Ballpark Synagogue facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Sons of Israel Synagogue
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The former synagogue in 2013
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 Location in Indiana
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| Location | 420 S. William Street, South Bend, Indiana |
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| Built | 1901 |
| Architect | Freyermuth & Maurer |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 13000427 |
| Added to NRHP | June 25, 2013 |
The B'nai Israel Synagogue (also known as Sons of Israel Synagogue) is a very old and special building in South Bend, Indiana. It's the oldest synagogue in South Bend. A synagogue is a place where Jewish people gather to pray and learn. This building is also famous for being "America's only ballpark synagogue."
In 2012, this unused synagogue got a big makeover. It reopened as a gift shop for the South Bend Cubs minor league baseball team. Their baseball field is right next to the building! Because of its history and unique story, the synagogue was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.
Contents
A Look Back: History of the Synagogue
Building a Community Home
This special synagogue was built in 1901. It was created by Jewish immigrants who came from Eastern Europe. For many years, the people who worshipped here followed Orthodox Jewish traditions. Later, in 1982, it became a Reconstructionist temple and was renamed B'nai Yisrael.
Challenges and Changes
Over time, fewer people attended services at the synagogue. The neighborhood around it also changed. Even though a new minor league baseball park was built nearby, the synagogue's attendance kept dropping. The last services were held in the building in 1990. After that, the building was given to the Indiana Landmarks Foundation.
In 2005, the Foundation sold the synagogue to a person named Chris Wood. He planned to live there. However, the city of South Bend wanted to use the building or its land for city improvements. So, the city bought the building from Mr. Wood in 2007.
A New Life for an Old Building
For several years, the building was empty and started to show its age. Plans to turn it into a museum or move it to a new spot didn't work out because there wasn't enough money.
Then, in 2012, something exciting happened! Andrew T. Berlin, the new owner of the South Bend Cubs baseball team, bought the synagogue. He spent $1 million to fix it up. Mr. Berlin paid for many repairs and improvements. This included making the beautiful brass chandelier shine again. New wall paintings were also added, mixing ideas from the Bible with baseball themes.
For example, one painting shows Noah's Ark with the words "Rain Delay." Another painting is a copy of Michelangelo's famous "Creation of Adam." In this version, God's hand wears a baseball glove as he gives a baseball to Adam. The words next to it say: "Play Ball."
Today, this wonderfully preserved building stands on the grounds of Four Winds Field at Coveleski Stadium. It now serves as the South Bend Cubs' team gift shop. A short film about how the synagogue was restored even won an Emmy Award in 2013!
Exploring the Synagogue's Design
Outside the Building
The synagogue is a 1.5-story building. It was designed in the Romanesque Revival style. This style often uses round arches and strong, solid shapes. The building is made of orange-colored brick and limestone. It has a gabled roof, which means it slopes down on two sides. A large stone arch, trimmed in white, sits on top of the roof.
The front of the building has three tall windows. They are arched at the top and square at the bottom. A white metal panel with pressed arch designs separates the top and bottom parts of each window. The name of the synagogue is carved above the middle window. There's also a round window, called an oculus, in the center of another arch-shaped design.
On each front corner of the building, there's a square brick tower, called a tourelle. These towers have a special base that looks like a series of brackets, called a corbel. Each tourelle is topped with a pyramid-shaped metal roof. At the very top of each roof, there's a Star of David finial, which is a decorative ornament.
Inside the Building
Inside, the synagogue has a main prayer area, called a sanctuary. There's also a balcony where women used to sit during services. The building also has several smaller rooms. In the basement, there was once a mikveh, which is a special bath used for ritual cleansing.
Images for kids
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The former synagogue in 2013
