Congregation Beth Israel (San Diego, California)
Encyclopedia
Congregation Beth Israel is a Reform
synagogue
located at 9001 Towne Centre Drive in San Diego, California
. Formally incorporated in 1887, Beth Israel traces it roots back to 1861. It is San Diego's largest and oldest Jewish congregation
.
Beth Israel's first building still stands in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
. The wooden building was erected in 1889 at Second Avenue and Beech Street, in the wake of a boom in economic activity and population that resulted from the November 1885 completion of the California Southern Railroad
connecting San Diego to the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad
in Barstow, California
. One of the oldest synagogue buildings
in the American West, it was used by the Congregation until 1926, when the Congregation moved to its second, larger building at Third and Laurel. At the time the congregation numbered around 60 families.
The Third and Laurel site occupied a full city block, and included a number of structures. In addition to the synagogue building, there was an adjacent social hall, a school building, and number of small apartments. When the congregation moved in early 2001, it retained the school and social hall.
Beth Israel purchased a 3 acres (1.2 ha) lot in University City
in 1993. Construction on new facilities there began in January 2000 and were dedicated in October 2001. The site comprises five buildings totaling more than 65000 square feet (6,038.7 m²).
was Michael B. Berk, the Assistant Rabbi was Michael Satz, and the Cantor
was Arlene Bernstein (who was recently ordained as a Rabbi as well).
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
located at 9001 Towne Centre Drive in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. Formally incorporated in 1887, Beth Israel traces it roots back to 1861. It is San Diego's largest and oldest Jewish congregation
Oldest synagogues in the United States
The designation of the oldest synagogue in the United States requires careful use of definitions, and must be divided into two parts, the oldest in the sense of oldest surviving building, and the oldest in the sense of oldest congregation...
.
History
Jews first came to San Diego in 1850, and organized High Holiday services each year. In 1861, led by Marcus Schiller, the organized a congregation called "Adath Yeshurun". In early 1887 they formally incorporated under the name "Beth Israel".Beth Israel's first building still stands in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, located in the Old Town neighborhood of San Diego, California, is a state protected historical park in San Diego. It commemorates the early days of the town of San Diego and includes many historic buildings from the period 1820 to 1870. The park was...
. The wooden building was erected in 1889 at Second Avenue and Beech Street, in the wake of a boom in economic activity and population that resulted from the November 1885 completion of the California Southern Railroad
California Southern Railroad
The California Southern Railroad was a subsidiary railroad of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in Southern California. It was organized July 10, 1880, and chartered on October 23, 1880, to build a rail connection between what has become the city of Barstow and San Diego,...
connecting San Diego to the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad
Atlantic and Pacific Railroad
The Atlantic and Pacific Railroad was a U.S. railroad that owned or operated two disjoint segments, one connecting St. Louis, Missouri with Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the other connecting Albuquerque, New Mexico with Southern California. It was incorporated by the U.S. Congress in 1866 as a...
in Barstow, California
Barstow, California
Barstow is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 22,639 at the 2010 census, up from 21,119 at the 2000 census. Barstow is located north of San Bernardino....
. One of the oldest synagogue buildings
Oldest synagogues in the United States
The designation of the oldest synagogue in the United States requires careful use of definitions, and must be divided into two parts, the oldest in the sense of oldest surviving building, and the oldest in the sense of oldest congregation...
in the American West, it was used by the Congregation until 1926, when the Congregation moved to its second, larger building at Third and Laurel. At the time the congregation numbered around 60 families.
The Third and Laurel site occupied a full city block, and included a number of structures. In addition to the synagogue building, there was an adjacent social hall, a school building, and number of small apartments. When the congregation moved in early 2001, it retained the school and social hall.
Beth Israel purchased a 3 acres (1.2 ha) lot in University City
University City, San Diego, California
University City is a community in San Diego, California, located in the northwestern portion of the city next to the University of California, San Diego...
in 1993. Construction on new facilities there began in January 2000 and were dedicated in October 2001. The site comprises five buildings totaling more than 65000 square feet (6,038.7 m²).
Current status
Beth Israel has a membership comprising almost 3,800 individuals in nearly 1,260 households, making it San Diego's largest and oldest Jewish congregation. , the Senior RabbiRabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
was Michael B. Berk, the Assistant Rabbi was Michael Satz, and the Cantor
Hazzan
A hazzan or chazzan is a Jewish cantor, a musician trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer.There are many rules relating to how a cantor should lead services, but the idea of a cantor as a paid professional does not exist in classical rabbinic sources...
was Arlene Bernstein (who was recently ordained as a Rabbi as well).