Beth Hamedrash Hagodol Synagogue (Hartford, Connecticut) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Beth Hamedrash Hagodol Synagogue |
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The former synagogue, now church, in 2014
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation |
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| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | |
| Ownership | Greater Refuge Church of Christ |
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| Location | |
| Location | 370 Garden Street, Hartford, Connecticut |
| Country | United States |
 Location in Connecticut
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| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Berenson & Moses |
| Architectural type | Synagogue |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Date established | 1905 (as a congregation) |
| Completed | 1922 |
The Beth Hamedrash Hagodol Synagogue is an old building in Hartford, Connecticut. It used to be a synagogue for an Orthodox Jewish community. Today, it serves as a Christian church.
The Jewish community started in 1905. They built this beautiful building in 1921–1922. It is located at 370 Garden Street in Hartford. Later, in the 1960s, the Jewish community moved to a new place.
In the 1980s, the building became a Christian church. It is now called the Greater Refuge Church of Christ. This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. This means it is an important historical site.
Contents
About the Building
The former Beth Hamedrash Hagodol building is in Hartford's Clay-Arsenal area. You can find it on the east side of Garden Street. It is a two-story building made of brick.
Building Style and Features
The building has a special look called Romanesque Revival. This style uses round arches and strong, simple shapes. The front of the building has two slightly sticking-out square towers. Each tower has two narrow, round-arch windows on every floor.
Stairs lead up to three entrances between the towers. Each entrance is set inside a rounded arch. Above the entrances, on the second floor, there is a round window. This window has a Star of David design in its center. There are also two round-arch windows on each side of the central window.
History of the Community
The Jewish community began in 1905. They first met on Wooster Street in Hartford. In 1921, they joined with another Orthodox group called Sharah Torah. Together, they built this synagogue in 1922. They wanted a place closer to where their members lived.
Two Jewish architects from Hartford, Julius Berenson and Jacob Moses, designed the building. This was one of two synagogues they designed. In the 1960s, this community joined with other Orthodox groups. They formed the United Synagogue of Greater Hartford and moved to West Hartford.
National Historic Site
The former Beth Hamedrash Hagodol synagogue is very important. It was one of fifteen synagogues in Connecticut added to the National Register of Historic Places. This happened in 1995 and 1996. This special list helps protect important historical buildings.
Today, the Greater Refuge Church of Christ owns this building.
See also
