Temple Emanu-El (Helena, Montana) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Temple Emanu-El |
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The former synagogue, in 2012
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Judaism (former) |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status |
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| Ownership | Montana Jewish Project (since 2022) |
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| Location | |
| Location | 515 North Ewing Street, Helena, Montana |
| Country | United States |
 Location in Montana
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| Architecture | |
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| Architectural type | Synagogue architecture |
| Architectural style |
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| Date established | 1866 (as a congregation) |
| Completed | 1891 |
Temple Emanu-El is a very old building in Helena, Montana. It used to be a synagogue, which is a Jewish house of worship. It was finished in 1891. This building was the first synagogue ever built between St. Paul, Minnesota, and Portland, Oregon.
Helena once had a large Jewish community. But over time, fewer Jewish people lived there. By the 1930s, the community was too small to take care of the building. So, they sold it to the State of Montana. The state changed the building into offices. They added a second floor and removed most of the religious symbols. However, they kept the beautiful stained glass windows.
Later, the state stopped using the building much. It became a storage space. In 1981, the Catholic Diocese of Helena bought it. They used it for their offices until 2021. In 2022, a group called the Montana Jewish Project bought the building. They plan to make it a center for Jewish community services in Montana.
Contents
The Temple Building: A Journey Through Time
The building of Temple Emanu-El started in 1890. The governor of Montana, Joseph K. Toole, helped lay the first stone. The temple was finished in 1891. Architects Frederick Heinlein and Thomas F. Mathias designed it. They used strong materials like granite and sandstone. The building was big enough for 500 people.
Building Style and Original Features
The temple was built in a style called Romanesque Revival architecture. This style often uses round arches and strong, simple shapes. It also had special "keyhole" windows and colorful stained glass. Inside, the main worship area had a very tall ceiling, about 30 feet high. Outside, there were two large "onion"-shaped domes on top of towers near the front door. This style is known as Moorish Revival architecture.
Changes Over the Years
After the early 1900s, the Jewish community in Helena faced tough times. By the 1930s, there were not enough Jewish people to keep the building. The leader, Norman Winestine, sold the organ and benches. The State of Montana then bought the temple for just $1. They promised to use it for "a good and social purpose."
In 1935–1936, the state changed the building a lot. They added a second floor where the tall worship area used to be. They also removed the onion domes and many religious symbols from the outside. Some symbols were even sandblasted off. But the beautiful stained glass windows were saved. The state used the building for offices, like the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.
New Owners and a New Purpose
From 1976 to 1980, the temple was mostly used for storage. Norman Winestine, who was still alive, worried it might be torn down. But in 1981, the Catholic Diocese of Helena bought the building for $81,000. It became their main office until 2021.
When the Diocese no longer needed the building, Bishop Austin Vetter decided to offer it back to the Jewish community first. The price was $925,000, but with only $5,000 down. Bishop Vetter said this was "common courtesy." The Montana Jewish Project worked to buy the building back. They needed to raise $1.5 million by June 30, 2022. They succeeded, and the building returned to Jewish hands for the first time in 85 years. The goal is to create a statewide Jewish cultural and community center.
The former synagogue building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. In 2001, a special plaque was placed outside the building. It tells about the synagogue's history and was well-cared for by the Catholic Diocese.
Jewish History in Helena
During the Montana Gold Rush, many Jewish people came to Montana, especially to Helena. Most of these early Jewish settlers were from Germany and Austria. Some also came from Poland.
Early Community and Contributions
In 1866, they formed a group called the United Hebrew Benevolent Society. This group helped each other. Jewish people became very important to Helena's economy. By 1867, they owned 17 out of 20 dry goods stores in the city.
In 1871, a merchant named Jacob Feldberg was called "Helena's Paul Revere." He bravely organized a group to put out a fire with buckets of water. This saved his whole neighborhood. In 1877, 20% of Helena's Board of Trade members were Jewish. Marcus Lissner, who owned the International Hotel, served on the Helena City Council six times. His hotel burned down many times in the 1860s and 1870s, but he always rebuilt it. It was even nicknamed "The Phoenix."
Other Jewish community members also helped Helena. Josephine Israel helped build the temple. She also started Shodair Children's Hospital. Herman Gans, a Helena merchant, convinced Rabbi Samuel Schulman to move to Helena from Berlin. Rabbi Schulman brought German Reform Judaism with him. Both Rabbi Schulman and Gans were very involved in building Helena's temple.
Cemetery and Nearby Communities
The United Hebrew Benevolent Society also created the Home of Peace Cemetery. During the Great Depression, many Jewish people left Helena. Because of this, the cemetery now has more graves than the current number of Jewish people living in Helena. In nearby Butte, another Jewish group formed in 1881. The Butte Jewish community built their own temple in 1903.
Montana's Jewish Community Today
Today, the Temple B'Nai Israel in Butte still holds services. However, the Helena Jewish community did not have a temple for many years. In 2008, there were only about 1,000 Jewish people in Montana, a state with about 900,000 people. Most Jewish people live in Bozeman.
Active Communities and Rabbis
For a long time, Rabbi Allen Secher was the only rabbi in Montana. He retired in 2008. Other active Jewish communities are in Great Falls, Billings, the Flathead valley, Whitefish, Missoula, and Butte. Most of these groups follow Reform Judaism. They work together as the Montana Association of Jewish Communities, or "MAJCO."
In recent years, Chabad-Lubavitch has also started groups in Montana. Rabbi Chaim Bruk arrived in Bozeman in 2006. Rabbi Berry Nash came to Missoula in 2014.
A Special Story: Miky the Dog
In 2008, there was a fun story that brought attention to Judaism in Helena. The city bought a special bomb-sniffing dog from the Israel Defense Forces. The dog, named Miky, was a German Shepherd. But when Miky arrived, the Helena police found out he only understood Hebrew commands! The officer in charge couldn't get Miky to respond.
When Rabbi Bruk came to the state capitol for a Hanukkah ceremony, the officer asked him for help. Rabbi Bruk taught the officer how to say the Hebrew commands correctly. After that, Miky started to respond!
In August 2022, the Montana Jewish Project bought the Temple Emanu-El building. This brought the building back into Jewish hands after 85 years.
See also
