Ohaveth Sholum Congregation
Encyclopedia
Ohaveth Sholum Congregation (alternate spellings: Ohaveth Shalem, Ohaveth Shalom) was the first synagogue
in Seattle, Washington, USA. Described by the Washington State Jewish Historical Society (WSJHS) as "a quasi-Reform temple," it was the Seattle's first Jewish congregation. It fell four days short of having the first synagogue in Washington.
The congregation, whose name means "lovers of peace," was established either on July 25, 1889 or August 25, 1889. In either case, that would make it the first Jewish congregation in Seattle. Most of the congregation had immigrated from either Germany
or Poland
and had already spent several decades in the American West. By now rather assimilated
to American ways, they adopted the Reform prayerbook Minhag America
, used both English
and Hebrew
in their services, sat both sexes together, and followed San Francisco's Congregation Emanu-El in using an organ
during services. The observed each holiday for a single day, rather than the two days observed by the Orthodox
.
Prior to constructing a synagogue, the congregation met at Wickstrom Hall at 8th Avenue and Columbia Street on First Hill
. Sigismund Aronson, secretary-treasurer of the prominent Seattle wholesaler Schwabacher Brothers
, was congregation president. Other prominent members of the congregation, were Bailey Gatzert
, Seattle's first (and, as of 2008, still only) Jewish mayor, also associated with Schwabacher Brothers, and Jacob Furth
, a banker and a key figure in the creation of Seattle's infrastructure for water and electricity.
Their synagogue at 8th Avenue and Seneca Street on First Hill was designed by Herman Steinman. It opened on September 18, 1892, four days after Reform Temple Emanu-El in Spokane
, making the latter the first synagogue in Washington
. The Spokane congregation later merged into Beth Shalom, Spokane.
Ohaveth Sholum Congregation also had a cemetery (established 1889) on Queen Anne Hill
. The congregation disbanded 1895 or 1896, and the building was foreclosed
upon. The cemetery passed first into the hands of the Seattle Hebrew Benevolent Society and later (in 1910) Temple De Hirsch, later merged into Temple De Hirsch-Sinai.
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...
in Seattle, Washington, USA. Described by the Washington State Jewish Historical Society (WSJHS) as "a quasi-Reform temple," it was the Seattle's first Jewish congregation. It fell four days short of having the first synagogue in Washington.
History
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
or Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and had already spent several decades in the American West. By now rather assimilated
Cultural assimilation
Cultural assimilation is a socio-political response to demographic multi-ethnicity that supports or promotes the assimilation of ethnic minorities into the dominant culture. The term assimilation is often used with regard to immigrants and various ethnic groups who have settled in a new land. New...
to American ways, they adopted the Reform prayerbook Minhag America
Minhag America
Minhag America is a siddur created in 1857 by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise that was intended to address conflict between sides supporting and opposing traditionalism in early Reform Judaism in the United States...
, used both English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
in their services, sat both sexes together, and followed San Francisco's Congregation Emanu-El in using an organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
during services. The observed each holiday for a single day, rather than the two days observed by the 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...
.
Prior to constructing a synagogue, the congregation met at Wickstrom Hall at 8th Avenue and Columbia Street on First Hill
First Hill, Seattle, Washington
First Hill is a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington, named for the hill on which it is located. The hill, in turn, is so named for being the first hill one encounters traveling east from downtown Seattle toward Lake Washington....
. Sigismund Aronson, secretary-treasurer of the prominent Seattle wholesaler Schwabacher Brothers
Schwabacher Brothers
The Schwabacher Brothers—Louis Schwabacher , Abraham Schwabacher , and Sigmund Schwabacher —were pioneering Bavarian-born Jewish merchants, important in the economic development of the Washington Territory and later Washington State...
, was congregation president. Other prominent members of the congregation, were Bailey Gatzert
Bailey Gatzert
Bailey Gatzert was the eighth mayor of Seattle, Washington, serving from 1875 to 1876. He was the first Jewish mayor of Seattle, narrowly missing being the first Jewish mayor of a major American city , and has been the only Jewish mayor of Seattle to date.Gatzert was born in 1829 in Darmstadt,...
, Seattle's first (and, as of 2008, still only) Jewish mayor, also associated with Schwabacher Brothers, and Jacob Furth
Jacob Furth
Jacob Furth was an Austrian Empire-born American entrepreneur and prominent Seattle banker. He played a key role in consolidating Seattle's electric power and public transportation infrastructure, and was a member of Ohaveth Sholum Congregation, Seattle's first synagogue...
, a banker and a key figure in the creation of Seattle's infrastructure for water and electricity.
Their synagogue at 8th Avenue and Seneca Street on First Hill was designed by Herman Steinman. It opened on September 18, 1892, four days after Reform Temple Emanu-El in Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, making the latter the first synagogue in Washington
Synagogues in Washington State
-Humanist Judaism Groups:* , or "SJC" **SJC, founded in 1994, is affiliated with the Society for HumanisticJudaism. It holds non-theistic holiday and shabbat events, and a K-7 sunday school.-Conservative Congregations:...
. The Spokane congregation later merged into Beth Shalom, Spokane.
Ohaveth Sholum Congregation also had a cemetery (established 1889) on Queen Anne Hill
Queen Anne, Seattle, Washington
Queen Anne Hill is a neighborhood and geographic feature in Seattle, Washington, northwest of downtown. The neighborhood sits on the highest named hill in the city, with a maximum elevation of . It covers an area of , and has a population of about 28,000...
. The congregation disbanded 1895 or 1896, and the building was foreclosed
Foreclosure
Foreclosure is the legal process by which a mortgage lender , or other lien holder, obtains a termination of a mortgage borrower 's equitable right of redemption, either by court order or by operation of law...
upon. The cemetery passed first into the hands of the Seattle Hebrew Benevolent Society and later (in 1910) Temple De Hirsch, later merged into Temple De Hirsch-Sinai.
External links
- Photograph of the synagogue, University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections.