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 is located in Fleischmanns, New York, in the United States. This beautiful wooden building was built around the 1920s.
The synagogue started in 1918 when local farmers formed a group to worship together. It was first an Orthodox synagogue, but later became a Conservative one. It is the only synagogue in the Catskills that has its roof beams showing inside. In 2002, the synagogue was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical building. It is the only synagogue in Delaware County to be on this list.
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About the Synagogue Building
The synagogue sits on a large piece of land, about 120 by 192 feet (37 by 59 meters). It is on the north side of Wagner Avenue in Fleischmanns. This area is mostly homes, with many old boardinghouses from the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Behind the synagogue, there is a small group of trees. These trees help separate the building from the Bush Kill creek. Because it is near the creek, the synagogue's land is flat and grassy. It is also surrounded by nice hedges.
Outside the Synagogue
The building is one and a half stories tall. It is made of wood and sits on a concrete block foundation. The outside walls are covered with wooden clapboard siding. The roof has a pointed shape, called a gabled roof, with parts that hang over the edges. These hanging parts are held up by decorative supports called brackets.
Along the front and sides, the building has sections divided by flat, decorative columns called pilasters. These columns have special tops, called Doric capitals. They support a decorative band called an architrave with a wide frieze.
On the front of the building, the windows are set deep into the wall. They have pointed arch frames. The bottom part of the windows has eight colored glass panes. 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 Synagogue
To enter, you walk up concrete steps to the main doors. These are double wooden doors with decorative columns on the sides. They support a large pointed arch with shiny glass panels. Inside, there is a narrow entrance area, called a vestibule. There is a kitchen on one side. From the vestibule, another set of double doors leads into the community room. This room has a window that connects to the kitchen.
Another set of double doors leads into the sanctuary. This is the main worship area, located at the back of the building. The ark is on the north wall. This is where the holy Torah scrolls are kept. It is on a raised platform with a railing. The ark has three parts with beautiful carved wooden doors. On each side of the ark, there are sections that stick out.
Columns with fancy tops, called Corinthian columns, support a decorative band above the ark. This band has a wide frieze and a projecting cornice with small blocks called modillions. On top of the sections that stick out, there are carved lions. The middle part of the ark holds the Torah behind sliding wooden doors. It has a round-arched panel on top with a special design. This design shows two wooden tablets carved with the Ten Commandments.
The bimah is in front of the ark. This is a raised platform where the Torah is read. It has four strong posts. Two of these posts have decorative carvings on top. The bimah also has wide wooden moldings on its outside walls. Wooden benches, called Pews, surround the bimah on three sides. These pews have decorative carvings on their curved handrails.
The walls and ceiling inside are covered with wallboard and wooden strips. A thin strip of old wooden molding goes around the inside walls at the same height as the windows. The ceiling shows the wooden roof beams, called trusses. Above the entrance area, community room, and kitchen, there is a space that might have been a gallery. It has a railing but is not finished. It might have been just for decoration.
History of the Synagogue
Jewish people started moving to the Catskills area around 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 food that followed Jewish dietary rules.
In 1918, six farmers in the Fleischmanns area decided to officially form a group called Congregation Bnai Israel. They had been meeting in each other's homes for religious study. A month later, they bought the land for the synagogue for just $1. The next year, they held a big party to raise more money. A thousand guests came, and it was remembered as one of the best events in the area. They raised about $3,500 from wealthy Jewish people nearby. This allowed construction to begin in 1920.
Local builders named Crosby and Kelly built the synagogue. They had also built the village's Skene Memorial Library about 20 years earlier. The synagogue's design shows different influences. Its overall plan and the way the sanctuary is set up, along with 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 like features seen in the many Protestant churches in the region. The B'nai Israel Synagogue is special in the Catskills because it has an exposed truss ceiling. This feature is sometimes seen in Episcopalian churches.
About 20 years after it was built, the sanctuary was divided. This created the community room, kitchen, and vestibule that you see today. Parts from the original back wall were saved and put back on the new back wall of the community room. The building has not had any other major changes since then.
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