Hebrew Congregation of Mountaindale Synagogue facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hebrew Congregation of Mountaindale Synagogue |
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North elevation and west profile of synagogue, 2008
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Orthodox Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Synagogue |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 6 Spring Glen Road, Mountaindale, Sullivan County, New York 12763 |
| Country | United States |
 Location in New York
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| Architecture | |
| Date established | 1912 (as a congregation) |
| Completed | 1917 |
| Construction cost | $5,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | North |
| Materials | Stucco, stone |
The Hebrew Congregation of Mountaindale Synagogue is an Orthodox Jewish synagogue (a Jewish house of worship). It is located at 6 Spring Glen Road in the small town of Mountaindale, in Sullivan County, New York. This area is part of the Catskills.
The synagogue is a small building made of stucco, which is a type of plaster. It was built in 1917 and made a bit bigger in the 1930s. Inside, it's famous for its beautiful decorations, especially the use of marbleizing, which makes surfaces look like marble. In 2009, a small fire caused some damage to its roof.
This synagogue is special because it's the only one in the county with its own mikvah. A mikvah is a special bath used for Jewish ritual cleansing. In 2001, the synagogue was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). This means it's an important historical site. It's a great example of an early 1900s synagogue in the Catskills.
What the Synagogue Looks Like
The synagogue and its mikvah are both listed as historic places. The synagogue building has three sections and is two stories tall. It's covered in stucco and sits on a fieldstone foundation (a base made of natural stones). Its roof has a pointed shape, called a gable, covered with asphalt shingles. It also has a wooden cornice, which is a decorative trim along the top.
At the back, there's a section built into a hill. This part has a hip roof (a roof that slopes on all four sides). It also has a part that sticks out in the middle, where the Torah scrolls are kept.
On the front of the synagogue, at the very top of the pointed roof, there's a round window with a Star of David. You can also see a similar metal Star of David decoration on the roof of the front entrance area. This front entrance, called a vestibule, was added later. It has a roof supported by four pillars.
When you go inside, double wooden doors lead into the vestibule. From there, you enter the main prayer area, called the sanctuary. It's set up in a traditional way for Orthodox Jewish services. Many of the surfaces inside are decorated to look like marble.
In the center of the sanctuary is the bimah, which is a raised platform. Pews (benches) are arranged around the bimah on three sides. Everyone faces the Torah ark, which is at the back of the room. There's also a separate gallery (a balcony) for women.
The windows have decorative wooden frames with special keystone shapes at the top. The ceiling is curved, like a vault, and is covered with decorative metal. There's also a decorative band, called a frieze, along the top of the walls. The stained glass windows show designs related to Hebrew culture.
The mikvah building is next to the synagogue. It's a small, one-story square building, also made of stucco with a gabled roof. Inside, it has a changing room and the ritual bath itself.
A Look Back in Time
Jewish people started coming to the Catskills and Mountaindale in the early 1900s. Many of them were immigrants from Germany. They came to start farms or open summer resorts. This was because, at the time, some existing resorts in the Catskills did not welcome Jewish visitors.
By 1912, enough Jewish families had settled in the area to form their own community group, or congregation. In 1915, they built a Hebrew school. Soon after, they began building the synagogue itself.
The synagogue cost $5,000 to build. This would be like paying about $145,000 in today's money! After it was finished in 1917, they held a special event to help pay off the building's loan.
In 1930, the front entrance area (the vestibule) was added. The mikvah was built about ten years later, as a project for the whole community. In the 1990s, the synagogue had more updates. They added new siding inside, replaced the ark where the Torah scrolls are kept, and put in new windows. Some of the original paintings inside were covered up during this time, but there are photos that show what they looked like.
The synagogue and mikvah were officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. Eight years later, in 2009, a truck driver got lost. He tried to turn around in the synagogue's small parking lot. The truck accidentally pulled down some electrical wires, and they landed on the roof, starting a small fire. This caused some minor damage to the roof. In 2019, the community received a grant to help fix the roof.
