Baith Israel-Anshei Emeth Synagogue

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Synagogue sanctuary. Photograph by Hank Gans.
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Synagogue sanctuary. Photograph by Hank Gans.

The Baith Israel-Anshei Emeth Synagogue, more commonly known as the Kane Street Synagogue, is an egalitarian Conservative synagogue located at 236 Kane Street in Brooklyn, New York City. It is the oldest continuously operating synagogue in Brooklyn.

The synagogue was first established in March 1856 as Congregation Baith Israel by twelve Dutch Jewish settlers, who, according to synagogue legend, grew tired of rowing across the East River each Friday to celebrate Shabbat in Manhattan. On January 22, 1856 they gathered at a private home to discuss their "earnest desire [to] effect the incorporation of a synagogue and congregation for divine service."[1] They first met in various homes,[2] then rented space at 155 Atlantic Street (now Atlantic Avenue).

In 1862, when the membership reached 35, they purchased two lots at the corner of State Street and Boerum Place in Boerum Hill for $3,000, and on January 12 laid the cornerstone for a new building, the first synagogue built on Long Island. The building was completed on August 12, at a cost of $10,000, and the synagogue came to be known as the Boerum Schule. In that year the congregation also created a Sunday school; at the time this was an innovation, and at its peak the school had 500 pupils.[3] During this time a number of members made several unsuccessful attempts to reform synagogue practice; when these failed, they eventually broke away and formed the Congregation Beth Elohim, a Reform synagogue.[2]

Aaron Wise, father of Stephen Samuel Wise, was the synagogue's first rabbi, from 1874 to 1876, his first rabbinical position in the United States. Marcus Friedlander served as the congregation's rabbi from 1887 to 1892.[1]

In 1904 synagogue membership had fallen to 30 members, as mass transit allowed Jews to migrate away from downtown Brooklyn, and the synagogue nearly failed. Innovations were attempted, including a pipe organ and a mixed-sex choir, but these were quickly removed after objections from Orthodox members. The congregation decided that the building was part of the problem, and made the bold decision to sell the existing building, buy new premises, and hire a new rabbi.[3] In 1905 they hired Israel Goldfarb, who served as rabbi for the next 60 years.[4] That same year the congregation also purchased its current building, a Romanesque revival structure built in 1855, which was originally the Middle Dutch Reformed Church, and, later, the Trinity German Lutheran Church. These two factors helped revive the congregation, and by 1906 (its 50th anniversary) membership had doubled.[3]

In his Kol Nidre sermon of 1905 Goldfarb emphasized the need for a Talmud Torah, and it was immediately founded.[3] In 1908[5] Baith Israel merged with Degraw Street's Talmud Torah Anshei Emes Synagogue, a growing congregation which had become too large for the row-house in which it held services. The merged congregations adopted the current name, a combination of the two previous names, and founded a sisterhood.[6]

Aaron Copland celebrated his Bar Mitzvah at Baith Israel-Anshei Emeth in 1913; his father Harris, who was elected president of Baith Israel in 1902, had helped purchase the current building,[1] and was the president of the congregation from 1907 to 1910.[7]

The synagogue went through another difficult period in the 1970s, when membership dwindled to the point where the congregation could not afford to heat the sanctuary. Changing demographics and new synagogue programs have helped the congregation grow since then; in 2004 the building was renovated, and by 2006 nearly 300 households were members.[8] In 2006, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation awarded a grant of $350,000 to Baith Israel-Anshei Emeth for exterior restoration of the sanctuary.[9]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c Dickter, Adam. Shul Life, Circa 1850, The Jewish Week, June 20, 2004.
  2. ^ a b Olitzky, Kerry M. & Raphael, Marc Lee. The American Synagogue: A Historical Dictionary and Sourcebook, Greenwood Press, Jun 30, 1996, p. 226.
  3. ^ a b c d Abramovitch, Ilan and Galvin, Seán. Jews of Brooklyn, University Press of New England, Nov 1, 2001, p. 33.
  4. ^ According to Abramovitch and Galvin, and the synagogue website states that Goldfarb served as rabbi for 60 years. However, Dickter says Goldfarb served from 1905 to 1955; possibly a typographical error.
  5. ^ According to the synagogue website, http://www.kanestreet.org/history.html and Abramovitch and Galvin. However, Dickter states that the congregations merged in 1906, and moved to the current building in 1908.
  6. ^ Abramovitch, Ilan and Galvin, Seán. Jews of Brooklyn, University Press of New England, Nov 1, 2001, p. 35.
  7. ^ Levisohn, Benjamin. Finding an Excuse To Celebrate Copland, The Forward, December 10, 2004.
  8. ^ Clark, Amy Sara. Jewish Movement's Surprise New Head, CBS News, May 3, 2006.
  9. ^ 2006 EPF Grant Awards, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, October 20, 2006.

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[edit] External links

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