Congregation Beth Israel (Worcester, Massachusetts)
| Beth Israel | |
|---|---|
Hebrew: בית ישראל | |
Beth Israel synagogue building | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Conservative Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Synagogue |
| Leadership | Rabbi Aviva Fellman |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 15 Jamesbury Drive, Worcester, Massachusetts |
| Country | United States |
Location in Massachusetts | |
| Administration | United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism |
| Geographic coordinates | 42°16′59″N 71°49′41″W / 42.283111°N 71.828077°W |
| Architecture | |
| Date established | 1924 (as a congregation) |
| Groundbreaking | 1958 |
| Completed |
|
| Construction cost | $735,000 (today $7.9 million) |
| Capacity |
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| Website | |
| bethisraelworc | |
Congregation Beth Israel (Hebrew: בית ישראל) is an egalitarian Conservative synagogue and congregation located at 15 Jamesbury Drive in Worcester, Massachusetts, in the United States. Founded in 1924 as an Orthodox synagogue, the congregation formally affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism in 1949, and describes itself as the "leading Conservative congregation in Central Massachusetts."
The congregation first worshipped at a house on Pleasant Street; it constructed a synagogue building in its place in 1939. It completed its current location on Jamesbury Drive in 1959.
The congregation hired its first permanent rabbi, Israel Chodos, in 1940. Subsequent rabbis have included Emanuel Green (1942-1944), Sidney Guthman (1944-1948), Herbert Ribner (1948–1955), Abraham Kazis (1955–1973), Baruch Goldstein (1971–1986), and Jay Rosenbaum (1983–2003). In 1994, the synagogue and Rosenbaum were the subject of the book And They Shall be My People: An American Rabbi and His Congregation by Paul Wilkes.
Joel Pitkowsky succeeded Rosenbaum as rabbi in 2003. Pitkowsky left in 2011 and was succeeded by Rabbi Steven Schwarzman. Rabbi Schwarzman left in 2014 and was succeeded by Rabbi Aviva Fellman.