On the First Cambridge Synagogue 9 Sept. 2002

Abstract: The story of how, when. and why the first synagogue of Cambridge Massachusetts came to be designed, named, built and recycled.

The fourth groundbreaking ceremony for a Jewish house of worship in Massachusetts, took place in Cambridge at 238 Columbia St. on July 1, 1901. The Beth Israel Synagogue was the first synagogue structure built in Cambridge. The first two Massachusetts synagogue ground breakings were in the: South End of Boston, for Ohabei Shalom in 1852 and Temple Israel in 1885. The third was in the North End in 1889, the peak year of East European Jewish settlement, for Shaari Jerusalem, a small synagogue on a byway called Jerusalem Place. Most of the Jewish congregations of Boston proper, prior to this time, had converted available church structures into synagogues to meet the needs of the growing Jewish population. Cambridge was a growing suburb and the demographic exchanges that allowed Boston's Jews to recycle empty or under-utilized church or other structures into synagogues was not an option in 1900

The first short-lived Boston area use of the congregation name "Beth Israel" was in 1849 and appears to have lasted only one season as a "Polish" secession of about 100 from Ohabei Shalom. A High Holiday service was held and a burial society and cemetery were established on Kidder's Lane, Cambridge (adjoining the Catholic cemetery on Rindge Ave), and Polish majoritarian ascendance over the German minority in Ohabei Shalom quashed the nascent revolt and the short lived "Beth Israel" congregation including its burial society was dissolved.

The next Beth Israel Congregation began in 1887 on Hanover St in the North End of Boston; it eventually moved to and reconstructed a Baptist church on Baldwin Place. This synagogue served as the center of traditional (orthodox) Judaism under a Rabbi Margolis, the RaMaZ, until its abandonment in 1920 with the exodus of the upwardly mobile immigrants from the North End to the outer suburbs. Most of the Russian immigration to New England, starting with the Pogroms of 1881, came directly to the North End. It is hypothesized that many of the new Jewish immigrant Cantabridgians either came via the North End or had sympathies with this community and therefore adopted the same name for the new congregation (A state charter and a certificate of organization were issued 1n 1900. The first Cambridge congregation, Anshei Sfard, was chartered in 1898). It is of interest to note that there were no representatives from the North End religious communities although the established South End rabbis of Temple Israel (Reform), Ohabei Shalom (Conservative), and Mishkan Tefila (orthodox) were all present and took an active part in the Cambridge groundbreaking,

The growth of the Jewish community in Cambridge paralleled that of the Boston community. The establishment a Jewish house of worship in Cambridge awaited the arrival of a critical mass of Russians. The pre Civil War Jewish Cambridge community predominantly English immigrants appear to have satisfied their religious needs by means of existing Boston synagogues and or other associations. Prior to the coming in 188l, of the Russians there were only 4 congregations in Boston. By 1900 the list of congregations had multiplied to about 12.

To propose the design and erection of a major synagogue structure on the horizon of a strange new city and land required leadership characteristics not usually found within the experience of greenhorn immigrants. Some of these characteristics were: conceptualization, pragmatism, organizational ability, financial and political sophistication, boldness, experience, religious dedication and courage. In addition the existence and interest of the critical mass of hundreds of families with the economic resources to sustain a grand synagogue were needed. Most of the immigrants were to say the least economically marginal. That is, income was dedicated to primary shelter and sustenance; they had very little expendable income. Most came from small east European towns and had little urban know how. The population consisted mostly of petty merchant tradesmen, factory workers, and artisans (Junk collectors and dealers, old clothes dealers, peddlers, grocery, shoe and dry goods merchants, cigar makers and dealers, tailors, shoe and cloak factory workers). The well to do successful patrician or parmas class that had developed over the past 50 years in Boston that enabled the building of Ohabai Shalom in 1852 and Temple Israel in 1885 had only started to develop in Cambridge, but had not as yet emerged.

Two figures of note appear to have been both critical and instrumental in the erection of a new "Both Israel" synagogue. They were Israel Nesson, an 1890 merchant of men's furnishings turned real estate speculator builder in 1896, and Simon Alexander, a Boston manufacturer of billiard tables. They were respectively the first president and vice president of the congregation. According to the Cambridge Chronicle coverage, the 45 year old Simon and the 36 year old Israel in addition to presiding over the 1901 groundbreaking and solicitation of subscriptions, were the two highest bidders for the honor of raising a "...large American flag with the Hebrew emblem in the centre.” Both had settled in Cambridge in 1894.

The upwardly mobile Israel Nesson moved his office to Boston and his home to Brookline in 1908 but maintained his philanthropic interest in the Cambridge Synagogue until his death in 1940, According to the Boston Transcript obituary, he was "...one of the most prominent local building contractors, supervising the construction of hundreds of apartments..” The 1940 Beth Israel of Cambridge Golden Book acknowledged his contribution as philanthropist, founder, and first president. The book cited his 1921 purchase of real estate in Ein Kerem the new part of the city of Jerusalem Palestine, with the intent of building housing and a synagogue named “Beth Israel of Jerusalem" as recognition of his religious dedication, and strong feeling.

