman (1944-1948), Herbert Ribner (1948–1955), Abraham Kazis (1955–1973), Baruch Goldstein (1971–1986), and Jay Rosenbaum (1983–2003). In 1994, the synagogue and Rosenbaum were the subject of the book And They Shall be My People: An American Rabbi and His Congregation by Paul Wilkes.
Joel Pitkowsky succeeded Rosenbaum as rabbi in 2003. Pitkowsky left in 2011 and was succeeded by Rabbi Steven Schwarzman. Rabbi Schwarzman left in 2014 and was succeeded by Rabbi Aviva Fellman.
Early history
Beth Israel was founded in 1924 as an Orthodox synagogue. The congregation initially worshiped at 835 Pleasant Street, in a house that had room for up to 75 worshipers. That same year it also founded a Sunday school.
Beth Israel hired its first permanent rabbi in 1940, and constructed its first building, on Pleasant Street (replacing the existing house) in July 1939, at a cost of $75,000 (today $1,700,000). The new building's sanctuary could accommodate 500 people. After World War II the congregation grew rapidly, from 242 member families in 1945, to 451 in 1953; by then the Hebrew school had 261 children in it. In 1945 the congregation voted to become Conservative, and in 1949 formally joined the United Synagogue of America (now United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism).
Herbert Ribner served as rabbi from 1948 to 1955, and was followed by Abraham Kazis in 1955. In 1957, Beth Israel was the second largest of Worcester's eleven Jewish congregations, with 532 member families; the largest, the Reform Temple Emanuel, had 1,340 member families (42 families were members of both).
Jamesbury Drive building
In 1953, Beth Israel purchased 12.9 acres (5.2 ha) of land on Jamesbury Drive for $42,000 (today $460,000), and began construction of their current building on it in 1958. Completed in 1959, the building cost $735,000 (today $7.9 million), of which over $300,000 (today $3.2 million) was mortgaged. The building had a main sanctuary that sat 476, a chapel with seating for 110, and a social hall that could accommodate up to 950 people. For the High Holidays, the sanctuary could be expanded into the social hall, providing seating for 1,450. The mortgage was retired in 15 years. The structure at 835 Pleasant Street was sold on September 10, 1959 to the Orthodox Shaarai Torah Synagogue, to serve as its west side branch.
Kazis was succeeded as congregational rabbi by Baruch Goldstein in 1971. A native of Mława (then in East Prussia), Goldstein had been sent to Auschwitz concentration camp in 1942. His entire family perished in the Holocaust, but he survived and emigrated to the United States, where he became a rabbi.
Goldstein was succeeded by Jay Rosenbaum in 1986. A graduate of New York University and Rutgers University, he had been ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTSA) in 1980.
1990s to present
In the early 1990s, the congregation still numbered around 530 member families. In 1994, the synagogue and Rosenbaum were the subject of the book And They Shall be My People: An American Rabbi and His Congregation, the observations of Paul Wilkes, who had spent two and a half years with Rosenbaum and the congregation.
During that period, the synagogue operated with annual budget deficit, which had risen to $210,000 (today $470,000). The board of directors raised annual dues from $650 (today $1,500) to $950 (today $2,100), but membership fell to 499 families, and Wilkes was concerned that Rosenbaum's job was threatened. By 1995, however, the deficit had been eliminated, and Rosenbaum was signed to a new three-year contract.
In the fall of 2001, Hazzan Devin Goldenberg was elected the Congregation's cantor, succeeding Hazzan Stephen Freedman. When Rabbi Rosenbaum left to lead Herzl-Ner Tamid Congregation in Mercer Island, Washington in the Spring of 2002, Hazzan Goldenberg continued to lead the Congregation alone until the Fall of 2003 when he was joined by Rabbi Joel Pitkowsky. Rabbi Pitkowsky, a graduate of Rutgers University and who received his ordination at the JTSA in 2001, had served as assistant rabbi of Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale before joining Beth Israel. Marina Shemesh joined as cantor in 2004. She was succeeded in 2010 by Elise Barber, a fifth year cantorial student at Hebrew College.
