Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel is a synagogue in

Boise Boise (, , ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho and is the county seat of Ada County. On the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, it is east of the Oregon border and north of the Nevada border. The downtown area' ...

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyomi ...

. Its 1896 building is amongst the oldest synagogues in continuous use west of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it fl ...

. The congregation is affiliated with the

Union for Reform Judaism The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), known as the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC) until 2003, founded in 1873 by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, is the congregational arm of Reform Judaism in North America. The other two arms establishe ...

History

Boise's first Jews were present in the mining camps in the 1860s, but it was not until 1895 that a Congregation Beth Israel (Hebrew for "House of Israel") was formed. Most of the congregants were from

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

and

Central Europe Central Europe is an area of Europe between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, based on a common historical, social and cultural identity. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) between Catholicism and Protestantism significantly shaped the a ...

and the synagogue followed Reformed ritual.Jewish Women Pioneering the Frontier Trail: A History in the American West, Jeanne E. Abrams, Published by NYU Press, 2006, p. 101ff.

Moses Alexander Moses Alexander (November 13, 1853 – January 4, 1932) was an American businessman and politician who served as the 11th governor of Idaho, the second elected Jewish governor of a U.S. state, and the first who actually practiced that religion. ...

, mayor of Boise and governor of Idaho, was an early leader of the congregation. The building was erected in 1896, and given a careful restoration in 1982.A Brief History of Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel Congregation Ahavath Israel (Hebrew for "Love of Israel") was founded in 1912 by Orthodox immigrants from Eastern Europe. The congregation erected a building at the corner of 27th and Bannock Streets in 1947. The two congregations merged in 1986 to become Ahavath Beth Israel (Hebrew for "Love of the House of Israel"). A personal memoir/history of Congregation Ahavath Israel was written by one of its member leaders, the late Mr. Joel Stone; a copy of this book is obtainable through the congregation's lending library. A more comprehensive history of Ahavath Beth Israel (which focuses more on Beth Israel's history) was also privately published for limited release by a former member, and is likewise available through the congregation.

Building

The synagogue's wood-shingled 1896 building blends two architecture styles popular with turn-of-the-century Jewish congregations. The exterior is in mainly in the popular

Rundbogenstil (round-arch style) is a nineteenth-century historic revival style of architecture popular in the German-speaking lands and the German diaspora. It combines elements of Byzantine, Romanesque, and Renaissance architecture with particula ...

style, though the tall windows flanking the large, rose window are in the form of

Horseshoe arch The horseshoe arch (; Spanish: "arco de herradura"), also called the Moorish arch and the keyhole arch, is an emblematic arch of Islamic architecture, especially Moorish architecture. Horseshoe arches can take rounded, pointed or lobed form. Hi ...

es. This

Moorish Revival Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish is one of the exotic revival architectural styles that were adopted by architects of Europe and the Americas in the wake of Romanticist Orientalism. It reached the height of its popularity after the mid-19th centu ...

detail continues on the inside, where the Barrel-vaulted ceiling is supported by horseshoe arches. The architect described the building as designed in a modern Moorish style. In 1972 the synagogue was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. In 2003 the building was moved from its original location on State Street to its current location on Latah Street. During the move documentation was discovered showing the original construction was partially financed by

Marshall Field Marshall Field (August 18, 1834January 16, 1906) was an American entrepreneur and the founder of Marshall Field and Company, the Chicago-based department stores. His business was renowned for its then-exceptional level of quality and customer ...

and Levi Strauss & Co.Treasure Valley is home to many religions
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References

External links

Ahavath Beth Israel
{{coord, 43, 36, 19, N, 116, 13, 48, W, format=dms, display=title, type:landmark_region:US-ID 1895 establishments in Idaho Ashkenazi Jewish culture in the United States Ashkenazi synagogues Buildings and structures in Boise, Idaho German-American culture in Idaho German-Jewish culture in the United States Jewish organizations established in 1912 Jews and Judaism in Idaho Moorish Revival architecture in Idaho Moorish Revival synagogues National Register of Historic Places in Boise, Idaho Properties of religious function on the National Register of Historic Places in Idaho Religious organizations established in 1895 Relocated buildings and structures in Idaho Rundbogenstil synagogues Synagogues completed in 1896 Tourist attractions in Boise, Idaho