Temple Israel (Kinston, North Carolina)
Encyclopedia
Temple Israel is a synagogue
located in Kinston, North Carolina
. Established by Eastern Europe
an Jews
in 1903, it is one of the oldest synagogues in North Carolina
. Having started and functioning as an Orthodox
congregation during its first fifty years, it eventually transformed into a Reform
congregation.
Established in 1903, Tifereth Israel was the first congregation in Kinston, North Carolina
. Originally Orthodox
, the synagogue hired Rabbi Isaac Goodkovitz, who served until 1916. As more European Jews
emigrated to the small, eastern North Carolina
town, the congregation grew as well. By the mid 1920s more than 140 Jewish families lived in Kinston, a town with a population of only 8,000.
In 1924, Tifereth Israel purchased the Second Methodist Church and converted it into a synagogue. This marked the first, formal building to be dedicated to a synagogue in Kinston. This building served the congregation through World War II
, until its present structure was built in 1950. A modern, brick structure with a sanctuary capable of seating more than 200 for the High Holy Days
, and a half-dozen religious school classrooms, which was made possible through generous donations of the Brody, Stadiem, Cohen, Foxman, and Heilig families.
During the 1950’s, Rabbi Jerome Tolochko was hired by the synagogue and he moved the synagogue away from its traditional, Orthodox-style worship to a more Reform Judaism
style of worship. Mixed seating, a mixed-voice choir, and an organ were introduced. Furthermore, the congregation officially changed its name to "Temple Israel".
With the decline of industry and commerce to Kinston in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Jewish community also declined. Most Jewish families began to leave, and Temple Israel’s membership plummeted from 180 families in 1952 to only 40 families in 1982. By the 1990s, Temple Israel could no longer afford to support a full-time rabbi and has thus been without a rabbi for more than a decade.
The synagogue also owned a Jewish cemetery
.
services, which are led by lay readers.
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 in Kinston, North Carolina
Kinston, North Carolina
Kinston is a city in Lenoir County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 23,688 at the 2000 census. The population was estimated at 22,360 in 2008. It has been the county seat of Lenoir County since its formation in 1791 . Kinston is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks...
. Established by Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
an Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
in 1903, it is one of the oldest synagogues in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Having started and functioning 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...
congregation during its first fifty years, it eventually transformed into a Reform
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...
congregation.
History
A detailed history of the congregation is described and recorded in the Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities.Established in 1903, Tifereth Israel was the first congregation in Kinston, North Carolina
Kinston, North Carolina
Kinston is a city in Lenoir County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 23,688 at the 2000 census. The population was estimated at 22,360 in 2008. It has been the county seat of Lenoir County since its formation in 1791 . Kinston is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks...
. Originally 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...
, the synagogue hired Rabbi Isaac Goodkovitz, who served until 1916. As more European Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
emigrated to the small, eastern North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
town, the congregation grew as well. By the mid 1920s more than 140 Jewish families lived in Kinston, a town with a population of only 8,000.
In 1924, Tifereth Israel purchased the Second Methodist Church and converted it into a synagogue. This marked the first, formal building to be dedicated to a synagogue in Kinston. This building served the congregation through 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...
, until its present structure was built in 1950. A modern, brick structure with a sanctuary capable of seating more than 200 for the High Holy Days
High Holy Days
The High Holidays or High Holy Days, in Judaism, more properly known as the Yamim Noraim , may mean:#strictly, the holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur ;...
, and a half-dozen religious school classrooms, which was made possible through generous donations of the Brody, Stadiem, Cohen, Foxman, and Heilig families.
During the 1950’s, Rabbi Jerome Tolochko was hired by the synagogue and he moved the synagogue away from its traditional, Orthodox-style worship to a more Reform Judaism
Reform
Reform means to put or change into an improved form or condition; to amend or improve by change of color or removal of faults or abuses, beneficial change, more specifically, reversion to a pure original state, to repair, restore or to correct....
style of worship. Mixed seating, a mixed-voice choir, and an organ were introduced. Furthermore, the congregation officially changed its name to "Temple Israel".
With the decline of industry and commerce to Kinston in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Jewish community also declined. Most Jewish families began to leave, and Temple Israel’s membership plummeted from 180 families in 1952 to only 40 families in 1982. By the 1990s, Temple Israel could no longer afford to support a full-time rabbi and has thus been without a rabbi for more than a decade.
The synagogue also owned a Jewish cemetery
Jewish cemetery
A Jewish cemetery is a cemetery where members of the Jewish faith are buried in keeping with Jewish tradition....
.
Today
Today, a mere twenty Jewish families reside in Kinston, who still meet every Friday night for ShabbatShabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
services, which are led by lay readers.
Notable members
- Hyman J. Brody, founder of Brody Brothers Dry Goods Company department store chain
- H.A. Heilig, founder of Heilig-MeyersHeilig-MeyersHeilig-Meyers was a retail furniture store chain founded in Goldsboro, North Carolina, in 1913 by two Lithuanian immigrants, H. A. Heilig and J. M. Meyers. Its corporate headquarters was in Richmond, Virginia. The chain grew to become the largest furniture retailer in the United States in...
retail furniture store chain
Sources
- "Kinston, North Carolina" in Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities of the Goldring / Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish LifeGoldring / Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish LifeThe Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life, formerly the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, is a non-profit Jewish organization based in Jackson, Mississippi that provides a variety of educational, cultural and religious services to underserved Jewish communities throughout...
(accessed October 30, 2011).