Congregation&nbsp;Knesseth Israel began in the early 20th century. Its early members were Yiddish-speaking Eastern European and Russian Jewish families who were primarily engaged in agriculture. During the congregation's first several years, members met in private homes. By 1913, however, they had the funds to construct a small, simple synagogue. Julius and Molly Sugerman provided land, and New York City philanthropist Jacob Schiff donated $100 (equivalent to approximately $2500 in 2019)&nbsp;to the project. Knesseth Israel also received support from German business tycoon Baron Maurice de Hirsch. The Baron de Hirsch Fund, as well as its subsidiary the Jewish Agricultural Society, provided loans and financial backing to multiple communities of Jewish immigrants during this time. Knesseth Israel Synagogue is a simple wood frame building with a hipped roof and a portico. Inside, it has a wrought iron balustrade, a unique feature among the historic synagogues of Connecticut. It was originally built at the intersection of Middle and Abbott Roads but in 1954 was moved to its current location on Pinney Street.

Landmark Hunter: Knesseth Israel Synagogue

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This Modern Orthodox synagogue was built in 1913 to serve a community of Eastern European and Russian Jewish farmers. Like Congregation Anshei Israel in Lisbon, CT, Knesseth Israel is a fairly unusual example of a rural Connecticut synagogue. Designed by Leon Dobkin, it is a simple clapboarded wooden building in the Colonial Revival style with a gabled portico and hip roof. The congregation also has an Orthodox cemetery, located within the bounds of Ellington Cemetery.

Knesseth Israel Synagogue (Ellington Shul)

This driving tour includes numerous historically significant synagogues and other sites of significance across Connecticut--if you're short on time, you may want to focus only on the synagogues clustered in and around Hartford. Jewish communities have existed in Connecticut for centuries, but very little is known about their early days. Beginning in the 19th century, however, the state's Jewish population expanded significantly and became more prominent. Jewish immigrants from Germany, Eastern Europe, and Russia moved to the United States and established congregations. Furthermore, in 1843, Jewish congregations were finally permitted the freedom to organize and incorporate within the state.


Judaism in Connecticut displays considerable variety, including Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform congregations, some of which transitioned from one form to another over the decades. Historic congregations' founding members originated both from Germany and Eastern Europe. Hartford, New Haven, and other cities attracted substantial Jewish populations, though synagogues emerged in rural communities as well. These historic synagogues are architecturally varied. Some were converted churches (Temple Beth Torah), one was a converted Masonic Hall (Temple B'Nai Israel), while others were specifically designed by Jewish congregations (Charter Oak, Temple Beth Israel). 


The current status of all of these synagogues is also variable. While some remain in use, others have been converted into churches or cultural centers.


Tour highlights include:
*** Charter Oak Cultural Center, the first purpose-built synagogue in Connecticut (Hartford).
*** Temple Beth Israel, a suburban synagogue with an impressive Byzantine-style dome (West Hartford).
*** Adath Israel Synagogue, home to a Judaica Museum that may be viewed by appointment (Middletown).
*** Anshei Israel and Knesseth Israel Synagogues, fine examples of rural Jewish architecture (Lisbon and Ellington).
*** Ahavas Sholem Synagogue, a striking Classical Revival buliding (New Haven).