The Cambridge Chronicle reported in Sept 1904, that Mr. Alexander was involved in a controversy with other officers of the synagogue over their criticism of his dealings with the Revere Beach amusement enterprises. He preferred slander charges against several individuals but failed to appear in court to press these charges. In 1906, Simon Alexander celebrated his fiftieth birthday with a reception and banquet in the synagogue he was instrumental in building. On this occasion, the congregation presented him with inscribed silver water set in appreciation of his effort. He eventually left the city ( why, where, and his demise is being researched) but not before pioneering in l908 the introduction of vaudeville and silent moving picture into the Central Theatre of Cambridgeport and contributing significantly to the 1913 construction of the Hebrew School on Elm St.

The synagogue architect was Nathan Douglas. (He also designed the YMHA/Hebrew School erected about 1910-13 at 178 Elm St) His office was on Lee St which was proximate to a large Massachusetts Avenue apartment house under construction in which Israel Nesson had significant interests. According To David Kaufman (who wrote the essay on the History of the Synagogues of Boston in the 1995 "Jews of Boston") the Cambridge shul architecture was inspired and copied from the German Romanesque style of the 1885 Temple Israel, the leading Jewish congregation of Boston. By doing this the new congregation demonstrated "communal solidarity" and aspiration to local leadership status- The divergence of observance between the traditionalism and orthodoxy of new Russian immigrants and the radical reform of the older immigrant new Americana did not seem to matter. The absence of or provision for a ritual bath (mikveh) as integral to the design of an orthodox synagogue is unexplained.

. Temple Israel 1885 Beth Israel 1901

As in all synagogues the orientation of prayer was eastward toward Jerusalem. Only males were allowed entry onto the main floor a flight of stairs above the ground floor. which was accessed by dual, 11 feet wide interior banistered stairwells on the left and right of the commen main entry leading to a 6 footvesibule.. Entry to the chamber was by four 6 foot wide double action doors. One at either end and two centered on the vestibule. An Ark in which the Torah scrolls were housed was located on the Eastern wall. Originally, per the architect’s drawings submitted to the state public safety agency, this Ark was accessed via a railed platform and two 3or 4 step stairwells on both ends. A separate railed platform was placed on the geometric center of the main floor. This platform was also accessed by two 3or 4 step stairwells and housed the table where the torah scrolls were opened and read. The shaliuch tzibur, or prayer leader i.e. chazzan performed his chores in front of this table. The pre 20^th century practice was to centrally locate the platform (Bimah) from which prayer was led and the torah read (See the 1763 Touro Synagogue . Early in the 20^th century the common practice was to combine these two platforms (see 1924 Temple Ashkenaz). In the 1930’s Harry Bond one of Beth Israel’s more active presidents took it upon himself to modernize and combined the two platforms. Wooden pews were oriented toward and perpendicular to ark.

The Main chamber of the synagogue also housed a horseshoe shaped balcony dedicated for female attendees (a mechizta., seperator) which dually ended at the arked eastern wall.. The gallery was accessed by two stairwells.

The basement house a vestry and male and female bathrooms located beneath the stairwells. The vestry was used for daily prayer, study hall, and school use. A kitchen was located at one end corner and a storage room in the other corner which led to the seasonal succah via an exterior door.

The Beth Israel congregation and synagogue was active for 51 years. To 1924 the synagogue did not have a dedicated full time rabbi. Sermons of guest rabbis were given in Yiddish. In 1924 with the employment of a rabbi Rose, a graduate of the conservative seminary, the language of the sermon changed to English.

The post World War II generational exodus to the green suburbs decimated the extant Cambridge congregations leaving mostly the elderly and a small hard core of urban stalwarts. In 1962 the remaining two congregations consolidated to become Congregation Beth Shalom, abandoned the older more difficult to maintain 1901 Columbia St. location and moved into the 23 year younger structure of Temple Ashkenaz on Tremont St. This congregation and synagogue is thriving with the resurgence of urban living begun in the 80's. It has recently engaged a half-time rabbi, and has several active youth programs.

The Jewish population has increased sufficiently to support some six or seven newer congregations or other Jewish entities disbursed throughout the city The Jewish population of the city is unofficially estimated to be about nine thousand or close to three times the pre W.W.2 population peak.

The Beth Israel Synagogue was sold to the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority in 1970. In 1980 subsequent to a reuse/recycle request for proposal competition, the authority transferred ownership to a condominium association developer, Artspace, whose objective was the creation of affordable residential artist studios while retaining the historical exterior of the synagogue. It would be interesting to hear from the authority and the residents as to how well they succeeded. The condominium consist of ten units and seven parking spaces. It is also time for the Cambridge Historical Commission to mount their blue oval plaque on the site which identifies the "Beth Israel Synagogue," the Columbia St. Shul, at 238 Columbia St as the first Jewish house of worship in Cambridge.

Fran & Arny Schutzberg
54 Fayette St., Cambridge MA. 02139
617 868-8190
arnolds@gis.net,
"Jewish Cambridge" www.gis.net/~arnolds
http://www.gis.net/~arnolds

“Jewish Immigrant Cambridge”

http://home1.gte.net/vze4khjv/index.htm

Return to Introduction