Henry S. Frank Memorial Synagogue facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Henry S. Frank Memorial Synagogue |
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The former synagogue, in 2010
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Judaism |
| Rite | Nusach Ashkenaz |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Synagogue |
| Location | |
| Location | 5501 Old York Road, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19141 |
| Country | United States |
 Location in Philadelphia
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| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) |
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| Architectural type | Synagogue architecture |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Completed | 1901 |
| Materials | Limestone, granite, ceramic tiling |
The Henry S. Frank Memorial Synagogue, also known as the Frank Memorial Synagogue, is an old Jewish synagogue. It is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the grounds of Jefferson Einstein Hospital.
A woman named Rose S. Frank paid for most of the synagogue. She named it after her husband, Henry S. Frank. He was a philanthropist, which means he was a person who gave a lot of money to good causes. Henry S. Frank passed away in 1887.
In 1983, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important historical places in the United States.
History of the Synagogue
The Frank Memorial Synagogue was built in 1901. It stands on the land of what was then called the Jewish Hospital of Philadelphia. Today, this hospital is known as Jefferson Einstein Hospital. This synagogue is special because it is the only one known to be built on hospital grounds anywhere in the world.
The main architect for the synagogue was Arnold W. Brunner. He got ideas from pictures of old Roman-era synagogues found in Israel. He was especially inspired by a beautiful synagogue at a place called Kfar Bar'am.
People from the British Palestine Exploration Fund had studied several of these ancient synagogues. They published drawings and descriptions in a book called the Jewish Encyclopedia.
The Frank Memorial Synagogue copied some features from the old synagogue at Kfar Bar'am. For example, the round arch of its door looks like the one from Kfar Bar'am. The stone above the door (called a lintel) also came from a smaller synagogue at Kfar Bar'am. This original lintel is now in a museum called the Louvre.
The inscription on the synagogue's lintel is in Hebrew. It says, "Peace be upon the place, and on all the places of Israel." Above the door, there is a seven-branched Menorah inside a wreath. This design was copied from the ancient Nabratein synagogue.
The floors inside the synagogue are decorated with mosaics. These are pictures made from small pieces of colored stone or glass. This was done even before mosaic floors were found in other ancient synagogues in Israel.
Frank Furness was the supervising architect for the synagogue. He had been the main architect for the Jewish Hospital since 1871.
See also
