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A L A B A M A
"AMERICAN SYNAGOGUES: A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY"
A New Book Available on CD-ROM
◄ ◄ ALABAMA SAMPLE PAGE ► ►
The Jewish Community of Alabama traces its beginnings to the first settlement in the state founded in 1702 on Mobile Bay. Among these early settlers were French and Portuguese Jews. The first permanent Jewish settlement occurred in Mobile in the 1820's and by June 22, 1841, the small group of Jewish families took the first step toward the organization of a congregation and purchased land for a consecrated Jewish burial ground. The congregation, whose name translates at "Gates of Heaven," was officially incorporated by the State of Alabama on January 25, 1844 with fifty-two families.
The first synagogue in Alabama was dedicated in 1846 and Mendes da Silva became the congregation's first rabbi. By 1855 the congregation had grown to seventy-five families. During these early years, the congregation was composed primarily of Jews of German descent with a sizeable number of Jews of Sephardic heritage. In 1878, Congregation Sha'arai Shomayim in Mobile became one of the earliest congregation in the United States to join the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, later to become the Union for Reform Judaism.
Other early Jewish Communities were established in Huntsville in 1850 and Montgomery in 1849. Additional Jewish congregations were formed in the state in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many of which were located in small towns. Today Jewish congregations can be found in Anniston, Auburn, Birmingham, Dothan, Florence, Gadsden, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa and Selma. The present Jewish population in Alabama is approximately 9,000.
'Click' on Thumbnail Photographs for the Larger Image
Temple Beth El 1301 Quintard Avenue - Anniston, Alabama Congregation Established in 1888 ♦ Affiliation: Reform Judaism ♦ Photographs: 2005 & 2007 Style of Architecture: Romanesque Revival-Eclectic ♦ Current Building: 1891/3 Photographs 1-3 By Huey Bible ♦ Photographs 4-5 By Julia McKenzie Hodges This is the oldest synagogue structure in the state continuously and currently being used for Jewish worship
Congregation Beth El 134 Cary Drive - Auburn, Alabama Congregation Established in 1989 ♦ Affiliation: Conservative Judaism ♦ Photographs: 2007 By Julia McKenzie Hodges Style of Architecture: Modern/Functional ♦ Current Building: 1992 Sanctuary Interior Photograph Courtesy of Jon Freedman & Congregation Beth El
Congregation Beth El 2179 Highland Avenue - Birmingham, Alabama Congregation Established in 1901 ♦ Affiliation: Conservative Judaism ♦ Photographs: 1991 Style of Architecture: Moorish Byzantine Revival ♦ Current Building: 1926
Congregation Knesseth Israel 3225 Montevallo Road - Birmingham, Alabama Congregation Established in 1891 ♦ Affiliation: Orthodox Judaism ♦ Photographs: 1991 Style of Architecture: Functional/Modern ♦ Former Building: 1955 The only Orthodox synagogue in Alabama. In 2007 the Congregation relocated to their new building at 3100 Overton Road
Temple Emanu-El 2100 Highland Avenue - Birmingham, Alabama Congregation Established in 1882 ♦ Affiliation: Reform Judaism ♦ Photographs: 1991 & 2007 Style of Architecture: Classical Revival ♦ Current Building: 1914 Photographs By Author and By Janet Dancer Temple Emanu-El is one of Alabama's largest and most well-known Jewish Congregations
Temple B'nai Jeshurun 406 North Main Avenue - Demopolis, Alabama Congregation Established in 1858 ♦ Affiliation: Reform Judaism ♦ Photographs: 2007 Style of Architecture: Colonial Revival/Functional ♦ Former Building: 1893 - Remodeled in 1956 Photographs & Data Courtesy of Jack Koch and R.A. "Bobby" Pritchett Synagogue closed in 1989 and is maintained by Trinity Episcopal Church across the street. Plans are for the former synagogue to be turned into a local Jewish history museum
Temple Emanu-El 188 North Park Avenue - Dothan, Alabama Congregation Established Prior to 1929 ♦ Affiliation: Reform Judaism ♦ Photographs: 2007 By Angela M. Harrell Style of Architecture: Classical Revival ♦ Current Building: 1951
Temple B'nai Israel 210 Hawthorne Street - Florence, Alabama Congregation Established in 1906 ♦ Affiliation: Reform Judaism ♦ Photographs: 2007 Style of Architecture: Mid-Century Modern ♦ Current Building: 1954 Photographs Courtesy of: Frances Webb, Pat Mahan & Steve Cooper
Congregation Beth Israel 761 Chestnut Street - Gadsden, Alabama Congregation Established in 1903 ♦ Affiliation: Reform Judaism ♦ Photographs: 2007 Style of Architecture: Classical Revival ♦ Current Building: 1922 Interior Photographs By Allan Morris of Congregation Beth Israel ♦ Exterior Photographs By Julia McKenzie Hodges
Temple B'nai Shalom 103 Lincoln Street - Huntsville, Alabama Congregation Established in 1876 ♦ Affiliation - Reform Judaism ♦ Photographs: 2007 By Julia McKenzie Hodges Style of Architecture: Romanesque Revival ♦ Current Building: 1899
Etz Chaim - Huntsville Conservative Congregation 7705 Bailey Cove Road - Huntsville, Alabama Congregation Established in the late 1960's ♦ Affiliation - Conservative Judaism ♦ Photographs: 2007 By Julia McKenzie Hodges Style of Architecture: Rustic/Contemporary ♦ Current Building: ????
Temple Emanuel 1501 Fifth Avenue, South - Jasper, Alabama Congregation Established ca. 1920 ♦ Affiliation - Reform Judaism ♦ Photograph: 2007 By Marie Boue' Young Style of Architecture: Classical Revival ♦ Former Building: ca. 1922 The temple closed in 2005 due to declining membership and now meets at Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham. It is not known what the building is currently being used for.
Congregation Ahavas Chesed 705 Regents Way - Mobile, Alabama Congregation Established in 1894 ♦ Affiliation: Conservative Judaism ♦ Photographs: ca. 2006 & 2007 Style of Architecture: Modern-Contemporary ♦ Current Building: 1990 Style of Architecture: Mid-Century Modern ♦ Former Building: 1956 - 1717 Dauphin Avenue Photographs By Steve Olensky of Congregation Ahavas Chesed and By Mrs. Perilla Wilson The former Dauphin Avenue Synagogue is now a Senior Center
Congregation Sha'arai Shomayim - Springhill Avenue Temple 1769 Springhill Avenue - Mobile, Alabama Congregation Established in 1844 ♦ Affiliation: Reform Judaism ♦ Photographs: 2007 By Mrs. Perilla Wilson Style of Architecture: Mid-Century Modern ♦ Current Building: 1955 Congregation Sha'arai Shomayim is the oldest existing Jewish Congregation in the State of Alabama
Congregation Agudath Israel - Etz Chaim 3525 Cloverdale Road - Montgomery, Alabama Congregation Established in 1902 ♦ Affiliation: Conservative Judaism ♦ Photographs: 1991 Style of Architecture: Mid-Century Modern ♦ Current Building: 1957 Congregation Agudath Israel merged with Etz Chaim Sephardic Congregation in 2001to form the present Congregation
Temple Beth Or 2246 Narrow Lane Road - Montgomery, Alabama Congregation Established in 1849 ♦ Affiliation: Reform Judaism ