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Congregation Am Tikvah

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Coordinates:37°42′49″N122°28′29″W/ 37.713723°N 122.474835°W/37.713723; -122.474835
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Congregation Am Tikvah
Religion
AffiliationJudaism
RiteConservativeandReform
Ecclesiastical or organisational statusSynagogue
LeadershipRabbi Chayva Lehrman
StatusActive
Location
Location625 Brotherhood Way,San Francisco,California94132
CountryUnited States
Geographic coordinates37°42′49″N122°28′29″W/ 37.713723°N 122.474835°W/37.713723; -122.474835
Architecture
TypeSynagogue architecture
Date established2021(merged congregation)
– 1949: B’nai Emunah
– 1969: Beth Israel-Judea
  • 1860(as Beth Israel)
  • 1953(as Temple Judea)
Completed
  • 1879(BI: Turk Street)
  • 1891(BI: Geary Street #1)
  • 1908(BI: Geary Street #2)
  • 1964(TJ: Brotherhood Way)
  • 1976(BE: Taraval Street)
Website
amtikvah.org
[1][2]

Congregation Am Tikvah(transliteratedfromHebrewas "People of Hope" ) is a combinedConservativeandReformJewishcongregation andsynagoguelocated at 625 Brotherhood Way inSan Francisco,California,in the United States.[3][4]The congregation was formed in 2021 as the result of the merger of the Conservative B'nai Emunah and the ReformBeth Israel Judeacongregations,[5]with the latter formed in 1969 through a merger of the Conservative Congregation Beth Israel and the Reform Temple Judea.[6]: 62–63 The congregation is affiliated with both theUnion for Reform Judaismand theUnited Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

Beth Israelwas founded in 1860 as anOrthodoxcongregation.[7]: 188 Members worshiped in leased premises, first on Sutter Street, and then a larger space on Mission Street.[6]: 62 In 1879 the congregation completed its first building on Turk Street, but soon outgrew it, and in 1891 constructed a new synagogue building on Geary Street. In 1908 it constructed a larger synagogue building on Geary Street, where it remained until 1969. By this time the congregation had moved to Conservative Judaism.[6]: 63 [8]: 212–213 The congregation's rabbis were M. Wolf (1860–1874), A. (Nahum) Streisand (1874–1878), Aron J. Messing (1878–1890), Meyer Solomon Levy (1890–1916), Herman Lissauer (1916–1926), and Elliot M. Burstein (1927–1969).[6]: 63 [9]Joseph Rabinowitz wascantorfrom 1891 to 1943.[8]: 212–213 

B'nai Emunahwas founded in 1949 by mostlyGerman Jewswho had fled toShanghaiin the late 1930s. AfterWorld War II,some of the Shanghai Jews settled in San Francisco.[10]

Temple Judeawas founded in 1953, the first Reform synagogue built in San Francisco in almost 125 years. Its first rabbi was Robert W. Shapiro, and he was succeeded by Irving Reichert and then Herbert Morris in 1962. In 1964 Temple Judea completed a synagogue building at 625 Brotherhood Way.[2][6]: 63 

Beth Israel and Temple Judea merged in 1969 as Congregation Beth Israel-Judea, adopting practices from both congregations, and moving to Temple Judea's building. Morris became the rabbi of the combined congregation, and Burstein became rabbi emeritus.[6]: 63 Morris retired in 1998, was succeeded by Evan Goodman. Goodman left in 2006, and was succeeded by Rosalind Glazer.[2][11]

Beth Israel-Judea and B'nai Emunah congregations merged in 2021, affiliating with both the Conservative and Reform organizations and worshiping in the former Beth Israel-Judea synagogue building, located on Brotherhood Way. Rabbi Sami Barth was appointed as interim rabbi during the merger;[5]and, in 2023, Rabbi Chayva Lehrman was appointed to lead the merged congregation.[1]

Early history[edit]

Congregation Beth Israel[edit]

Early premises[edit]

Congregation Beth Israel was founded as anOrthodoxsynagogue[7]: 188 in San Francisco in 1860, and subsequently became "the firstconservative congregationwest of Chicago ".[2][6]: 62 From 1860 to 1874 the congregation worshiped in a leased building on Sutter Street between Dupont and Stockton Streets.[6]: 62 During this period therabbiwas M. Wolf.[6]: 63 [9]Beth Israel then leased a larger building on Mission Street, between Fifth and Sixth Streets for four years,[6]: 63 led by A. (Nachum/Nahum) Streisand.[6]: 63 [9][12]Born inPosenin 1819, Streisand had been a student ofAkiva Eiger,and had served as amaggid(itinerant preacher) in the Ukraine and in Posen. In 1869, he emigrated to the United States, where he served as rabbi of New York City's (then) Orthodox Congregation Shaare Zedek. He moved from New York to San Francisco in 1874 to take the position of rabbi at Beth Israel.[12]Streisand was succeeded by Aron J. Messing in 1877 or 1878,[a]and died in San Francisco in January 1879.[12]

Messing was also born in Posen, in 1839[14]or 1840,[7]: 188 and studied divinity at theUniversity of Graz.[14]He emigrated to the United States in 1866, to serve as rabbi of New York City's Beth Israel Bikur Cholim.[14][b]In 1870 he moved to San Francisco'sCongregation Sherith Israel,but could not convince the members to become Orthodox, and returned to Chicago three years later. He returned to San Francisco to serve at the then-Orthodox Beth Israel.[7]: 188 When he joined Beth Israel, it had eighty member families, and within a year that had more than doubled. Beth Israel was considered a "Polish"congregation at the time, but had manyGerman-Jewishmembers, and Messing gave his sermons in German.[7]: 496 

Though services were traditional, the congregation instituted "strict rules of decorum",[7]: 149 which were given in some detail in its 1878 constitution.[7]: 195 These included prohibitions against gathering outside the sanctuary, talking during services, entering or leaving at various times during the services, praying out loud or with "all manner of intonations", wearing thetallitover the head, taking off thetallitbefore the end of services, or bringing in children under 6 years of age. The constitution also detailed exactly when congregants had to stand during the services.[7]: 195–196 

To accommodate continued growth, the congregation built its first synagogue on Turk Street between Jones and Taylor Streets, and dedicated it in 1879.[6]: 62 The congregation outgrew the Turk Street building and, in 1891, built a new synagogue at 1411 Geary Street, near Octavia.[6]: 63 [15]

Geary Street[edit]

Messing had served as rabbi until 1890, and was succeeded that year by M.S. (Myer Solomon) Levy.[9]Levy was born in England in January 1852 and raised there, the son of Rabbi Solomon Levy of Borough Synagogue in London.[16]: 75 Myer Solomon had been ordained in England as an Orthodox rabbi before he was twenty, and moved to Australia as a young man.[17][18]: 22 [8]: 66 An early supporter ofZionism,[18]: 22 [8]: 108 he had served as a rabbi in Melbourne before moving to California in 1872[16]: 75 or 1873,[18]: 22 where he served as the rabbi of Temple Emanu-El (then Bickur Cholim) inSan Jose.[17]He then served at theFirst Hebrew Congregation of Oaklandfor ten years, but found the congregation not traditional enough for him, and moved to Beth Israel.[8]: 66, 108 [6]: 54 [19]: 128 [18]: 23 At Beth Israel he "organized a Hebrew School and a Sunday School, a sisterhood, and a men's club".[19]: 128 During his tenure, the congregation's religious orientation wasModern Orthodox.[8]: 212–213 

Joseph Rabinowitz joined Beth Israel ascantorthe year the synagogue building at 1411 Geary Street was constructed. A "rich baritone" from a "famous family of Lithuanian cantors", he sang at Beth Israel until 1943. Despite Beth Israel's traditionalism, he was accompanied by both a mixed choir (thatincluded women), andan organ.[8]: 212–213 

In 1905, the congregation started construction of an even larger synagogue building on 1839 Geary Street between Fillmore and Steiner Streets.[6]: 63 [20]It was nearing completion when it was destroyed by the1906 San Francisco earthquake.[6]: 63 At the time, the congregation had 200 member families, and an income of $15,800 (today $540,000). Services were held onShabbatand theJewish holidays.The congregational school had 250 students and five teachers.[15]The members re-built at the 1839 Geary Street location, and dedicated the building in 1908.[21]An "imposing brick-and-steel" structure, it had an "elaborate wood-carvedbimah"and stained-glass windows. Known as the Geary Street Temple, it was" the most visible symbol of traditional Judaism in the city for more than half a century ".[8]: 212–213 

Herman Lissauer succeeded Levy asrabbiin 1916,[6]: 63 [9]the year he graduated from theJewish Theological Seminary of America(JTSA).[22]By 1919, the congregation had 325 member families. The congregational school held classes five days a week, and had 250 students and twelve teachers.[20]Lissauer would serve until 1926, then move to San Francisco'sCongregation Emanu-El,and subsequently become head of theWarner Bros.Research Department.[23]

Lissauer was succeeded in 1927 by Elliot M. (Maurice) Burstein, who would remain rabbi at Beth Israel for over four decades.[6]: 63 Born inNew Haven, Connecticutin 1899, Burstein graduated fromColumbia Collegein 1919. He was ordained at the JTSA in 1923, where he also earned a Master of Hebrew Literature degree.[19]: 116 Burstein was politically liberal and aZionist,[8]: 212–213 and served for five years as the president of the Zionist Organization of San Francisco.[19]: 116 During his tenure, Beth Israel "gravitated towards Conservative Judaism".[8]: 212–213 

Temple Judea[edit]

Temple Judeawas founded in 1953, the first Reform synagogue built in San Francisco in almost 125 years. Robert W. Shapiro was the congregation's first rabbi. In 1957 it purchased land on Stanley Drive, and convinced the city to change the street's name to Brotherhood Way.[6]: 63 

In the late 1950s Irving F. Reichert served as Temple Judea's part-time rabbi for three years.[8]: 320 Reichert had formerly served as rabbi of Tremont Temple/Scarsdale Synagogue in theBronxfrom 1923 to 1930, and San Francisco's Congregation Emanu-El from 1930 to 1947, before retiring from the pulpit at age 53.[6]: 66, 225, 226 He was a stronganti-Zionistwho supported the creation of theAmerican Council for Judaism(ACJ), and following his retirement from Emanu-El, he served for five years as the executive director of the ACJ's western region.[8]: 320 

Herbert Morris was hired as rabbi in 1962. Born inTrenton, New Jerseyin 1930, Morris's first rabbinic position had been two years as a chaplain with theUnited States Navyin Japan in 1956. He subsequently served as a chaplain for theSan Francisco Police Department.[24]

The year after Morris joined, Temple Judea sold some of the still-undeveloped land on Brotherhood Way to the Jewish Community Center. That same year the synagogue began construction of a new building,[6]: 63 which it completed in 1964 at 625 Brotherhood Way.[2]

1969 and 2021 mergers[edit]

In 1969 the Congregation Beth Israel and Temple Judea merged, after three major potential impediments were resolved: the synagogue would have a "restricted kosher kitchen", Temple Judea's Friday night Torah readings would continue, and the rabbi would still perform intermarriages.[6]: 63 Temple Judea's Morris became the rabbi of the combined congregation,[2]and Beth Israel's Burstein became rabbi emeritus.<[6]: 63 The new congregation moved to Temple Judea's building on Brotherhood Way.[6]: 63 The Geary Street Temple eventually became derelict, but was purchased in the late 1980s and renovated by designerTony Duquette.In 1989, soon after the renovations were complete, it burnt down, and a post office was later built in its place.[25][26]

At the merged Beth Israel Judea, Friday night services were Reform-oriented, while Saturday morning services had "a Conservative feel". Morris created a newHigh Holy Day prayerbookfor the congregation "combining liturgy of the Reform and Conservative movements". He created aBar and Bat Mitzvahprogram for adults, and was a "firm supporter of women's causes [and] civil rights". He also supported Israel, and introduced the practice of confirmation class trips there.[24]In 1976 the congregation built a religious school, and by 1995 there were 486 member families.[6]: 63 

Morris retired in 1998,[24]and Beth Israel Judea hired Evan Goodman as his successor.[11]Goodman had previously served as rabbi of Beth El inSan Mateo, Californiafor five and a half years.[11]Morris died in 2003,[24]while Goodman served at Beth Israel Judea until leaving in 2006 to take a position at Temple Israel inNew Rochelle, New York.[11]That year Rosalind Glazer, a graduate of theReconstructionistrabbinical college, joined as rabbi.[2]

In the late summer of 2011, the congregation hired Rabbi Danny Gottlieb, who was previously rabbi of Temple Kol Ami in Thornhill, Ontario. In 2011, Beth Israel Judea was a member of the Reform movement;[4]and the rabbi was Danny Gottlieb.[27]

As a result of the 2021 merger, an interim rabbi, Sami Barth, was appointed;[5]and in 2023, a new rabbi, Chayva Lehrma, began leading the merged congregation, that had joint affiliation with the U.S. organizations representing Reform and Conservative congregations.[1]

Notable congregants[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^Streisand served until 1878, and was succeeded that year by Messing.[6]: 63 Messing served at Beth Israel from 1877 to 1890.[7]: 188 Also, described as 'Rabbi Congregation "Beth Israel" '.[13][9]
  2. ^Messing first moved to Chicago.[7]: 188 

References[edit]

