Chizuk Amuno Congregation (Hebrew: ק"ק חזוק אמונה), also known as B'nai Israel Synagogue, is a large Jewish house of worship affiliated with Conservative Judaism. It is located northwest of Baltimore, Maryland. The congregation's name comes from the Hebrew "Chizzuq 'Emunah", meaning "strengthening the faith". The word "Amuno" is a variant of the Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation of "'Emunah".
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Currently, Chizuk Amuno, which defines itself as "a traditional, Conservative, egalitarian congregation" that strongly supports the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTSA) and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ). Currently, it uses as its guiding principle the three pillars of world as stated in Pirkei Avoth 1:2--"Torah: Life-Long Learning," "Avodah: Worship and Observance," and "Gemilut Hasadim: Acts of Loving Kindness." Chizuk Amuno also seeks perform tikkun olam, repairing the world and encourages its congregants to lead an ethical, Jewish life. [1]
Chizuk Amuno descended from the "Green Street synagogue"[1], founded by a small group of Jews on April 1, 1871 in Baltimore, Maryland.
In 1876, the congregation moved into its first permanent home on Lloyd Street in central Baltimore. Under the spiritual guidance Rev. Dr. Henry W. Schneeberger, the "first American-born, ordained rabbi," the congregation grew greatly and soon moved to nearby McColluh Street.
The synagogue later split into the Shearith Israel Congregation, and the somewhat more liberal, though still strictly Orthodox, Chizuk Emunah Congregation, under the leadership of its president, Dr. Aaron Fredenwald. The synagogue was a supporter of the aforementioned JTS and the Jewish Publication Society (JPS) at their founding under Orthodox auspices, with Dr. Friedenwald being a Director, and Vice President, respectively of the two organizations.[2]. Friedenwald remained orthodox all his life, but after his death, JTS and JPS became affiliated with the nascent Conservative Judaism movement, and the synagogue became a founding member of USCJ.
In 1920, the synagogue gained both a new rabbi, Rabbi Adolph Coblenz, and moved once again uptown to a building on Eutaw Place. After Rabbi Israel M. Goldman began his tenure at Chizuk Amuno in 1948, plans were begun to move the congregation to a "suburban campus...to house a Social Center, School Building, and Sanctuary." The new synagogue was located on previously undeveloped land in the northwest suburb of Pikesville and was in use by the 1960s.
In 1980, Rabbi Joel H. Zaiman became the congregation's rabbi. Under Zaiman, both Chizuk Amuno's youth and adult education would be expanded. In 1981, a Solomon Schechter Day School (today called Krieger Schechter) was opened in conjunction with the congregation. Finally, Rabbi Ron J. Shulman was elected spiritual leader of Chizuk Amuno in 2004.
Chizuk Amuno offers a wide array of education centers for both youth and adult education:
Chizuk Amuno features many groups (Brotherhood, Sisterhood, PTA Council, United Synagogue Youth, and others) intended to enrich synagogue life and "promote the values and ideals of Conservative Judaism."
The congregation is administered by a number of committees over which its President and Board of Trustees presides.
Chizuk Amuno also operates the Goldsmith Museum, which strives to preserve Jewish history through the visual arts. It also features an extensive interactive timeline of Jewish history and congregational archives.