The Adelaide Hebrew Congregation is a

Modern Orthodox Modern may refer to: History *Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Philosophy ...

synagogue and congregation in

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

, in

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

. The congregation was first established in 1848, and the synagogue was completed in 1850. A larger synagogue building was constructed in 1870 in the CBD. In 1990, the congregation relocated to a new purpose-built synagogue in Glenside, where it shared a campus with the

Jewish Day School A Jewish day school is a modern Jewish educational institution that is designed to provide children of Jews, Jewish parents with both a Jewish and a secular education in one school on a full-time basis. The term "day school" is used to differentiat ...

, Massada College. The school closed in 2011 and the synagogue has recently returned to a new location on Grote Street in the CBD.South Australia’s only Jewish school to close
''The Jewish Telegraphic Agency''. 4 July 2011Synagogue returning to CBD
''The Australian Jewish News''. 19 July 2023

History

Emanuel Solomon and

John Lazar John LaZar (born May 22, 1946) is an American actor of both stage and screen, best remembered for his lead role as Ronnie 'Z-man' Barzell in the Russ Meyer film ''Beyond the Valley of the Dolls'' (1970), co-written by Meyer and Roger Ebert. La ...

were among the founders of the congregation. The congregation's first building, completed in 1850, was built in the

Egyptian Revival Egyptian Revival is an architectural style that uses the motifs and imagery of ancient Egypt. It is attributed generally to the public awareness of ancient Egyptian monuments generated by Napoleon's French campaign in Egypt and Syria, invasion of ...

style. Judah Moss Solomon, Mayor of Adelaide, was the congregation's first president. Subsequent presidents included Adelaide mayor, Lewis Cohen. As the congregation expanded, a larger building, built in the

Italian Renaissance The Italian Renaissance ( ) was a period in History of Italy, Italian history between the 14th and 16th centuries. The period is known for the initial development of the broader Renaissance culture that spread across Western Europe and marked t ...

style, was built adjacent to the original synagogue in 1870. Abraham Tobias Boas arrived the same year and served as the congregation's first rabbi. The synagogue was remodelled by architect Christopher Arthur Smith in 1938, and given an

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

cement facade.Synagogues fronting Rundle Street, Adelaide city, set in stone the remarkable influence of tiny Jewish community
Adelaide AZ. Retrieved on 17 December 2024 In 1988, the congregation's president, Arnold Erlanger announced plans for the congregation to relocate from Rundle Street in the CBD: "...the present synagogue can no longer meet the needs of our dynamic and expanding community. The building is old and in desperate need of repair. Erlanger also said that a new site should include Massada College.Adelaide Shule to relocate
''The Australian Jewish News''. 3 June 1988 The congregation purchased 1.2 hectares of land adjacent to the Glenside Hospital from the

Government of South Australia The Government of South Australia, also referred to as the South Australian Government or the SA Government, is the executive branch of the state government, state of South Australia. It is modelled on the Westminster system, meaning that the h ...

for $1.1 million and with an estimated cost of $3.2 million for the project. The new synagogue was designed to accommodate 400 worshippers, more than the 275 of the Rundle Street location. An increasing Jewish population driven by Jewish emigration from

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

and the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

were also factors in the decision. In 1990, the synagogue was daubed with

anti-semitic Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...

graffiti following the arrest of Ivan Polyukhovich in Adelaide. The new campus, encompassing the AHC and Massada College was officially opened by

Bill Hayden William George Hayden (23 January 1933 – 21 October 2023) was an Australian politician who served as the 21st governor-general of Australia from 1989 to 1996. He was Leader of the Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1977 to 198 ...

, governor-general of Australia on 22 July 1990. The campus which came to a total cost of $5 million was named the Nathan and Miriam Solomon Centre after the parents of the main benefactor, Myer Solomon. An office was also opened on site to handle work for United Israel Appeal,

Women's International Zionist Organization The Women's International Zionist Organization (WIZO; ') is a volunteer organization dedicated to social welfare in all sectors of Israeli society, the advancement of the status of women, and Jewish education in Israel and the Diaspora. Histor ...

and State Zionist Council and

Habonim Dror Habonim Dror (, "the builders–freedom") is a Jewish Labor Zionist youth movement formed in 1982 through the merger of two earlier movements: Habonim and Dror. Habonim (, "the builders") was established in 1929 in the United Kingdom and later e ...

. In 2023, it was announced that the Congregation had purchased a new home on Grote Street, in Adelaide's CBD. This came after failed efforts to colocate with the city's Progressive Jewish synagogue, Beit Shalom. The decision to leave Glenside was made as that building was designed to meet the needs of a larger congregation at the time. The property the congregation purchased was built in 1915 as a

Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbat ...

Mission Hall and subsequently housed the Federated Liquor and Allied Industries Employees' Union of Australia and then a performing arts venue.Union Hall: a new performing arts venue with a rich history
''INDAILY''. 17 December 2018

Gallery

Synagogue, rundle street.jpg, Adelaide Hebrew Congregation off Rundle Street, north side in Synagogue Place, 1871 Adelaide Hebrew Congregation before remodelling synagogye place.jpg, Adelaide Hebrew Congregation, Synagogue Place, 1938, shortly before remodelling Adelaide Hebrew Congregation, Synagogue Place, 1940.jpg, Adelaide Hebrew Congregation, Synagogue Place, 1940 Ahcrundlestreet1.jpg, Adelaide Hebrew Congregation from 1870 to 1990, Synagogue Place, off Rundle Street, 2024 Ahcrundlestreet2.jpg, Adelaide Hebrew Congregation from 1870 to 1990, Synagogue Place, off Rundle Street, 2024

References

External links

*
Synagogue Place
{{Jews and Judaism in Australia 1848 establishments in Australia 19th-century synagogues in Australia 20th-century synagogues in Australia Ashkenazi Jewish culture in Australia Ashkenazi synagogues Modern Orthodox synagogues in Australia Jews and Judaism in Australia Jews and Judaism in South Australia

History

Gallery

See also

References

External links