Congregation B'nai Shalom (Easton, Pennsylvania) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Congregation B'nai Shalom |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Reform Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Synagogue |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 1545 Bushkill Street, Easton, Pennsylvania 18042 |
| Country | United States |
 Location in Pennsylvania
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| Architecture | |
| Architectural style | Synagogue |
| Date established | 2020 (merged congregation)
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| Completed |
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Congregation B'nai Shalom is a Jewish synagogue in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. It follows the Reform way of Jewish practice. The synagogue is located at 1545 Bushkill Street. This congregation was formed on August 1, 2020. It came about when two older congregations decided to join together.
One of the original groups was called Brit Shalom. It started in 1839 and was later known as the Temple Covenant of Peace. It is one of the oldest Jewish congregations in the country. In 2018, this group began talking about merging with B'nai Abraham Synagogue, which was founded in 1889.
Contents
History of the Congregation
Brit Shalom's Beginnings
Congregation Brit Shalom was founded on August 26, 1839. This makes it a very old Jewish community. In 1842, the congregation built its first synagogue building. This building was located at 38 South Sixth Street. Later, in 1959, the congregation moved to a new building. At that time, they had changed their name to Temple Covenant of Peace. The old building on S. Sixth Street was later used by the Second Baptist Church of Easton. In 1996, an expert named Mark W. Gordon said this building was the third oldest synagogue building in the United States. Sadly, the old synagogue building, which was then a church, was destroyed by a fire on June 21, 2003.
B'nai Abraham's Story
Congregation B'nai Abraham was also known as B'nai Abraham Synagogue. Its name comes from Hebrew and means "Children of Abraham." This congregation was started in 1889. Its founders were Jewish immigrants who came from Eastern and Central Europe, Russia, and the Baltic countries. They practiced Orthodox Judaism, following the Ashkenazi rite.
The Merger: Becoming B'nai Shalom
After several years of discussions, the two congregations decided to merge. This happened in August 2020. They joined together to form Congregation B'nai Shalom. Before the merger, B'nai Abraham followed the Conservative movement. However, the new combined congregation chose to embrace the Reform movement. The new Congregation B'nai Shalom decided to use the former B'nai Abraham Synagogue building on Bushkill Street as their main place of worship. The building that belonged to the former Temple Covenant of Peace was sold.
More Information
- You can visit their website to learn more: bnaishalomeaston.org
