List of the oldest synagogues in the United States

Touro Synagogue, (founded c. 1658) Newport, Rhode Island, 1759 building
Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim Synagogue,(founded 1740s) Charleston, South Carolina, 1840 building
Congregation Shearith Israel, (founded 1655) New York, 1897 building

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. Even here, there is the distinction between old synagogue buildings that have been in continuous use as synagogues, and those that have been converted to other purposes, between buildings that have been in continuous use as synagogues and those, such as the Touro, that were shuttered for many decades, and between early established congregations that have been in continuous existence and early congregations that ceased to exist.

Oldest congregations

Sephardi congregations

All of the oldest congregations in the new world were founded by Sephardi Jews and followed the Sephardic liturgy.

Congregation Mickve Israel, Savannah, Georgia, 1874 building

Ashkenazi congregations

Until 1795, all congregations in the United States were Sephardic, although many or even most of the members of these congregations were descended from Eastern European Jews.[3]

Oldest existing buildings

This list includes only buildings that are still standing. Some are still in use as synagogues, others have been repurposed.

Adas Israel, Washington, D.C., 1876

By state

B'nai Israel, Galveston, Texas (1870)
Temple Beth-El, Pensacola, Florida (1876)
Plum Street Temple, Cincinnati, Ohio (1866)

Alabama

Alaska

Arkansas

Arizona

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kentucky

Kansas

Louisiana

Shaare Tefilah building, New Orleans, Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Temple Emanu-El, Helena, MT

Nebraska

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

Nevada

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Puerto Rico

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Gates of Heaven Synagogue, Madison, Wisconsin (1863)

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Sarna, Jonathan. American Judaism. Yale University Press, 2004. p. 19.
  2. 1 2 3 "The History of Our Congregation". Touro Synagogue.
  3. Sarna, Jonathan. American Judaism. Yale University Press, 2004. pp. 18ff, 56ff.
  4. 1 2 Gordon, Mark. Rediscovering Jewish Infrastructure: Update on United States Nineteenth Century Synagogues. American Jewish History, 84, 1. 1996. p. 20–27
  5. 1 2 Stolzman, Henry; Stolzman, Daniel Synagogue Architecture in America: Faith, Spirit & Identity. The Images Publishing Group Pty Ltd. 2004.
  6. "Shaarai Shomayim (Gates of Heaven)". Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.
  7. "About Us". Congregation Beth Sholom. Archived from the original on July 26, 2011.
  8. Adler, Cyrus; Currick, M. C. "Arkansas". Jewish Encyclopedia. 1906.
  9. 'Arkansas Jewish History". Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.
  10. "Stone Avenue Temple: Tucson AZ". Jewish Postcards. National Museum of American Jewish History.
  11. Sarna, Jonathan. American Judaism. Yale University Press, 2004. p. 73
  12. Panneton, Judie. "History - How Beautiful is Our Heritage: 160 years and Still Going Strong". Congregation B'nai Israel. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012.
  13. Olitzky, Kerry M.; Raphael, Marc Lee. The American Synagogue: A Historical Dictionary and Sourcebook, Greenwood Press. June 30, 1996. pp. 76–80.
  14. "Ohabe Shalom - Lovers of Peace". Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.
  15. 1 2 "Illustrated History of 1876 Synagogue". Lilian and Albert Small Jewish Museum. Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington.
  16. "Pensacola, Florida". Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.
  17. "A History of Jews in Hawaii & the Kalakaua Torah". Temple Emanu-El.
  18. "Oldest Synagogue in Indiana Celebrates 100th Anniversary; Special Sermons Scheduled". Jewish News Archives. February 27, 1948. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013.
  19. Baker, Deirdre Cox. "Temple Emanuel celebrates 150 years". The Quad City Times. April 14, 2011.
  20. "B'nai Israel Congregation - First Permanent Jewish House of Worship in Iowa". Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.
  21. "Temple B'Nai Jeshurun". Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.
  22. "Shangarai Chasset: Gates of Mercy Synagogue: First permanent Jewish House of Worship in the State of Louisiana". Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.
  23. Wilson, Samuel and Bernard Lemann. New Orleans Architecture, Volume 1: The Lower Garden District. (New Orleans: Pelican Publishing, 1990): 129.
  24. Ponchartrain, Blake. "New Orleans Know-It-All: Where is the Oldest Synagogue in New Orleans?" Gambit. February 8, 2010.
  25. Bangor, Maine: Congregation Beth Israel 1897". Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.
  26. "B'Nai Israel to Unveil Historical Marker". The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Mississippi). April 28, 2006. Archived from the original on May 8, 2012.
  27. "Temple B'Nai Israel: Natchez, Mississippi". Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.
  28. "Site of Mississippi's First Synagogue Dedicated". Goldring-Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life. 2006. Archived from the original on May 8, 2012.
  29. "Temple Beth Israel - Jackson, Mississippi". Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.
  30. http://www.jewish-american-society-for-historic-preservation.org/completedprgms2/helenamontanaapril2001.html
  31. http://www.jewish-american-society-for-historic-preservation.org/completedprgms2/omahanebraska.html
  32. http://www.jewish-american-society-for-historic-preservation.org/completedprgms2/portsmouthnewhampshire.html
  33. TBJ website http://tbj.org/about-us/temple-history/ accessdate=2011-05-17
  34. http://www.jewish-american-society-for-historic-preservation.org/completedprgms2/lasvegasnm.html
  35. https://www.orachchaim.org
  36. http://books.google.com/books/about/Synagogue_Architecture_in_America.html?id=tfJNHoiMDSoC
  37. 1 2 3 http://www.americanjewisharchives.org/aja/FindingAids/TempleEmeth.html
  38. Jewish Synagogues in Oklahoma City
  39. History | Temple Israel
  40. A Short History of Congregation Ohabai Sholom
  41. http://www.jewish-american-society-for-historic-preservation.org/completedprgms2/saltlakecityutah.html
  42. http://www.jewish-american-society-for-historic-preservation.org/completedprgms2/richmondva.html
  43. WSJHS (2006), The Jewish Experience in Washington State: A Chronology 1845–2005, Washington State Jewish Historical Society (WSJHS), p. 14–15.
  44. http://www.jewish-american-society-for-historic-preservation.org/completedprgms2/spokanewashington.html
  45. http://www.jewish-american-society-for-historic-preservation.org/completedprgms2/charlestonwva.html
  46. Jewish Federation Madison
  47. Gates of Heaven
  48. History | Congregation Emanu-El B’ne Jeshurun
  49. http://www.jewish-american-society-for-historic-preservation.org/completedprgms2/cheyennewyoming.html
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