Temple Ohabei Shalom (Brookline, Massachusetts) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Temple Ohabei Shalom |
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Hebrew: מקדש אוהבי שלום
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Temple Ohabei Shalom in 2022
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Reform Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Synagogue |
| Leadership |
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| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 1187 Beacon Street, Brookline, Boston, Massachusetts |
| Country | United States |
 Location in Boston
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| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Clarence Blackall (Blackall, Clapp, and Whittemore) |
| Architectural type | Synagogue |
| Architectural style | Byzantine Revival |
| Date established | 1842 (as a congregation) |
| Completed |
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| Specifications | |
| Capacity |
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| Dome(s) | One |
| Materials | Masonry, copper, stone |
Temple Ohabei Shalom (Hebrew: מקדש אוהבי שלום) is a Reform Jewish synagogue. It is located at 1187 Beacon Street in Brookline. Brookline is a town near Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States.
The temple was started in 1842. Most of its first members were German Jews. It is the oldest Jewish group in Massachusetts. It is also the third oldest in New England. Only groups in Newport and New Haven are older.
Contents
A Look at Its History
The first thing the group did was create a cemetery. This cemetery is called the Temple Ohabei Shalom Cemetery. It is in East Boston. In 2008, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Soon, a museum will open there. This museum will tell the story of the Mystic River Jews.
First Buildings
The first synagogue building was built in 1851. It was on Warren Street in Boston. It was a nice, two-story wooden building. The windows looked like the tablets of the Ten Commandments. The main prayer room could hold 400 people. It also had space for a Hebrew School and a mikveh (a special bath for Jewish rituals).
The group's second building was used from 1863 to 1886. It was a beautiful building on Warrenton Street in Boston. It was built in the Greek Revival style. It used to be a church. Today, it is the Charles Playhouse. In 1876, Raphael Lasker became the rabbi for the group.
The third building was also a former church. It was located on Union Park Street. This church was led by Edward Everett Hale. He spoke when the building was made into a synagogue in 1887. Today, this building is the St. John The Baptist Greek Orthodox Church.
The Current Temple Building
The temple's current building is very grand. It is at 1187 Beacon Street in Brookline. Clarence Blackall designed it. He used the Byzantine Revival style. It was finished in 1927. A school was built on the site starting in 1925.
The main prayer room can hold 1,800 people. A smaller chapel can hold 300 people. The building has a large dome. The architect had planned for a tall tower, but it was never built. The main prayer room was designed to look like Hagia Sophia. This was because people were excited about old synagogues found in Israel.
The building also has a large school. It has an auditorium and a ballroom. The ballroom could even be used as a gym. There is also a museum, a library, and a reading room.
Community and Growth
In 1854, Temple Israel was started. Some German Jews left Ohabei Shalom to form it. They did not like the many Polish Jews joining Ohabei Shalom. Even so, the two groups are still friendly today. They work together on projects to help the local Jewish community.
Temple Ohabei Shalom celebrated its 180th birthday in 2022.
The temple is also home to the Diane K. Trust Center For Early Education. It also has the Ansin Religious School.
More to Explore
- History of the Jews in the United States
- Temple Ohabei Shalom Cemetery
