Location Corsicana, Texas NRHP Reference # 86003687 TSAL # 741 Address Corsicana, TX 75110, USA Architectural style American Exotic Revival | Built 1898 RTHL # 11642 Designated RTHL 1981 Opened 1898 Added to NRHP 3 February 1987 | |
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Similar Congregation B'nai Israel, Winters‑Wimberley House, Buescher State Park, W H Stark House, U‑Drop Inn | ||
Temple Beth-El is an historic Moorish Revival synagogue located at 208 South 15th Street in Corsicana, Texas.
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Landmark status
Temple Beth-El became a Recorded Texas Historical Landmark in 1981. On February 3, 1987, Temple Beth-El was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Temple Beth-El is one of three State Archeological Landmarks in Navarro County, Texas.
History
The Jewish community of Corsicana established a congregation in 1871. The congregation worshiped at each other's homes until it could raise the funding to build a synagogue.
Julius Magil served as rabbi in the early days of its new building. He was born December 29, 1870, at Mitau, Courland, which was then in the Russian Empire but is now part of Latvia. He received a secular education at Realgymnasium and University of Zürich, Switzerland. Rabbi Magil's religious training took place at the Talmudical College of Grobin, Courland. Rabbi Magil then studied medicine at Fort Wayne Medical College, and he received a Ph.D. from Rogers College in 1898.
The synagogue was built by a Reform Jewish congregation in 1898. It is a wood-frame building, with clapboard siding, keyhole windows in the front doors, and a pair of octagonal towers topped by onion domes.
Rabbi Ernest Joseph served as the spiritual leader of Temple Beth-El from 1968 to 1980.
In 1980, Temple Beth-El closed as a congregation, although a local rabbi still leads a Jewish service on a monthly basis. The property was donated to the City of Corsicana around 1990. The City uses it as a community center.
In 2010, the synagogue's stained glass windows were renovated. The synagogue's facade and domes were restored in 2013.