The Pioneer Jewish Synagogue was a former

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

located in

Jackson Jackson may refer to: Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson South, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson oil field in Durham, ...

Amador County Amador County () is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California, in the Sierra Nevada. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 40,474. The county seat is Jackson, California, Jackson. Ama ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, in the United States. Built in 1857, the congregation vacated the building in 1869, and the former synagogue building was demolished in 1948.

History

Congregation B'nai Israel of Jackson was founded in the fall of 1856, when a local Jew organized a Jewish New Year service. A San Francisco Jewish congregation helped hold the first Mother Lode country Jewish service. Built in 1857 during the

California Gold Rush The California gold rush (1848–1855) began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California from the rest of the U ...

, the historic wooden building was Jackson's Jewish synagogue, located on the southeast corner of Church Street and Main Street. The synagogue was dedicated on September 18, 1857, by members of Congregation B'nai Israel of Jackson. The synagogue was used till 1869, when the Congregation outgrew the building and moved its Jewish High Holy days services to the town's larger Jackson

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 I ...

built in 1854. The Jewish synagogue building was used as a schoolhouse from 1869 to 1888. In 1888 the building was moved to a nearby vacant lot and became a private home. The house was demolished in 1948.

Historical marker

At the site of the original Jackson's Jewish synagogue is a historical plaque. The plaque monument is at the Jackson Grammar School. The plaque monument was installed by the

California Department of Parks and Recreation California State Parks is the state park system for the U.S. state of California. The system is administered by the California Department of Parks and Recreation, a department under the California Natural Resources Agency. The California State ...

working with the Commission for the Preservation of Pioneer Jewish Cemeteries and Landmarks of the Judah L. Magnes Memorial Museum. The plaque monument was dedicated on June 27, 1976. Pioneer Jewish Synagogue is registered as

California Historical Landmark A California Historical Landmark (CHL) is a building, structure, site, or place in the U.S. state of California that has been determined to have statewide historical landmark significance. Criteria Historical significance is determined by meetin ...

No. 65. To the east of the marker is the

Jackson Pioneer Jewish Cemetery Jackson Pioneer Jewish Cemetery, also known as Givoth Olam (English: ''Hills of Eternity''), is a no longer active Jewish cemetery founded in 1857 by the Congregation B'nai Israel, and is located in Jackson, Amador County, California. By 1921, th ...

founded in 1857 by the Congregation B'nai Israel and closed in 1921.

References

{{Authority control 1856 establishments in California 1948 disestablishments in California 19th-century synagogues in the United States Buildings and structures in Amador County, California California Historical Landmarks Former synagogues in California History of Amador County, California Jewish organizations established in 1856 Synagogues completed in 1857 Synagogues in California Wooden synagogues

History

Historical marker

See also

References