Prince Street Synagogue

Prince Street Synagogue (Oheb Shalom), in the Springfield/Belmont neighborhood, is the oldest synagogue building still standing in Newark, New Jersey.[1][2]

Contents

History

The modest, Moorish Revival building was built in 1884 for Oheb Shalom Congregation. The congregation has since moved to South Orange. The building served as the home of the Metropolitan Baptist Church from 1940 to 1993. In 1990 it was slated for destruction as part of land clearance to enable the construction of Newark's Society Hill housing development. Historic preservationist Mark W. Gordon led a movement ot preserve the historic building.[3][4]

It has been restored by the Newark Conservancy and is now used as a nature center.[5] It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[1][6] The brick, Moorish Revival synagogue features windows with Horseshoe arches, an entrance arch with red and white Voussoirs, and twin towers topped by modest domes.

See also

Images

Synagogue images

References

  1. ^ a b Congregation Oheb-Shalom
  2. ^ The New Jersey Churchscape: Encountering Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Churches, Frank L. Greenagel, Rutgers University Press, 2001, p. 93
  3. ^ Rediscovering Jewish Infrastructure: Update on United States Nineteenth Century Synagogues, Mark W. Gordon, American Jewish History 84.1 (1996) 11-27 [1]
  4. ^ "Sanctuary's Fate in the Balance," New York times, May 30, 1993
  5. ^ New Jersey Churchscape
  6. ^ "A History of the City of Newark, New Jersey.", embracing Practically Two and a Half Centuries 1666 - 1913, published by the Lewis Historical Publishing Col. New York & Chicago, in 1913