In 2014, Beth Israel hired its first female rabbi, Aviva Fellman.
Leadership
Rabbinical
| Name | Years | Emeritus |
|---|---|---|
| Israel Chodos | 1940–1942 | |
| Emanuel Green | 1942–1944 | |
| Sidney Guthman | 1944–1948 | |
| Herbert Ribner | 1948–1955 | |
| Abraham Kazis | 1955–1973 | |
| Baruch Goldstein | 1971–1986 | 1986–2017 |
| Jay Rosenbaum | 1986–2002 | |
| Joel Pitkowsky | 2003–2011 | |
| Steven Schwarzman | 2011–2014 | |
| Aviva Fellman | 2014– |
Baruch Goldstein served as Educator from 1952 to 1964 and Assistant Rabbi from 1971 to 1973. He served as the rabbi of Temple Emmanuel in Wakefield, Massachusetts from 1964-1971.
Cantorial
| Name | Years |
|---|---|
| Stanley Weinberger | 1982–1986 |
| Stephen Freedman | 1989–2001 |
| Devin Goldenberg | 2001–2004 |
| Marina Shemesh | 2004–2010 |
| Elise Barber | 2010–2012 |
| Annelise Ocanto | 2012–2015 |
| Jeri Robins | 2015–2017 |
Notes
- Rabbi, Beth Israel website.
- Aframe (2009), pp. 11–12.
- Wilkes (2000), p. 16.
- Synagogue Facilities, Beth Israel website.
- Beth Israel website.
- A Brief History of Congregation Beth Israel, Beth Israel website.
- About us, Beth Israel website.
- According to A Brief History of Congregation Beth Israel, Beth Israel website and Feingold (1991), p. 50. Borer (2009) gives the year as 1939.
- Goldstein (2008), p. 149.
- Borer (2009).
- Wilkes (2000), p. 348.
- Wilkes (2000), p. 344.
- Porter, Laura. Congregation Beth Israel Welcomes New Rabbi to Pulpit. Jewish Central Voice, Aug 2011.
- Wilkes (2000), p. 54.
- Minutes of Beth Israel meeting, July 17, 1939, Minutes of Board, vol. 1, p. 174.
- Worcester Jewish Federation (1958), p. 11.
- Feingold (1991), p. 50.
- Kuffner (2005).
- New books, University of Alabama Press, p. 7.
- Rabbi, Staff & Leaders, Herzl-Ner Tamid website.
- Wilkes (2000), p. 336.
- Flippen (September 22, 1995).
- Flippen (September 23, 1995).
- Cantor, Beth Israel website.
- Elise Barber,Cantorial Soloist, Beth Israel website.
- Anonymous. "Worcester Rabbi to Speak Here Thursday Night." The New London Evening Day, Nov 19 1940.
- Anonymous. "Beth El Elects Rabbi Chodos of Worcester." The Jewish Post (Indiana ed.) v. 11, no. 11, Aug 14 1942.
- Anonymous. "Temple Anshe Amonim To Celebrate 75th Anniversary." The Berkshire Evening Eagle, May 20, 1944.
- Board Minutes, Congregation Beth Israel, vol. 2, pp. 31, 115.
- Rabbi Baruch G. Goldstein, age 94 (June 1, 2017).
References
- Aframe, Jay Z. "A Tribute to the Beth Israel Family", Beth Israel Word, Winter 2009.
- Anonymous. Rabbi Baruch G. Goldstein, age 94. Accessed June 9, 2017.
- Borer, Howard. Worcester, Jewish Virtual Library, 2009. Accessed March 11, 2010.
- Congregation Beth Israel website. Accessed March 11, 2012.
- About us, Congregation Beth Israel website. Accessed March 11, 2012.
- Cantor, Congregation Beth Israel website, archived at the Internet Archive November 12, 2007. Accessed March 11, 2012.
