Gates of Heaven Synagogue facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gates of Heaven Synagogue |
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The former synagogue building, in 2012
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Judaism (former) |
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| Location | |
| Location | 302 East Gorham Street, Madison, Wisconsin |
| Country | United States |
 Location in Wisconsin
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| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | August Kutzbock |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Date established | 1856 (as a congregation) |
| Completed | 1863 |
The Gates of Heaven Synagogue, also known as the Old Synagogue, is a very old and important building in Madison, Wisconsin. It was designed by a German architect named August Kutzbock and built in 1863. It was first used as a synagogue for a group of 17 German-speaking Jewish families.
After some time, the congregation faced money problems. They had to rent out the building starting in 1879. It was used for many different things over the years, like a dentist's office, a funeral home, and even an office for a US Congressman.
In 1970, the building was almost torn down! But people in the community worked hard to save it. They raised money to move the synagogue to a new spot. In July 1971, the building was moved to James Madison Park. This amazing effort was supported by many people in Madison, a historical preservation group, and the US government.
Today, the Gates of Heaven Synagogue is one of the oldest synagogues in the United States. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. Now, it's a popular place for events like weddings. It still hosts Jewish ceremonies and special holiday services.
Contents
A Look Back: The Synagogue's History
Starting a Community
The first Jewish people came to Madison in the 1850s. They were German immigrants from a place called Bohemia. In March 1856, seventeen Jewish families in Madison started a synagogue. This was the second Jewish community in Wisconsin.
The group was first called Ahavath Achim, which means "Brother Love" in Hebrew. Later, they changed their name to Shaare Shomaim, meaning "Gates of Heaven". This synagogue followed the Reform movement. In 1859, they bought land in Forest Hill Cemetery for a Jewish burial ground.
Before 1861, the congregation met at the home of Samuel Klauber. He was their treasurer and the first Jewish person to live in Madison. In 1862, they decided to build their own religious building. They chose August Kutzbock as their architect. He was a German immigrant who designed many buildings in Madison. These included the first city hall and the home of Governor Leonard Farwell.
Building and Early Years
In October 1862, the congregation bought land at 214 West Washington Avenue. It was right next to another church. The foundation of the Gates of Heaven Synagogue was finished by April 1863. The building was fully completed and celebrated on September 5 by a rabbi from Milwaukee.
Important people attended the celebration. These included the Governor of Wisconsin, the Mayor of Madison, and members of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The architect, Kutzbock, was also there. Building the synagogue cost about $3,000. After Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, the Wisconsin Legislature held a memorial service at the synagogue.
The Gates of Heaven congregation never had more than twenty families. It also never had a formally trained rabbi. Joseph M. Thuringer, a brother of one of the members, came from Germany to serve as their rabbi. The congregation faced difficulties in the 1870s. Many members started leaving Madison. By 1878, only six members remained.
New Uses for the Building
In 1879, the congregation rented the building to the First Unitarian Society of Madison. They stayed until 1885. Then, other groups used the building. These included the Women's Christian Temperance Union in 1890, the First Church of Christ, Scientist in 1898, and the English Lutheran Church in 1908.
The Jewish congregation sold the synagogue in 1916. They gave $1,500 to the city to care for the Jewish graves in Forest Hill Cemetery forever. The rest of the money from the sale went to charities. These included Madison General Hospital and aid for Jewish people in Europe. The congregation's Torah scroll was given to another synagogue in Madison. The Gates of Heaven congregation held its last meeting in 1922. They had been meeting in members' homes for decades.
After 1916, the building was bought by Arthur and George Gil. They used it as their funeral home until 1930. After that, it became many different things. It was a hotel, a warehouse for government papers during World War II, a church, a dentist's office, and a vet clinic. Finally, it became the office for US Representative Robert Kastenmeier.
Saving a Landmark: Moving the Synagogue
By 1970, the Gates of Heaven synagogue was known as the Old Synagogue. It was owned by the Fiore Coal and Oil Company. On July 20, 1970, a permit was given to tear it down for new construction. Manfred Swarsensky, a rabbi from a nearby synagogue and a historian, felt sad that it might be lost.
Norton Stoler, a local person, asked Fiore about moving the synagogue. On July 23, Fiore agreed to give six months to raise money and move the building. Moving it was expected to cost a lot, between $20,000 and $100,000.
