Congregation Achduth Vesholom
Encyclopedia
Congregation Achduth Vesholom is a Reform
synagogue, located at 5200 Old Mill Road in Fort Wayne, Indiana
.
It is the oldest synagogue in Indiana, having been formed initially as a German Orthodox congregation on October 26, 1848. Originally, its name was "The Society for Visiting the Sick and Burying the Dead". At the outset, the congregation worshiped in private homes.
In 1857, the synagogue purchased a building on Harrison Street for $1,200 ($ today), which was dedicated as a synagogue. The first rabbi was Joseph Solomon, who served until 1859. In 1861, the congregation adopted its current name, which means "Unity and Peace". As refugees from Europe, the congregants felt that it was important that they unite and stand by each other.
The congregation built a Gothic-style temple with seating for 800 people in 1874 at the cost of $25,000 ($ today). Samuel Hirshberg was rabbi from 1891–95.
The congregation moved to 5200 Old Mill Road in 1961. In 1995, the synagogue hired a new rabbi, Rabbi Sandford Kopnick.
Reform
Reform means to put or change into an improved form or condition; to amend or improve by change of color or removal of faults or abuses, beneficial change, more specifically, reversion to a pure original state, to repair, restore or to correct....
synagogue, located at 5200 Old Mill Road in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
.
It is the oldest synagogue in Indiana, having been formed initially as a German Orthodox congregation on October 26, 1848. Originally, its name was "The Society for Visiting the Sick and Burying the Dead". At the outset, the congregation worshiped in private homes.
In 1857, the synagogue purchased a building on Harrison Street for $1,200 ($ today), which was dedicated as a synagogue. The first rabbi was Joseph Solomon, who served until 1859. In 1861, the congregation adopted its current name, which means "Unity and Peace". As refugees from Europe, the congregants felt that it was important that they unite and stand by each other.
The congregation built a Gothic-style temple with seating for 800 people in 1874 at the cost of $25,000 ($ today). Samuel Hirshberg was rabbi from 1891–95.
The congregation moved to 5200 Old Mill Road in 1961. In 1995, the synagogue hired a new rabbi, Rabbi Sandford Kopnick.
External links
- Congregation Achduth Vesholom homepage
- Congregation Achduth Vesholom minute book 1876–83, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Achduth Vesholom Congregation (Fort Wayne, Ind.), 1876
- One hundredth anniversary of Congregation Achduth Vesholom, 1848–1948, Achduth Vesholom Congregation (Fort Wayne, Ind.), The Temple, 1948
- Congregation Achduth Vesholom, 150th anniversary celebration weekend: October 16–18, 1998, Beth Zweig, SRS Publications, 1998
- Congregation Achduth Vesholom: our story, Beth Zweig, Achduth Vesholom, 2002
- Achduth Vesholom Congregation of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Minutes, Achduth Vesholom Congregation (Fort Wayne), reprint, Nabu Press, ISBN 1172093598, 2010