B'nai Israel Temple (Salt Lake City)

B'nai Israel Temple is a historic former Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 249 South 400 East in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the United States. The congregation was established in 1873,[2] and the synagogue was built in 1890.

B'nai Israel Temple
The former synagogue, in 2010
Religion
Affiliation
Ecclesiastical or organisational status
  • Synagogue (1873–1973)
  • Commercial premises
    (since c. 1978)
Status
  • Closed (as a synagogue);
  • Repurposed
Location
Location249 South 400 East, Salt Lake City, Utah
CountryUnited States
B'nai Israel Temple (Salt Lake City) is located in Utah
B'nai Israel Temple (Salt Lake City)
Location of the former synagogue in Utah
Geographic coordinates40°45′48″N 111°52′42″W / 40.76333°N 111.87833°W / 40.76333; -111.87833
Architecture
Architect(s)Philip Meyer, Henry Monheim
TypeSynagogue architecture
StyleMoorish Revival
General contractorJoy & Black
Date established1873 (as a congregation)
Completed1890
B'nai Israel Temple
Arealess than one acre
NRHP reference No.78002666
Added to NRHPNovember 16, 1978
[1]

History

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The synagogue was built in 1890 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It replaced an older synagogue, which was located on the corner of 300 South and 200 West in downtown Salt Lake City. The building was originally planned to be a "facsimile in miniature" of Berlin's Fasanenstrasse Synagogue, as most of the congregation had originated in Germany, but plans were changed during construction.[3]

The congregation observed an Orthodox style of worship until 1883, when it joined the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, the Reform movement. In 1885, the members who wanted B'nai Israel to continue to follow Orthodox tradition split off to form Congregation Montefiore (which later affiliated itself with Conservative practices). In 1973, Montefiore and B'nai Israel merged to form Congregation Kol Ami, which is a member of both the Union for Reform Judaism and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.[4]

At the time the building was listed by the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, the building had been sold and was being used a restaurant.[3] As of 2023, the building is used by Henriksen/Butler Design Group.[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ "Congregation B'nai Israel, the First Synagogue in Salt Lake City, Utah". Jewish Museum of American W.
  3. ^ a b John S. Smith (1978). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination Form: B'Nai Israel Temple". National Park Service. and accompanying two photos
  4. ^ "Our History". Congregation Kol Ami. Archived from the original on September 15, 2015. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
  5. ^ "B'nai Israel Temple Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved May 11, 2023.