Congregation Beth Israel of Portland, Oregon

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Temple Beth Israel
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location: 1931 NW Flanders St.
Portland, Oregon
Coordinates: 45°31′34″N 122°41′28″W / 45.52611, -122.69111Coordinates: 45°31′34″N 122°41′28″W / 45.52611, -122.69111
Built/Founded: 1926–1928
Architect: Morris H. Whitehouse
Herman Brookman
Harry A. Herzog
Architectural style(s): Neo-Byzantine
Added to NRHP: July 26, 1979
NRHP Reference#: 79002141
Governing body: Private

Beth Israel is a Reform congregation and Jewish synagogue in Portland, Oregon, United States. The congregation was founded in 1858, while Oregon was still a territory, and built its first synagogue in 1859.[1]

This early structure was replaced by an 1888 Moorish Revival synagogue building, which was destroyed by fire in December 1923.[2]

It was replaced in 1928 by a notable Neo-Byzantine synagogue building that continues to serve the congregation. It was listed as Temple Beth Israel on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.[3] It is considered one of the finest examples of Byzantine-style archtecture on the west coast, and was inspired by the Alte Synagoge (Steelerstrasse Synagogue) in Essen, Germany.[4][5] The interior of Steelerstrasse, the first modern synagogue in Germany, was praised as Germany's most beautiful; it was destroyed during Kristallnacht.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Facilities
  2. ^ Temple Beth Israel: Portland, OR
  3. ^ Oregon National Register List. Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department (July 16, 2007). Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
  4. ^ Architecture in Oregon: Treasures. Architecture Foundation of Oregon. Retrieved on 2008-05-23.
  5. ^ a b Essen. Retrieved on 2008-05-23.

[edit] External links