Temple B'Nai Israel is an historic former

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

synagogue and former

Masonic hall A Masonic Temple or Masonic Hall is, within Freemasonry, the room or edifice where a Masonic Lodge meets. Masonic Temple may also refer to an abstract spiritual goal and the conceptual ritualistic space of a meeting. Development and history In ...

, located at 265 West Main Street in New Britain,

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...

, in the United States. The Beaux-Arts building was originally constructed as a Masonic hall in 1929 and converted to a synagogue in 1940. The building 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 1995, under the name "Masonic Temple", as part of a multiple property listing of fifteen historic synagogues in Connecticut. The building has been used as a

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * C ...

since 2020.

History and architecture

The building is considered architecturally significant as a "fine example" of Neo-Classical Revival style in the Beaux-Arts mode. The building was originally designed by architect Walter P. Crabtree for use as a Masonic hall in 1927. The building was completed in 1929, just before the Great Depression. Financial constraints led the Masons to sell the building to the Aheyu B'Nai Israel in 1940. Some modifications were made to convert it for use as a synagogue, but since both organizations had similar needs (including both office and meeting rooms and a large assembly space), the building readily accommodated the new function. The conversion is considered an example of "an unusual change of use that was carried out successfully". and Crabtree also designed the Francis H. Holmes House in New Britain and the Universalist Church of West Hartford, both also listed on the National Register. The building is also considered historically significant for its association with New Britain's Jewish community. The congregation of Temple B'Nai Israel was originally an

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pa ...

congregation, organized in 1889 as Aheyu B'Nai Israel (Brethren Sons of Israel). In 1924 the congregation reorganized as

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

(under the United Synagogue of America). Members of the congregation who held to Orthodox views split off, and built Tephereth Israel Synagogue. The synagogue closed in the summer of 2007. Its

Torah The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the ...

scrolls, valued at over tens of thousands of dollars each, were transferred to the Hillel organizations at

Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...

, the

University of Hartford The University of Hartford (UHart) is a private university in West Hartford, Connecticut. Its main campus extends into neighboring Hartford and Bloomfield. The university attracts students from 48 states and 43 countries. The university and it ...

, and the

University of Connecticut The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from H ...

. Whilst still in use by the congregation, the B'Nai Israel synagogue building was one of fifteen Connecticut synagogues added to the

in 1995 and 1996 in response to an unprecedented multiple submission, nominating nineteen synagogues. , the building was used by New Hope at Calvary Church. , the Assemblies of God Fortress City Church was worshipping in the historic building.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:B'Nai Israel (New Britain, Connecticut) 1889 establishments in Connecticut 20th-century synagogues in the United States Beaux-Arts architecture in Connecticut Beaux-Arts synagogues Buildings and structures in New Britain, Connecticut Fortress City Church Former Masonic buildings in Connecticut Former synagogues in Connecticut Jewish organizations established in 1889 Masonic buildings completed in 1929 National Register of Historic Places in Hartford County, Connecticut Neoclassical architecture in Connecticut Neoclassical synagogues Synagogues completed in 1940 Synagogues on the National Register of Historic Places in Connecticut

History and architecture

See also

References

External links