- Elise Barber,Cantorial Soloist, Staff and Clergy, About Us, Congregation Beth Israel website. Accessed March 11, 2012.
- Rabbi Joel Pitkowsky, Staff and Clergy, About Us, Congregation Beth Israel website. Accessed March 11, 2012.
- A Brief History of Congregation Beth Israel, Who We Are, About Us, Congregation Beth Israel website. Accessed March 11, 2012.
- Synagogue Facilities, Who We Are, About Us, Congregation Beth Israel website. Accessed March 11, 2012.
- Feingold, Norma. Shaarai Torah: Life Cycle of a Synagogue, Worcester Historical Museum, 1991.
- Flippen, Alan. "A rabbi copes with high holiday Jews", Kingman Daily Miner (Associated Press), September 22, 1995.
- Flippen, Alan. "Many heed the call of High Holidays", Deseret News (Associated Press), September 23, 1995.
- Goldstein, Baruch. For Decades I Was Silent: A Holocaust Survivor's Journey Back to Faith, The University of Alabama Press, 2008.
- Rabbi, Staff & Leaders, Herzl-Ner Tamid website. Accessed March 11, 2010.
- Kuffner, Alex. "I'm going to tell you a sad story", The Providence Journal, June 2, 2005.
- ""New books"" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-11. (1.95 MB), University of Alabama Press catalog, Fall/Winter 2008.
- Wilkes, Paul. And They Shall be My People: An American Rabbi and His Congregation, Grove Press, 2000. ISBN 978-0-8021-3725-8
- ""The Jews of Worcester: A Population Study"" (PDF). (582 KB), Worcester Jewish Federation, 1958.
External links
- Congregation Beth Israel website
- Freedman, Samuel G. "In The Diaspora: Ghetto to ghetto", The Jerusalem Post, April 2, 2009.
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Congregation Beth Israel Hebrew בית ישראל is an egalitarian Conservative synagogue and congregation located at 15 Jamesbury Drive in Worcester Massachusetts in the United States Founded in 1924 as an Orthodox synagogue the congregation formally affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism in 1949 and describes itself as the leading Conservative congregation in Central Massachusetts Beth IsraelHebrew בית ישראלBeth Israel synagogue buildingReligionAffiliationConservative JudaismEcclesiastical or organizational statusSynagogueLeadershipRabbi Aviva FellmanStatusActiveLocationLocation15 Jamesbury Drive Worcester MassachusettsCountryUnited StatesLocation in MassachusettsAdministrationUnited Synagogue of Conservative JudaismGeographic coordinates42 16 59 N 71 49 41 W 42 283111 N 71 828077 W 42 283111 71 828077ArchitectureDate established1924 as a congregation Groundbreaking1958Completed1941 first synagogue 1959 current synagogue Construction cost 735 000 today 7 9 million Capacity476 Sanctuary110 Chapel950 Social hallWebsitebethisraelworc wbr org The congregation first worshipped at a house on Pleasant Street it constructed a synagogue building in its place in 1939 It completed its current location on Jamesbury Drive in 1959 The congregation hired its first permanent rabbi Israel Chodos in 1940 Subsequent rabbis have included Emanuel Green 1942 1944 Sidney Guthman 1944 1948 Herbert Ribner 1948 1955 Abraham Kazis 1955 1973 Baruch Goldstein 1971 1986 and Jay Rosenbaum 1983 2003 In 1994 the synagogue and Rosenbaum were the subject of the book And They Shall be My People An American Rabbi and His Congregation by Paul Wilkes Joel Pitkowsky succeeded Rosenbaum as rabbi in 2003 Pitkowsky left in 2011 and was succeeded by Rabbi Steven Schwarzman Rabbi Schwarzman left in 2014 and was succeeded by Rabbi Aviva Fellman Early historyBeth Israel was founded in 1924 as an Orthodox synagogue The congregation initially worshiped at 835 Pleasant Street in a house that had room for up to 75 worshipers That same year it also founded a Sunday school Pleasant Street building Beth Israel hired its first permanent rabbi in 1940 