To save the synagogue, Norton and Lois Stoler started the Gates of Heaven Synagogue Preservation Fund in September. They led the fundraising efforts. Fiore helped by donating rent money. The Taychopera Foundation, a local history group, and the city government also supported them. The Fund raised over $15,700 in cash. They also got at least $13,500 in services and materials. In May 1971, the US Department of Housing And Urban Development gave them an additional $29,500. Other donors included the Madison Fire Department and Oscar Mayer.
On December 17, 1970, the synagogue was nominated to be on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). It was approved on December 29. This helped protect the building.
On January 6, 1971, the Madison City Park Commission approved moving the synagogue to James Madison Park. Fiore set May 1 as the deadline to move it. The land was sold to a company that planned to build a ten-story office building. People pushed for more time, and the deadline was extended to July 10.
Even with a lot of support, some people were against the move. One city council member called the synagogue a "junk pile" and a "waste of taxpayers' money." But the City Council finally approved the move.
By July 13, the synagogue was on 96 wheels! But the move was delayed a few times because of concerns about the building's safety. Finally, on July 16, 1971, the synagogue was rolled through downtown Madison. It was pulled by two World War II tank retrievers, a hoist truck, and a moving company. The move took over 9 hours, from 10 am to 7:20 pm.
Restoring the Building
After the move in 1971, a local company called Historic Mineral Point Inc. took over the restoration. They rebuilt the choir loft, which had been removed years before. The B'nai Jeshurun Synagogue in Milwaukee donated a beautiful hand-carved Torah ark from 1858. It was restored and made to fit into Gates of Heaven.
Workers found old colorful wall paintings and flower designs on the ceiling. But there wasn't enough money to restore them all. The outside of the building was repaired to protect it from weather. The original sandstone was saved. The lower level was restored with funds from a local committee. The Gates of Heaven Preservation Committee worked on the upper level. After the building moved, its lower floor was named Klauber Hall.
The first wedding in the synagogue in over 100 years happened on August 5, 1972, while restoration was still going on. On August 11, 1996, people celebrated the 25th anniversary of the synagogue's move and restoration. More than $150,000 had been spent on the building by then. Another restoration project happened in 2021. Windows were replaced, the floor was refinished, and the stone work was repaired and cleaned.
Modern Use and Challenges
Today, the Madison Parks Department owns and takes care of Gates of Heaven. It is a very popular place for weddings and other events. It also still hosts special High Holy Day celebrations and other Jewish ceremonies. Diplomat Hannah Rosenthal has led the High Holy Day services since the 1980s. The synagogue has also hosted neo-pagan winter solstice celebrations and serves as a voting location.
In recent years, the synagogue has faced challenges. In 2017, vandalism occurred near the synagogue. In 2023, a group marched through downtown, stopping near the synagogue and shouting hateful words. Despite these incidents, the Gates of Heaven Synagogue remains an important place for community and history.
Building Design and Location
The Gates of Heaven Synagogue is located in James Madison Park in Madison, Wisconsin. You can find it at 302 E. Gorham St. Experts describe the synagogue as being in the Romanesque Revival style of architecture. This style often uses rounded arches and strong, simple shapes.
When it was nominated for the NRHP, it was described as having a mix of styles. It had some Gothic influences and decorations that looked like old Spanish mission architecture from the southwestern US. An architecture critic named Ada Louise Huxtable said it was in the Rundbogenstil style. This is a German version of Romanesque Revival. In 1986, a historian said the Gates of Heaven Synagogue was one of the oldest surviving synagogues in the United States.
The building is about 28 feet wide and 51 feet long. It is built from sandstone and brick. The front of the building and the basement walls are made of sandstone. The other walls are made of brick. The front of the building has a castle-like top and a circular window. A small entrance area is attached to the front. It looks similar to the main front, but has a flat top and columns at the corners.
The sides of the synagogue are divided into three sections, each with a window. A decorative band of Greek crosses runs along the top of the side walls. There are also chimneys on the roof. We don't know exactly what the inside looked like originally. But in 1971, it was discovered that the ceiling was painted blue with silver stars. The Torah ark, which dates to 1858, is made of black walnut wood.
See also
