Ahavath Torah
Encyclopedia
Ahavath Torah is a Conservative
congregation in Stoughton, Massachusetts
. Formed as a merger of two older congregations founded in the 1890s, it is the oldest synagogue
in Stoughton.
Congregation Ahavath Achim was formed in Stoughton in 1893. Congregation Talmud Torah was formed in Stoughton soon after, in 1895. Both congregations worshiped in various houses. In 1918, the congregations merged with the Hebrew Benevolent Society to form Ahavath Torah Congregation, with 25 members, and Rev. M. L. Graham as its spiritual head. That year the congregation began construction of its first synagogue building on Porter Street, which was dedicated on October 14, 1919. The congregation was, however, only officially incorporated on September 5, 1930.
In 1954, Ahavath Achim opened its religious school. In need of a larger synagogue building, it purchased and moved into the former Congregational Church at 30 Pearl Street in 1958. As Stoughton's Jewish population grew, membership increased to 72 families, and land was purchased in three stages for a new synagogue. The present building at 1179 Central Street was dedicated in 1970. Further growth led to a significant renovation and expansion of the synagogue building, which was completed in 1987.
The synagogue has hosted many notable guest speakers, including Geert Wilders
, Wafa Sultan
, and Dr. Mordechai Kedar
, as well as entertainment from singer Sam Glaser
, and a Bob Lazarus
memorial show.
Congregational rabbis have included Henry Gerson, David Oler, Harold Schechter, and Steven Conn. , the rabbi is Jonathan Hausman
.
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
congregation in Stoughton, Massachusetts
Stoughton, Massachusetts
Stoughton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 26,962 at the 2010 census. The town is located approximately from Boston, from Providence, and from Cape Cod.-History:...
. Formed as a merger of two older congregations founded in the 1890s, it is the oldest synagogue
Oldest synagogues in the United States
The designation of the oldest synagogue in the United States requires careful use of definitions, and must be divided into two parts, the oldest in the sense of oldest surviving building, and the oldest in the sense of oldest congregation...
in Stoughton.
Congregation Ahavath Achim was formed in Stoughton in 1893. Congregation Talmud Torah was formed in Stoughton soon after, in 1895. Both congregations worshiped in various houses. In 1918, the congregations merged with the Hebrew Benevolent Society to form Ahavath Torah Congregation, with 25 members, and Rev. M. L. Graham as its spiritual head. That year the congregation began construction of its first synagogue building on Porter Street, which was dedicated on October 14, 1919. The congregation was, however, only officially incorporated on September 5, 1930.
In 1954, Ahavath Achim opened its religious school. In need of a larger synagogue building, it purchased and moved into the former Congregational Church at 30 Pearl Street in 1958. As Stoughton's Jewish population grew, membership increased to 72 families, and land was purchased in three stages for a new synagogue. The present building at 1179 Central Street was dedicated in 1970. Further growth led to a significant renovation and expansion of the synagogue building, which was completed in 1987.
The synagogue has hosted many notable guest speakers, including Geert Wilders
Geert Wilders
Geert Wilders is a Dutch right-wing politician and leader of the Party for Freedom , the third-largest political party in the Netherlands. He is the Parliamentary group leader of his party in the Dutch House of Representatives...
, Wafa Sultan
Wafa Sultan
Wafa Sultan is a medical doctor who trained as a psychiatrist in Syria, and an American author and critic of Muslim society and Islam.-Life and career:Sultan was born into a large traditional Alawite Muslim family in Baniyas, Syria....
, and Dr. Mordechai Kedar
Mordechai Kedar
Mordechai Kedar is an Israeli scholar of Arabic literature and a lecturer at Bar-Ilan University. He holds the Ph.D. from Bar-Ilan University.Kedar is an academic expert on the Israeli Arab population...
, as well as entertainment from singer Sam Glaser
Sam Glaser
Sam Glaser is a popular composer, performer and interpreter of Jewish music. Referred to as one of the top ten Jewish artists in the United States by Moment Magazine, he holds a global fifty-city music tour culminating in Israel every year....
, and a Bob Lazarus
Bob Lazarus
Bob Lazarus was an American stand-up comedian and film actor.Lazarus graduated from the University of Massachusetts....
memorial show.
Congregational rabbis have included Henry Gerson, David Oler, Harold Schechter, and Steven Conn. , the rabbi is Jonathan Hausman
Jonathan Hausman
Jonathan Hausman is an American Conservative rabbi known for his views on Islam.Hausman is presently the rabbi of Congregation Ahavath Torah in Stoughton, Massachusetts.-Biography:Hausman grew up in the Bridgeport, Connecticut area...
.