and constructed its first building on Pleasant Street replacing the existing house in July 1939 at a cost of 75 000 today 1 700 000 The new building s sanctuary could accommodate 500 people After World War II the congregation grew rapidly from 242 member families in 1945 to 451 in 1953 by then the Hebrew school had 261 children in it In 1945 the congregation voted to become Conservative and in 1949 formally joined the United Synagogue of America now United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Herbert Ribner served as rabbi from 1948 to 1955 and was followed by Abraham Kazis in 1955 In 1957 Beth Israel was the second largest of Worcester s eleven Jewish congregations with 532 member families the largest the Reform Temple Emanuel had 1 340 member families 42 families were members of both Jamesbury Drive buildingIn 1953 Beth Israel purchased 12 9 acres 5 2 ha of land on Jamesbury Drive for 42 000 today 460 000 and began construction of their current building on it in 1958 Completed in 1959 the building cost 735 000 today 7 9 million of which over 300 000 today 3 2 million was mortgaged The building had a main sanctuary that sat 476 a chapel with seating for 110 and a social hall that could accommodate up to 950 people For the High Holidays the sanctuary could be expanded into the social hall providing seating for 1 450 The mortgage was retired in 15 years The structure at 835 Pleasant Street was sold on September 10 1959 to the Orthodox Shaarai Torah Synagogue to serve as its west side branch Kazis was succeeded as congregational rabbi by Baruch Goldstein in 1971 A native of Mlawa then in East Prussia Goldstein had been sent to Auschwitz concentration camp in 1942 His entire family perished in the Holocaust but he survived and emigrated to the United States where he became a rabbi Goldstein was succeeded by Jay Rosenbaum in 1986 A graduate of New York University and Rutgers University he had been ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America JTSA in 1980 1990s to presentSouth facing side of Jamesbury Drive building In the early 1990s the congregation still numbered around 530 member families In 1994 the synagogue and Rosenbaum were the subject of the book And They Shall be My People An American Rabbi and His Congregation the observations of Paul Wilkes who had spent two and a half years with Rosenbaum and the congregation During that period the synagogue operated with annual budget deficit which had risen to 210 000 today 470 000 The board of directors raised annual dues from 650 today 1 500 to 950 today 2 100 but membership fell to 499 families and Wilkes was concerned that Rosenbaum s job was threatened By 1995 however the deficit had been eliminated and Rosenbaum was signed to a new three year contract In the fall of 2001 Hazzan Devin Goldenberg was elected the Congregation s cantor succeeding Hazzan Stephen Freedman When Rabbi Rosenbaum left to lead Herzl Ner Tamid Congregation in Mercer Island Washington in the Spring of 2002 Hazzan Goldenberg continued to lead the Congregation alone until the Fall of 2003 when he was joined by Rabbi Joel Pitkowsky Rabbi Pitkowsky a graduate of Rutgers University and who received his ordination at the JTSA in 2001 had served as assistant rabbi of Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale before joining Beth Israel Marina Shemesh joined as cantor in 2004 She was succeeded in 2010 by Elise Barber a fifth year cantorial student at Hebrew College In 2014 Beth Israel hired its first female rabbi Aviva Fellman LeadershipRabbinical Name Years Emeritus Israel Chodos 1940 1942 Emanuel Green 1942 1944 Sidney Guthman 1944 1948 Herbert Ribner 1948 1955 Abraham Kazis 1955 1973 Baruch Goldstein 1971 1986 1986 2017 Jay Rosenbaum 1986 2002 Joel Pitkowsky 2003 2011 