Congregation Beth Israel (Worcester, Massachusetts)
Encyclopedia
Congregation Beth Israel is an egalitarian Conservative
congregation located at 15 Jamesbury Drive in Worcester, Massachusetts
. Founded in 1924 as an Orthodox
synagogue
, it formally affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
in 1949, and describes itself as the "leading Conservative congregation in Central Massachusetts."
The congregation first worshiped at a house on Pleasant Street; it constructed a synagogue building in its place in 1941. It completed its current location on Jamesbury Drive in 1959.
The congregation hired its first permanent rabbi
in 1938. Subsequent rabbis have included Herbert Ribner (1948–1955), Abraham Kazis (1955–1971), 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 is the rabbi, and the cantor
is Elise Barber.
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 1938, and constructed its first building, on Pleasant Street (replacing the existing house) in 1941, at a cost of $42,000 (today $). The new building's sanctuary could accommodate 450 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).
d. 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.
, 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 $). The board of directors raised annual dues from $650 (today $) to $950 (today $), 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 Friedman. 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
.
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 located at 15 Jamesbury Drive in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. Founded in 1924 as an Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
, it formally affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism is the primary organization of synagogues practicing Conservative Judaism in North America...
in 1949, and describes itself as the "leading Conservative congregation in Central Massachusetts."
The congregation first worshiped at a house on Pleasant Street; it constructed a synagogue building in its place in 1941. It completed its current location on Jamesbury Drive in 1959.
The congregation hired its first permanent rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
in 1938. Subsequent rabbis have included Herbert Ribner (1948–1955), Abraham Kazis (1955–1971), 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
Paul Wilkes
Paul Wilkes is an American writer of Slovak origin and filmmaker who is best known for his focus on religion, especially Roman Catholicism and its monastic tradition....
.
Joel Pitkowsky succeeded Rosenbaum as rabbi in 2003. , Pitkowsky is the rabbi, and the cantor
Hazzan
A hazzan or chazzan is a Jewish cantor, a musician trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer.There are many rules relating to how a cantor should lead services, but the idea of a cantor as a paid professional does not exist in classical rabbinic sources...
is Elise Barber.
Early history
Beth Israel was founded in 1924 as an OrthodoxOrthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
. 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
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
.
Beth Israel hired its first permanent rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
in 1938, and constructed its first building, on Pleasant Street (replacing the existing house) in 1941, at a cost of $42,000 (today $). The new building's sanctuary could accommodate 450 people. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
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
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism is the primary organization of synagogues practicing Conservative Judaism in North America...
).
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
Reform Judaism (North America)
Reform Judaism is the largest denomination of American Jews today. With an estimated 1.5 million members, it also accounts for the largest number of Jews affiliated with Progressive Judaism worldwide.- Reform Jewish theology :Rabbi W...
Temple Emanuel
Temple Emanuel (Worcester, Massachusetts)
Temple Emanuel is a leading Reform Jewish synagogue located in Worcester, Massachusetts, affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism. Founded in 1921, it is the oldest and largest Reform congregation in Worcester. The current building was constructed in 1949 and greatly expanded in 1961 when...
, 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 $), and began construction of their current building on it in 1958. Completed in 1959, the building cost $735,000 (today $), of which over $300,000 (today $) was mortgageMortgage loan
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan...
d. 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
Shaarai Torah Synagogue
Shaarai Torah Synagogue is an historic synagogue building at 32 Providence Street in Worcester, Massachusetts...
, 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
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
), Goldstein had been sent to Auschwitz concentration camp
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
in 1942. His entire family perished in the Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
, but he survived and emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he became a rabbi.
Goldstein was succeeded by Jay Rosenbaum in 1986. A graduate of New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
and Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, he had been ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
Jewish Theological Seminary of America
The Jewish Theological Seminary of America is one of the academic and spiritual centers of Conservative Judaism, and a major center for academic scholarship in Jewish studies.JTS operates five schools: Albert A...
(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 WilkesPaul Wilkes
Paul Wilkes is an American writer of Slovak origin and filmmaker who is best known for his focus on religion, especially Roman Catholicism and its monastic tradition....
, 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 $). The board of directors raised annual dues from $650 (today $) to $950 (today $), 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 Friedman. When Rabbi Rosenbaum left to lead Herzl-Ner Tamid Congregation in Mercer Island, Washington
Mercer Island, Washington
Mercer Island is a city in King County, Washington, United States and the name of the island in Lake Washington on which the city sits. The population was 22,699 at the 2010 census....
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
Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale
CSAIR - The Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale is a Conservative, egalitarian congregation and a member of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. The synagogue is located in the Riverdale, Bronx neighborhood of New York City...
before joining Beth Israel. Marina Shemesh joined as cantor
Hazzan
A hazzan or chazzan is a Jewish cantor, a musician trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer.There are many rules relating to how a cantor should lead services, but the idea of a cantor as a paid professional does not exist in classical rabbinic sources...
in 2004. She was succeeded in 2010 by Elise Barber, a fifth year cantorial student at Hebrew College
Hebrew College
Hebrew College is an accredited college of Jewish studies in Newton Centre, near Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1921, Hebrew College is committed to Jewish scholarship in a transdenominational academic environment. The president of the college is Rabbi Daniel Lehmann...
.
External links
- Congregation Beth Israel website
- Freedman, Samuel G.Samuel G. FreedmanSamuel G. Freedman is an American author and journalist and currently a professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He has authored six nonfiction books, including most recently Who She Was, a book about his mother's life as a teenager and young woman, and Letters to a Young...
"In The Diaspora: Ghetto to ghetto", The Jerusalem PostThe Jerusalem PostThe Jerusalem Post is an Israeli daily English-language broadsheet newspaper, founded on December 1, 1932 by Gershon Agron as The Palestine Post. The daily readership numbers do not approach those of the major Hebrew newspapers....
, April 2, 2009.