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Plum Street Temple

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1975, the Plum Street Temple is one of the most unique and beautiful buildings in Cincinnati. It was built in 1866 as the third temple for the K.K. B'nai Yeshurun congregation, which formed in 1840 and is now called the Isaac M. Wise Temple. The congregation has two locations, the temple building and the Isaac M. Wise Center, which is located at 8329 Ridge Road.

Images

Plum Street Temple was built in 1866 and is still used by the same congregation, now called Isaac M. Wise Temple.

Plum Street Temple was built in 1866 and is still used by the same congregation, now called Isaac M. Wise Temple.

Historical Marker for Plum Street Temple

Historical Marker for Plum Street Temple

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The congregation is named after one of its early rabbis, Isaac M. Wise (1879-1900), the man responsible for starting the American Reform Judaism movement. He served as rabbi for the congregation for 54 years beginning in 1854. Wise also founded the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (1873), the Hebrew Union College (1875), and the Central Conference of American Rabbis (1889). Rabbis are still ordained at the Plum Street Temple. It was here in 1972 that the first female rabbi, Sally Priesand, was ordained.

Sources

"History of Plum Street Temple."Isaac M. Wise Temple. Accesed February 27, 2017. https://www.wisetemple.org/about-us/temple-history/history-of-plum-street-temple.

Pitts, Carolyn. "Plum Street Temple." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. December 27, 1972. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/2c1c3345-d6b0-4d6f-bb7c-60e584155315

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Additional Information