Early Jewish History in Connecticut Jewish history in Connecticut begins with the early colonization of the state. Initially, Jewish newcomers were from Spain or Portugal, though they arrived in small numbers and did not establish large communities. As of&nbsp;1818, there were fewer than a dozen known Jewish people living in Connecticut. There were therefore not enough people to form a distinct Jewish community. Moreover, Jewish public worship was not yet legal. Only in 1843 did the Connecticut General Assembly decree that "Jews who may desire to unite and form religious societies, shall have the same rights, powers and privileges which are given to Christians of every denomination"&nbsp;(quoted in Ransom, 3).&nbsp; 19th Century: A Time of Jewish Immigration Jewish populations grew and communities formed during&nbsp;19th century with the arrival of Jews from Germany and Eastern Europe. German Jews came first, seeking an escape from the inflexible Prussian social structure which granted little upward mobility. The United States seemed like a land of opportunity and freedom in comparison. However, their populations in Connecticut also remained small, and as a result many preferred to assimilate into broader society rather than create a distinctly Jewish community. Eastern European Jews moved to Stamford and other areas in Connecticut during the 1880s, many of them moving away from crowded conditions in&nbsp;New York City. Many carved out a livelihood peddling wares from house to house. Often, these enterprising salespeople were young single men who rented a room in the house of one of the few Jewish families living in Stamford. Gradually, the Jewish community expanded. Early Jewish congregations were very small and had modest budgets. Worship was often held in rented rooms, homes, or repurposed churches that they were able to acquire. Examples of churches that were converted into synagogues include: <ul><li>Bikur Cholim Synagogue, Bridgeport, CT (c. 1894)</li><li>Agudas Achim Synagogue, Bridgeport, CT (1907)</li><li>Ein Jacob Synagogue, Bridgeport, CT (1918)</li><li>Temple B'Nai Israel, New Britain, CT (1927)</li></ul>Later, Jewish communities were able to construct new purpose-built synagogues of their own--as demonstrated by the Agudath Sholom Synagogue and many others (in Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, and elsewhere). Foundation and Early Growth of Agudath Sholom Synagogue In September of&nbsp;1889, the Agudath Sholom congregation was founded by the shared decision of its initial 22 members. At this point, the congregation was still very small, and the synagogue had not yet been built. Early prayer meetings occurred in various rooms around town, and rabbis traveled to Stamford to hold services on weekends and holidays. The young congregation bought a copy of the Torah and then set to work on creating a cemetery. Agudath Sholom congregation acquired two acres of land in the 1890s (at a price of $175). Members began the work of turning it into burial lands. The community also purchased land (for $1000) on which to build a dedicated synagogue. To raise funds for this project, the community held a formal ball at the Stamford Town Hall in April of 1902, which helped secure donations and boost enthusiasm. First Synagogue on Greyrock Place In 1904, the cornerstone for a synagogue on Greyrock Place was laid. Within a few months, a "cellar" had been built and was used as a Talmud Torah, or Hebrew School. In 1908, the synagogue was complete. As the community continued growing, organizations such as the Hachnasat Orchim, the Gemilut Chassadim, and the Hebrew Society formed.&nbsp; Agudath Sholom Community in the Early 20th Century During WWI, Connecticut Jews joined the U.S. armed forces alongside many other groups. Some joined the Gedud Ivri, a group that fought in North Africa and then in Palestine. Following the 1917 Balfour Declaration, the possibility of a Jewish homeland in Palestine seemed within reach. The idea of Shivat Zion (or a return to Zion) had already existed for years, expressed in the 1902 founding of L'Maan Zion, a group devoted to raising funds,&nbsp;supporting Jews who moved to Palestine, and instilling young people with belief in this cause. Stamford's Jewish community came to the aid of persecuted Jews in Eastern Europe during the 1920s. Fighting in Russia and Ukraine involved numerous acts of anti-Semitism and violence targeting Jewish communities. Jews across the United States, including those in Stamford, worked to raise money for aiding and resettling people affected by violence. In 1932, the Greyrock Synagogue caught fire and was destroyed. Thus this early version of the synagogue no longer survives to today. Second Synagogue on Grove Street The community constructed a new synagogue on Grove Street, completed in 1938, which remains to this day.&nbsp;This Grove Street Synagogue provided a home to Stamford's Jews during some of the community's darkest times: during the Holocaust. Many community members involved themselves in WWII, and many enlisted. Rabbi Schachter of Agudath Sholom served as an Army Chaplain. Rabbi Joseph Ehrenkranz 1948 saw the arrival of the young and energetic Rabbi Joseph Ehrenkranz, who was only 22 and still studying for his Semicha (ordination). The congregation contained around 150 families, though Ehrenkranz felt that this number was quite small and that young people were falling away from the synagogue. To reinvigorate his congregation, Ehrenkranz organized youth groups, which met with considerable success. By the 1960s, membership had swelled to 500 families. Ehrenkranz served as the spiritual leader at Agudath Sholom from 1948 until 1992. His lengthy term there played a huge role in shaping the community's development. Upon moving from Agudath Sholom, he co-founded and served as Executive Director of the Center for Christian-Jewish Understanding at Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Connecticut. He died in 2014.&nbsp; Current Use of the Building In 1965, the congregation moved to a newly built synagogue, and this historic structure is now used for worship by the&nbsp;Faith Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church.