Steven Schwarzman 2011 2014 Aviva Fellman 2014 Baruch Goldstein served as Educator from 1952 to 1964 and Assistant Rabbi from 1971 to 1973 He served as the rabbi of Temple Emmanuel in Wakefield Massachusetts from 1964 1971 Cantorial Name Years Stanley Weinberger 1982 1986 Stephen Freedman 1989 2001 Devin Goldenberg 2001 2004 Marina Shemesh 2004 2010 Elise Barber 2010 2012 Annelise Ocanto 2012 2015 Jeri Robins 2015 2017NotesRabbi Beth Israel website Aframe 2009 pp 11 12 Wilkes 2000 p 16 Synagogue Facilities Beth Israel website Beth Israel website A Brief History of Congregation Beth Israel Beth Israel website About us Beth Israel website According to A Brief History of Congregation Beth Israel Beth Israel website and Feingold 1991 p 50 Borer 2009 gives the year as 1939 Goldstein 2008 p 149 Borer 2009 Wilkes 2000 p 348 Wilkes 2000 p 344 Porter Laura Congregation Beth Israel Welcomes New Rabbi to Pulpit Jewish Central Voice Aug 2011 Wilkes 2000 p 54 Minutes of Beth Israel meeting July 17 1939 Minutes of Board vol 1 p 174 Worcester Jewish Federation 1958 p 11 Feingold 1991 p 50 Kuffner 2005 New books University of Alabama Press p 7 Rabbi Staff amp Leaders Herzl Ner Tamid website Wilkes 2000 p 336 Flippen September 22 1995 Flippen September 23 1995 Cantor Beth Israel website Elise Barber Cantorial Soloist Beth Israel website Anonymous Worcester Rabbi to Speak Here Thursday Night The New London Evening Day Nov 19 1940 Anonymous Beth El Elects Rabbi Chodos of Worcester The Jewish Post Indiana ed v 11 no 11 Aug 14 1942 Anonymous Temple Anshe Amonim To Celebrate 75th Anniversary The Berkshire Evening Eagle May 20 1944 Board Minutes Congregation Beth Israel vol 2 pp 31 115 Rabbi Baruch G Goldstein age 94 June 1 2017 References See TfM Aframe Jay Z A Tribute to the Beth Israel Family Beth Israel Word Winter 2009 See TfM Anonymous Rabbi Baruch G Goldstein age 94 Accessed June 9 2017 See TfM Borer Howard Worcester Jewish Virtual Library 2009 Accessed March 11 2010 See TfM Congregation Beth Israel website Accessed March 11 2012 See TfM About us Congregation Beth Israel website Accessed March 11 2012 See TfM Cantor Congregation Beth Israel website archived at the Internet Archive November 12 2007 Accessed March 11 2012 See TfM Elise Barber Cantorial Soloist Staff and Clergy About Us Congregation Beth Israel website Accessed March 11 2012 See TfM Rabbi Joel Pitkowsky Staff and Clergy About Us Congregation Beth Israel website Accessed March 11 2012 See TfM A Brief History of Congregation Beth Israel Who We Are About Us Congregation Beth Israel website Accessed March 11 2012 See TfM Synagogue Facilities Who We Are About Us Congregation Beth Israel website Accessed March 11 2012 See TfM Feingold Norma Shaarai Torah Life Cycle of a Synagogue Worcester Historical Museum 1991 See TfM Flippen Alan A rabbi copes with high holiday Jews Kingman Daily Miner Associated Press September 22 1995 See TfM Flippen Alan Many heed the call of High Holidays Deseret News Associated Press September 23 1995 See TfM Goldstein Baruch For Decades I Was Silent A Holocaust Survivor s Journey Back to Faith The University of Alabama Press 2008 See TfM Rabbi Staff amp Leaders Herzl Ner Tamid website Accessed March 11 2010 See TfM Kuffner Alex I m going to tell you a sad story The Providence Journal June 2 2005 See TfM New books PDF Archived from the original PDF on 2011 07 11 1 95 MB University of Alabama Press catalog Fall Winter 2008 See TfM Wilkes Paul And They Shall be My People An American Rabbi and His Congregation Grove Press 2000 ISBN 978 0 8021 3725 8 See TfM The Jews of Worcester A Population Study PDF 582 KB Worcester Jewish Federation 1958 External linksCongregation Beth Israel website Freedman Samuel G In The Diaspora Ghetto to ghetto The Jerusalem Post April 2 2009