Congregation B'nai Israel Synagogue facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Congregation B'nai Israel Synagogue |
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South elevation and partial west profile, 2008
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Conservative Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Synagogue |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Wagner Avenue, Fleischmanns, New York |
| Country | United States |
 Location in New York
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| Architecture | |
| Architectural style | Neo-Classical |
| General contractor | Crosby and Kelly |
| Date established | 1918 (as a congregation) |
| Groundbreaking | 1920 |
| Completed | c. 1920 |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | South |
| Materials | Wood, stone |
The Congregation Bnai Israel Synagogue is a special Jewish place of worship, called a synagogue. It's located in Fleischmanns, New York, in the United States. This wooden building was built around the 1920s. It was started by local farmers who formed a group (congregation) two years earlier.
The synagogue was first an Orthodox synagogue, but it later became Conservative. It is the only synagogue in the Catskills with a special open roof structure called an exposed truss roof. In 2002, the synagogue was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical site. It's the only synagogue in Delaware County to be on this list.
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About the Synagogue Building
The synagogue sits on a flat, grassy area in Fleischmanns. This area is mostly homes, with many old boardinghouses nearby. A small group of trees behind the building helps separate it from the Bush Kill creek.
Outside the Building
The synagogue is a one-and-a-half-story building made of wood. It has a concrete block base and is covered with wooden siding. The roof is pointed (gabled) with parts that hang over, supported by decorative brackets. The front and sides of the building have flat columns called pilasters. These columns have special tops called Doric capitals.
The front of the building has windows with deep frames. The bottom part of these windows has colored glass. The top part has a Star of David design made with yellow glass surrounded by blue. You can see bigger versions of this Star of David design in the round windows at each end of the roof.
Inside the Building
To enter, you walk up concrete steps to the main wooden doors. Inside, there's a narrow entrance area (vestibule) with a kitchen nearby. Another set of doors leads into the community room. This room has a window that connects to the kitchen.
More double doors open into the main worship area, called the sanctuary. This part of the building is at the back. On the north wall is the Torah ark, where the holy Torah scrolls are kept. It's on a raised platform with carved wooden doors. The ark has columns and decorative carvings, including two carved lions. The very top of the ark shows two stone tablets with the Ten Commandments.
In front of the ark is the bimah, a platform where prayers are led. It has strong posts and wide wooden decorations. Wooden benches (pews) with carved handrails surround the bimah on three sides. The walls and ceiling inside are smooth with wooden strips. A thin wooden molding runs around the walls at window level. The ceiling has exposed wooden trusses, which are like a framework of beams.
History of the Synagogue
Jewish people started moving to the Catskill Mountains in the late 1800s. Many came to farm. But they soon found that running hotels was also a good way to make money. Many Jewish people from cities wanted to vacation in the mountains. They looked for resorts that welcomed them and offered kosher food.
In 1918, six Jewish farmers in the Fleischmanns area decided to create a formal group called Congregation Bnai Israel. Before this, they had met in each other's homes for religious study.
A month later, they bought the land for their new synagogue for just $1. The next year, they held a big party (a ball) to raise money. A thousand guests came, and it was remembered as one of the best events in the area. They raised about $3,500, which helped them start building in 1920.
Local builders Crosby and Kelly constructed the synagogue. They had also built the village's Skene Memorial Library many years before. The synagogue's design shows different influences. Its overall plan and the Stars of David in the windows follow the Orthodox traditions of the founders. The pointed roofs and mix of Gothic and classical details are similar to Protestant churches in the area. The B'nai Israel Synagogue is special because it's the only one in the Catskills with an exposed truss ceiling. This feature might have been inspired by Episcopalian churches.
About 20 years after it was built, the sanctuary was changed. Walls were added to create the community room, kitchen, and vestibule that you see today. Parts of the original back wall were saved and used again on the new back wall of the community room. The building has not had any other major changes since then.
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