This historic synagogue was built during the 1930s to replace an earlier synagogue in Stamford that was destroyed in a fire. The congregation's history stretches back to 1889, when 22 founding members first took steps to organize a community of faith. The phrase "Agudath Sholom" may be translated as "knot for peace" or "society for peace." Stamford's Jewish community is part of a larger story of Jewish immigration to the United States and specifically to Connecticut. Agudath Sholom arose from an influx of Eastern European Jews to Stamford during the 1880s, where they congregated in large enough numbers to develop a thriving community.

In 1965, the growing congregation moved to a new synagogue in the city, and the Faith Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church moved into the former synagogue building.

Agudath Sholom Synagogue

Congregation Beth Israel was established around 1865 by Jewish immigrants from Germany. In the coming decades, Jews from Russia arrived in greater numbers. By 1906, they comprised the largest ethnic group in the congregation. Before the synagogue was built, congregants met in rented buildings. The congregation moved to a new synagogue in 1972, after which point the Canaan Institutional Baptist Church purchased the building.

Now called the Canaan Institutional Baptist Church, this historic, former Jewish temple was built in 1906. It was home to an Orthodox congregation that is now known as Beth Israel of Norwalk/Westport Chabad. The building is the only known Jewish temple in the state featuring Moorish onion domes; it is also likely the only one in the state built out of wood. For these reasons, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.

Beth Israel Synagogue (Canaan Institutional Baptist Church)

By the 1940s, CBI had outgrown this synagogue and moved to a second one, also on Park Avenue. Today, the original Park Avenue temple serves as a Baptist church, and CBI is a Reform Jewish synagogue that maintains an active community with hundreds of families in its new, larger location.

This Craftsman-style building was originally built in 1911 as a synagogue for Congregation B'nai Israel (CBI), a community of German Jews. The former Orthodox congregation organized during the 1850s, making it one of the oldest in Connecticut. For over 50 years, the congregation did not have a permanent, designated synagogue, however, and members worshiped in homes and workplaces. The 1911 construction of this Park Avenue synagogue provided a stable religious and community space. 

B'nai Israel Synagogue (New Hope Missionary Baptist Church)

This 1866 brick building has served numerous purposes over the years. It was first known as the Bethesda Mission Chapel and Sunday School, then became the East Washington Avenue Baptist Church, then Congregation Adath Israel. Under the ownership of Adath Israel, the structure was the earliest Orthodox synagogue in Bridgeport. Since 1997, it has belonged to the Apostolic Worship Center.

Bethesda Mission (Congregation Adath Israel)

The Ahavas Sholem Synagogue is one of several notable Connecticut synagogues. It stands out for its striking facade and Neo-Classical design.&nbsp;As David Ransom writes, "The gold-colored striated brick,
limestone rusticated ashlar, and extensive Judaic iconography of the facade demonstrate a
determined design effort directed, with considerable success, toward establishing a Jewish
presence in the streetscape" (p. 90).&nbsp;

The Ahavas Sholem Synagogue was built in 1928 for an Orthodox Jewish congregation, which had formed in 1912 and incorporated in 1921. This area of New Haven housed a largely Jewish neighborhood during the early and mid-20th century. The synagogue fell out of use in the 1960s, when many of its members moved away. The building is notable for its Classical Revival architecture and limestone accents, seen on the ground floor facade and around the arched second-story windows. It is now used by the Thomas Hill Chapel Church of Christ.

