Temple Israel (Boston)

History

The congregation Temple Israel, originally known as Adath Israel, was founded in 1854 when Jews of German ancestry seceded from Ohabei Shalom, then the sole synagogue in Boston, because so many Polish Jews had joined the congregation. The congregation immediately renovated a house on Pleasant Street for use as a synagogue.

In 1859, it purchased land in Wakefield, Massachusetts, for a cemetery.

In 2016, Rabbi Elaine Zecher became the senior rabbi of the congregation, the first to hold that post. She had served the temple for 26 years previously. She succeeded Rabbi Ronne Friedman, who had become the senior rabbi in 1999, who had in turn succeeded Rabbi Bernard Mehlman.

1885 building

In 1885, the congregation erected "the first architecturally significant synagogue" in Massachusetts. The Rundbogenstil building, with twin towers and a rose window in the form of a Magen David stands at 600 Columbus Avenue, at the corner of Northampton. Today, it is the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. It is the oldest synagogue building still standing in Massachusetts.

1906 building

In 1906, the congregation moved to a new building that is now the Morse Auditorium of Boston University.

1926 building

In 1926, the congregation began work on a new temple, on the Riverway at Longwood Avenue in Roxbury, just across the Muddy River from Brookline. The "monumental", Classical building was planned to have an enormous, domed sanctuary, with flanking wings. Only the west wing, about one-fifth of the planned space, was completed before the stock market crash of 1929.

1973 building

The auditorium and religious school on Longwood Avenue were supplemented by a new, modernist sanctuary. Outside on the Riverway was an original abstract sculpture by Louise Nevelson, Sky Covenant.