  1. ^abcIlsley-Greene, Lillian (June 5, 2023)."Emotional ceremony marks end of B'nai Emunah as Torah scrolls are carried to their new home".J. The Jewish News of Northern California.RetrievedJanuary 21,2024.
  2. ^abcdefg"Our History".Beth Israel Judea.Archived fromthe originalon August 20, 2008.RetrievedJune 11,2010.[self-published source?]
  3. ^"Contact Us".Beth Israel Judea.Archived fromthe originalon July 15, 2008.RetrievedJune 11,2010.[self-published source?]
  4. ^ab"Congregation Beth Israel Judea (C807)".Directory of Congregations.Union for Reform Judaism.Archived fromthe originalon August 25, 2007.RetrievedJune 11,2010.
  5. ^abcWilensky, David A.M. (December 16, 2020)."Mazel tov — it's a merger! Two historic San Francisco synagogues become one".J. The Jewish News of Northern California.RetrievedJanuary 21,2024.
  6. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzOlitzky, Kerry M.;Raphael, Marc Lee (1996).The American Synagogue: A Historical Dictionary and Sourcebook.Greenwood Press.ISBN978-0-313-28856-2.
  7. ^abcdefghijKahn, Ava Fran (2002).Jewish Voices of the California Gold Rush: A Documentary History, 1849–1880.Wayne State University Press.ISBN978-0-8143-2859-0.
  8. ^abcdefghijklRosenbaum, Fred(2009).Cosmopolitans: A Social and Cultural History of the Jews of the San Francisco Bay Area.University of California Press.ISBN978-0-520-25913-3.
  9. ^abcdefLandman, Isaac(1943). "San Francisco".The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia.Vol. 9. Universal Jewish Encyclopedia Co. Inc. p. 357.
  10. ^Mirsky, Maya (August 17, 2022)."75 years ago this week: San Francisco was 'Port of Hope' for Jewish refugees from Shanghai".JWeekly.RetrievedJanuary 21,2024.
  11. ^abcdWall, Alexandra J. (May 31, 2006)."After 13 years in Bay Area, Rabbi Goodman heads for N.Y."J. The Jewish News of Northern California.
  12. ^abcSherman, Moshe D. (1996).Orthodox Judaism in America: A Biographical Dictionary and Sourcebook.Greenwood Publishing Group.p. 207.ISBN978-0-313-24316-5.
  13. ^Messing, Aron J. (1887).A Hebrew Primer for the Hebrew Free School of San Francisco.San Francisco: M. Weiss Printer and Publisher.
  14. ^abc"Eminent Hebrew Clergymen".American Phrenological Journal:147. April 1868.
  15. ^abAmerican Jewish Committee(1908)."Directory of National Organizations"(PDF).American Jewish Year Book.Jewish Publication Society.p. 134.
  16. ^abAmerican Jewish Committee(1904)."Special Articles"(PDF).American Jewish Year Book.Jewish Publication Society.
  17. ^abSeeIsaac (2009),p. 15.
  18. ^abcdRosenbaum, Fred(1987). "San Francisco-Oakland: The Native Son". In Brinner, William M.;Rischin, Moses(eds.).Like All the Nations?: The Life and Legacy of Judah L. Magnes.State University of New York Press.ISBN978-0-88706-507-1.
  19. ^abcdZarchin, Michael Moses (1964).Glimpses of Jewish Life in San Francisco.Judah L. Magnes Museum.
  20. ^abAmerican Jewish Committee(1920)."Directories"(PDF).American Jewish Year Book.Jewish Publication Society.p. 344.
  21. ^"Congregation Beth Israel Judea records, 1862-1999".Collection description.Judah L. Magnes Museum.Archived fromthe originalon September 12, 2009.RetrievedJune 11,2010.
  22. ^de Haas, Jacob,ed. (1934).The Encyclopedia of Jewish Knowledge.Behrman. p. 251.
  23. ^Andersen, Fred (1995). "The Warner Bros. Research Department: Putting History to Work in the Classic Studio Era".The Public Historian.17(1) (Winter ed.).University of California Press:51–69.doi:10.2307/3378351.JSTOR3378351.
  24. ^abcdCohn, Abby (November 14, 2003)."A leader with a 'soft glove,' Rabbi Herbert Morris, dies".J. The Jewish News of Northern California.
  25. ^"From Tony Duquette, a magical space".The New Fillmore.November 8, 2008.
  26. ^"Jewish Fillmore".The New Fillmore.August 1, 2009.
  27. ^"Rabbi".Beth Israel Judea.Archived fromthe originalon July 15, 2008.RetrievedJune 11,2010.[self-published source?]
  28. ^Eskenazi, Joe (August 6, 2004)."COVER STORY: A hard-knock life".The Jewish News of Northern California.RetrievedApril 27,2023.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

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