Ahavas Sholem Synagogue

Founded in 1840, Congregation Mishkan Israel is Connecticut's oldest Jewish congregation. It is comprised of a vibrant, diverse community that is socially active in the community in areas such as LGTBQ issues, interfaith dialogue, and food drives. It was previously located in a former church built in 1896 that is now the ACES Educational Center for the Arts, a public arts school. That building was designed in the Spanish Revival style and is part of the Orange Street Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  

Congregation Mishkan Israel

Congregation Adath Israel began in as an Orthodox community in 1902 with 40 founding families. In 1908, the congregation acquired a building to convert into a synagogue and classroom.  By the 1920s, the congregation had expanded to around 75 families and was ready to construct a new synagogue. Designed by Sam Google, Adath Israel Synagogue was built in Middletown, where it still stands today. As time went on, Congregation Adath Israel moved away from its Orthodox roots and became a Conservative congregation instead. The 1940s saw the appointment of a Conservative rabbi and the removal of sex-segregated seating. In addition to providing a spiritual home to Middletown Jews, Adath Israel houses an impressive Judaica Museum with over 250 items. Visitors may view the collection after services or arrange a time with the synagogue administration.

Adath Israel Synagogue

Designed by Walter P. Crabtree (1873-1962) shortly before the Great Depression, this building served for only around a decade as a fraternal lodge. Lack of adequate funds led the Masons to sell. Its grand, imposing aesthetic worked just as well as a synagogue. As David Ransom explains, this 1927 structure combined Neo-Classical and Beaux-Arts elements, as befitting a fashionable building of its time:&nbsp;"Albert Kahn, the famed architect of automobile factories, designed a building
quite similar to this one in Detroit in 1922 for Beth El. In the fashion of the times,
city halls, libraries, churches, Masonic halls, and synagogues all tended to look alike.
Temple B'Nai Israel, New Britain, is a fine, well-executed example" (p. 18).&nbsp; Crabtree was an active local architect, also responsible for designing the Francis H. Holmes House (New Britain) and the Universalist Church (West Hartford).&nbsp;

Originally built as a Masonic Hall in 1927, this striking building was sold in 1940. Its new owners, the Jewish congregation Aheyu B’Nai Israel (Brethren Sons of Israel), converted it into a synagogue. The congregation had been active since 1889. Though initially Orthodox, it became Conservative in 1924, prompting some members to leave and form their own congregation (Tephereth Israel). In 2007, the synagogue closed. The building is now home to New Hope at Calvary Church.

Temple B'Nai Israel

Methodist history in Wethersfield Methodists have been active in Wethersfield since the late 18th century, as evidenced by Jesse Lee's sermon delivered in&nbsp;North Brick School House (now Standish Park). Traveling preachers visited the town until the 1821 installation of Rev. William S. Pease as circuit preacher for the area (serving Westherfield, Kensington, New Britain, and Newington).&nbsp; Construction on a Methodist church began in 1824. The completed building still exists today (as Temple Beth Torah), although it has undergone many renovations and alterations over the years. The structure moved onto a new foundation in 1882. A Sunday school was added in 1913, but it burned down in 1941. Regardless, the Methodist community continued expanding, and by the 1950s was in need of a larger space. Congregants moved to a new location on Prospect Street and sold the old building to the Jewish Community Group of Wethersfield. Jewish Community Group of Wethersfield This group comprised 18 families who gathered in late 1954 to form a cohesive Jewish community. They elected a president and began to organize services and events, initially held in civic centers, churches, and members' homes. In addition, they established a religious school in 1955.&nbsp; The Jewish Community Group purchased the former Methodist church in 1960 and began carrying out extensive renovations: converting the church into a synagogue sanctuary; integrating Jewish symbols and aesthetics with traditional Wethersfield design; adding a raised Bimah with lectern; updating the lighting, carpeting, and acoustics; strengthening the foundation; and building a downstairs classroom. In May 1961, Temple Beth Torah opened and has been in use ever since.

