Temple Anshe Hesed
Encyclopedia
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
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...
located at the corner of West Tenth Street and Liberty Street in Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
. The congregation is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism
Union for Reform Judaism
The Union for Reform Judaism , formerly known as the Union of American Hebrew Congregations , is an organization which supports Reform Jewish congregations in North America. The current President is Rabbi Eric H...
.
History
Anshe Hesed, once spelled as Anschai Chesed , "was incorporated on 23 May 1862 and organized as a classical Reform congregation on October 24, 1875, making it one of the oldest Reform communities in PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
." The synagogue's name literally means "people of benevolence" (or kindness) in Hebrew.
In his history of the region, Samuel Bates reports that eight to ten members of this congregation began meeting in 1858. Members first met in an upstairs room at the corner of Fifth Street and French Street (the Lyons property) and subsequently met in temporary facilities on French Street, Holland Street, State Street; and then at another location on French Street.
Built in 1882, the congregation's first synagogue was "a brick structure trimmed in stone and an ornament to the city" . The land was purchased and the synagogue was built for a total cost of $13,000 . It was located on the north side of West Eighth Street , between Myrtle Street and Sassafras Street. At the time Samuel Bates published his history, the membership of Anshe Hesed was 35.
The Tenth Street location was dedicated on 27 June 1930.
Rabbis and prominent members of the congregation
Fourteen rabbis have served Anshe Hesed. Rabbi Weil served the congregation for about a year. Rabbi M. Wertzel, also known as M Wurzel, then served the congregation twice for a total of approximately fourteen years. He was followed by Rabbis Fuld, Dr. Flengel, Levi, and Stemple.Rabbi Max C. Currick served the longest at 47 years (1901 to 1948). The most recent to serve have been Rabbis Randall M. Falk, Leonard Zion, Bernard Perlmuter, Lewis Littman, Bradley N. Bleefeld, Samuel Weinstein, Michael L. Feshbach, and Rabbi John L. Bush.
Mr. B. Baker was the first president of the congregation. As one of the congregation's oldest members, Mr. Baker laid the cornerstone of the first synagogue in 1882.
Cemetery
Jewish cemetery
A Jewish cemetery is a cemetery where members of the Jewish faith are buried in keeping with Jewish tradition....
, which is now called the Anshe Hesed Cemetery, was founded in 1846. It is located a block west of Erie Cemetery
Erie Cemetery
Erie Cemetery is a prominent cemetery located in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is situated on of land bordered on the east by Chestnut Street, the west by Cherry Street, the north by 19th Street, and the south by 26th Street.- History :...
on West 26th Street between Cherry Street and Poplar Street.