Now home to a synagogue, this structure was originally built on Main Street in 1824 as a Methodist church. Methodist history in Connecticut dates back centuries. In 1790, Jesse Lee preached the earliest known Methodist sermon in the town. During the 1950s, the expanding congregation moved to a new, larger building, and the recently formed Jewish Community Group of Wethersfield purchased the old church. They converted the former church into a synagogue named Temple Beth Torah and dedicated it in 1961. The temple remains in use today. 

Temple Beth Torah (former Methodist Church)

Congregation Beth Israel (CBI) The congregation was able to form in the aftermath of an 1843 decision to expand religious freedom in Connecticut. Prior to this year, Jews were forbidden from conducting public services or constructing synagogues. Connecticut's Jewish population was small, but by the mid-19th century, it was active enough to petition the Connecticut General Assembly&nbsp;for greater religious rights. The Assembly agreed to allow Jews freedom of worship, paving the way for the establishment of Jewish congregations and synagogues in Connecticut. CBI's founding members were primarily German Jews who had immigrated to the United States during the 19th century. As of 1877, around the time of the Charter Oak temple's construction, Connecticut's Jewish population is estimated at 1500 (Ransom, p. 8). This number would rise dramatically in the following decades, large numbers of Eastern European Jews also immigrated to the US. The 1870s also saw considerable changes within the traditionally Orthodox congregation. Many members wished to adopt Reform practices (e.g. installation of a choir, acquisition of an organ, changes in worship and prayer books). Ultimately, CBI members in favor of Reform won out over those preferring Orthodox Judaism. In 1874, the community appointed Dr. Solomon Deutsch, a committed reformer, as its rabbi. Two years later, the Charter Oak Synagogue opened its doors. This architecturally striking building was designed by George Keller in the Romanesque Revival style. Like Temple Emanu-El in New York City, Charter Oak Temple took inspiration from&nbsp;Berlin's New Synagogue on Oranienburgerstrasse. As the first purpose-built synagogue in Connecticut, Charter Oak temple would then go on to inspire the design and aesthetic of future Connecticut synagogues.

The Charter Oak Cultural Center in Hartford began as a synagogue for Congregation Beth Israel (CBI), one of Connecticut's earliest Jewish communities, which had previously conducted services in homes, workplaces, and a converted church. Built in 1876, the Charter Oak temple drew design inspiration from Berlin's New Synagogue on Oranienburgerstrasse (built 1859-66). It is the oldest synagogue building in Connecticut. During the 1930s, CBI moved to the suburbs of West Hartford and built a new synagogue there, Temple Beth Israel. No longer in use as a synagogue, the Charter Oak building has now become a cultural center.

Charter Oak Cultural Center

The First Unitarian Church on Pearl Street was constructed
in 1924 by Milton E. Haymon, an architect whose other works are spread across
the city of Hartford serving various purposes.&nbsp;
He did not predominantly design religious buildings according to the records
of his work that still remain, with one of his other recognized works in
Hartford being a residence not contained within the Ann Street District. The church building itself was designed in the Georgian
Revival style of architecture, which was also frequently referred to as the
Colonial Revival style.&nbsp; This style
features the Greco-Roman inspiration of the Colonial Style, mixed with distinct
features that became popular throughout America during the 19th and early-20th
centuries.&nbsp; Gabled roofs with dormer
windows blended seamlessly with colonnades and proud facades characterize the
style, both of which are visible in the First Unitarian Church.&nbsp; Uniquely, the church also features a tall,
arched window on the street-facing side of the building – a feature which is
not often seen in Georgian Revival buildings.



The Unitarian congregation of Hartford came together as
early as 1844.&nbsp; At this time, they were
known as the First Unitarian Society.&nbsp;
With a faithful community, they founded their first Hartford church, a
small meeting house known as the Unitarian Church of the Savior, in 1846.&nbsp; The congregation would meet here for nearly
40 years before moving to another small church named Unity Hall.



Another forty years would pass until the congregation was ready
to move their home again.&nbsp; In 1924, the
church commissioned Milton E. Haymon to build them a fine church which would
prove to be their home for yet another 40 years, at which point the Unitarian
church sold the First Unitarian Church building to Congregation Ados Israel, an
equally historic religious group within the city.&nbsp; 



Ados Israel was the very first Orthodox Jewish group in the
city of Hartford, tracing their roots to a group of Eastern European immigrants
who arrived in Hartford in 1872.&nbsp; From 1898
until 1963, Ados Israel met under the roof of the Market Street synagogue, at
which point they moved to what would be last Orthodox synagogue in Hartford –
the old First Unitarian Church.&nbsp; 



When the synagogue closed its doors in 1986, it was bought
by a telephone company, who then sold it to the Pearl Street Neighbor
TheatreWorks who still own the building to this day.&nbsp; The First Unitarian Church is one of the
defining structures that qualified the Ann Street Historic District for its
place on the National Register of Historic Places, a recognition that has
helped preserve Ann Street and the surrounding neighborhood as a beautiful
mosaic of 19th and early-20th century Hartford history.

Located in the heart of the Ann Street Historical District of Hartford, CT, the building that once housed the congregations of both Ados Israel and the First Unitarian Church still stands to this day.  The home of these two historic congregations is itself considered historically important, as it represents one of the better-preserved examples of Hartford’s colorful architectural legacy.

Ados Israel Synagogue and the First Unitarian Church of Hartford

The beginning of Congregation Beth Israel (CBI) 1843 is a significant year in the history of Judaism in Connecticut. Prior to this time, Jews were not permitted to worship publicly or build synagogues. A small but active group of Jewish immigrants petitioned the Connecticut General Assembly to change this. The Assembly declined to alter the Connecticut Constitution, but it did decree that Jews should have freedom of worship, including the right to gather and form religious societies. This decision marked the beginning of Beth Israel as a small group of Jews in Hartford began to worship together. CBI members were German Jews. They and their families immigrated to the United States from Germany during the mid-19th century. Connecticut also became home to a significant Eastern European Jewish population, due to the large numbers of Eastern European immigrants to the US between 1880 and 1924. During this period, around 2.5 million Eastern European Jews moved to the US, a much larger number than the approximately 250,000 German Jews who had immigrated slightly earlier and established congregations such as Beth Israel. Thanks largely to Eastern European immigration, Connecticut's Jewish population rose from almost 1500 in 1877 to around 91,500 in 1927 (Ransom, p. 8).&nbsp; The community's expansion During the 1840s and 1850s, CBI undertook many social, educational, and philanthropic initiatives. A religious school opened in 1849 and within two years served 25 children. The Ararat Lodge of B'nai Brith and the Deborah Society were established in 1851 and 1852 respectively. Both groups carried out charitable work. For example, members of the Deborah Society, a community of Connecticut women, visited the sick and helped them access doctors, raised money for widows, collected donations of food and clothing, sewed burial shrouds, and donated to the relief efforts for the San Francisco earthquake.&nbsp; In 1854, a bequest of $5000 from shipping merchant Judah Touro allowed CBI to purchase and renovate a former church to create a designated synagogue in Hartford. Known as Touro Hall, this structure served the community from 1856 until 1875, when it was damaged by fire. Touro made numerous other philanthropic donations throughout his life and in his will, contributing to synagogues, hospitals, and libraries. Around this time, the congregation also began to make changes to Orthodox traditions and adopt Reform practices, such as the installation of a choir.&nbsp;Isaac Mayer became the community's first rabbi in 1859 and is remembered as a "moderate reformer." Disagreements between Orthodox and Reform members of CBI Tensions emerged during the 1860s between Orthodox and Reform groups. This led to 34 CBI members leaving the congregation to found their own Orthodox synagogue,&nbsp;Adas Yisroule. However, several of these members returned to CBI in 1877. Even after their departure, the congregation continued to disagree about the extent to which new reforms should be adopted. Rabbi M.S. Wiener, for instance, strongly supported reform, including the expensive acquisition of a new organ. Amidst disapproval from CBI's remaining traditionalists, Wiener only stayed for two years. At this point, however, changes were already well underway, and Reform practice would eventually take hold at Beth Israel. 1870 saw the dedication of the congregation's new organ, and 1874 the arrival of ardent reformer Dr. Solomon Deutsch as the community's new rabbi. He and eleven other rabbis had written the "Philadelphia Platform," a text on radical reform. In his previous congregations, he had instilled new Reform practices, to the delight of some and distaste of others. Deutsch was concerned about young Jews abandoning the Orthodox faith of their parents and converting to other traditions such as Unitarianism. Without reform, he feared that American Judaism could not hold onto its members.&nbsp; As CBI's interactive timeline explains, Deutsch <blockquote>"advocated officiating at interfaith marriages; he instituted changes in worship services and prayer books; changes in mourning practices; and one of the most radical changes of the time---allowing men to worship without a head covering. This last change was perceived by the traditionalists among the Beth Israel membership as an irrevocable break with Jewish tradition, which tipped the balance in favor of assimilation over continuity with the Jewish past. His tenure at Beth Israel proved to be a stormy one, but by hiring Deutsch, the Board took a decisive and irrevocable step toward Reform Judaism." </blockquote>(Zande et al., "Shaping Who We Are," 1874).&nbsp; Later in the decade, another breakaway group, consisting of 22 members who wanted more radical reform,&nbsp;would leave Beth Israel to form a new congregation: Ohaba Shalom. The new congregation was short-lived, however, and its members rejoined Beth Israel in 1880. Charter Oak Temple, 1876 As CBI continued to grow, its leaders decided to build a new synagogue, known as the Charter Oak Temple. While previously they had worshiped in various homes and workplaces, and then in a renovated church, the decision to commission a new, purpose-built synagogue gave the congregation full creative and architectural freedom over its design. Members' German heritage influenced the new temple's design. In particular, Berlin's New Synagogue on Oranienburgerstrasse, built in 1859 and consecrated in 1866,&nbsp;provided inspiration both for Temple Emanu-El in New York City and Temple Beth Israel (Charter Oak) in Hartford. As David Ransom explains, the Charter Oak&nbsp;synagogue both reflected Judaism's traditions as well as "current fashionable practice of the times," striking a balance between respectability and distinctiveness&nbsp;(p. 6). While most Christian churches of the late 19th century exhibited Gothic Revival architecture, Jewish congregations tended to prefer other styles such as Romanesque Revival and often incorporated elements from Byzantine design or the Islamic architecture of North Africa and Iberia.&nbsp;CBI's Charter Oak Temple helped set architectural precedent for other Connecticut synagogues: "The basic design for Connecticut urban synagogues established by Beth Israel,
evoking Oranienburgerstrasse and Emanu-El, is the norm against which subsequent urban
Connecticut synagogues are discussed" (p. 7). Later Connecticut synagogues generally followed the architectural norms and patterns of Beth Israel. One such example is Hartford's Ados Israel Synagogue, built in 1898 by an Eastern European Orthodox congregation. Unfortunately, this synagogue no longer survives.&nbsp; The Beth Israel temple on Charter Oak is now a community center. The move to West Hartford: Temple Beth Israel (built 1933-1936) During the 1930s, CBI moved from Hartford to West Hartford, resulting in the construction of this distinctive, domed synagogue on Farmington Avenue. Its large Byzantine dome, though common elsewhere, was quite rare among Jewish buildings in Connecticut despite the general appreciation for Byzantine design elements. Made from limestone, the synagogue is a 12-sided polygon, representing the 12 tribes of Israel. It was designed by Charles Greco. The move to West Hartford reflects the transition of Hartford's Jewish communities from downtown to the suburbs. This trend would only increase over time, particularly in the aftermath of WWII, when numerous Jewish families and communities left the city center.

Congregation Beth Israel (CBI) is among the oldest Jewish communities in Connecticut. It began as an Orthodox congregation and is now one of the biggest Reform Jewish congregations in the region. Beth Israel formed during the 19th century and built a prominent  synagogue in Hartford in 1876. The congregation is a founding member of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, now known as the Union for Reform Judaism. During the 1930s, the community relocated to West Hartford and began conducting worship in a new synagogue with a striking Byzantine dome. Designed by Charles R. Greco and built from 1933 to 1936, Temple Beth Israel marks the transition of this Jewish community from the city center out to the suburbs. CBI has continued expanding over the decades and is now a spiritual home for over 700 families.

Temple Beth Israel

Rabbinic leadership at Agudas Achim As&nbsp;Rabbi Joshua Berkowitz told the&nbsp;New York Times upon the Agudas Achim's&nbsp;100-year anniversary, the congregation had only five rabbis over the course of its first century, contributing to its longevity and "rootedness." Synagogue president&nbsp;Leon Chameides concurred that "rabbinic leadership [is]&nbsp;the glue that has held the synagogue together." The congregation's first rabbi,&nbsp;Isaac S. Hurewitz, served from 1893 until 1935, while simultaneously working as a kosher butcher. A synagogue on Market Street opened in 1903, under his leadership. He was still in charge in 1928, when the new Greenfield Street synagogue was built.

Founded by Romanian immigrants in 1887, Agudas Achim is an Orthodox congregation. As was typical of newly formed 19th-century Jewish congregations, members initially met in private homes to worship, before opening their first synagogue, a building on Market Street, around 1903. Agudas Achim's Greenfield Street synagogue, designed by Berenson & Moses in a mixture of Romanesque Revival and Colonial Revival style, opened in 1928. During the 1960s, Congregation Agudas Achim moved out of Hartford to the suburbs of West Hartford, reflecting the general suburban relocation of Hartford's Jewish communities during this time. The 1928 Greenfield Street synagogue is now home to a Baptist church.

Agudas Achim Synagogue (Glory Chapel International Cathedral)

A rural Jewish congregation Anshei Israel Synagogue is a small, simple building covered in white clapboard with a gable roof and tower. Surrounded by trees, the synagogue enjoys a beautiful, if somewhat remote, location. It sits on a plot of land that was given by local farmer and congregation member Harry Rothenberg. The closest population centers are Lisbon, (current populated estimate: 4300; population in 1940: 1100), and Jewett City (current population: 3500; population in 1940: 3700). The synagogue's rural setting is unusual among historic Connecticut synagogues, which were typically founded in cities such as Hartford or New Haven.&nbsp;The setting had some effects on the community's practices. Although traditionally, congregants would have preferred to walk to services, their dispersion through the countryside made walking impractical. They therefore rode part of the way and walked the rest.&nbsp; David Ransom, who researched Anshei Israel Synagogue for its inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, summed up its significance as follows: <blockquote>"Anshei Israel Synagogue is significant architecturally because it is a good example
of a small country Jewish house of worship. The architecture is the epitome of
simplicity, but, due to its tall projecting tower, undeniably in the Colonial Revival
tradition. At present, the building is sound and in a good state of preservation, but
unused. Nestled close to the road among trees and encroaching underbrush, it is visually
distinguished by its setting, which is unique among historic Connecticut synagogues" (p. 137).</blockquote>

Built in 1936, this synagogue housed an Orthodox Jewish congregation. Its founding members included fifteen families originally from Poland and Russia. The synagogue is in a rural part of Connecticut, serving the Jewish residents of Lisbon and surrounding towns: Plainfield, Prescott, Griswold, and Jewett City. Anshei Israel remained in use for several decades until it closed in the 1980s as the Jewish population in the area decreased. Lisbon Historical Society now operates the building.

Jewish History of Connecticut

Knesseth Israel Synagogue (Ellington Shul)

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information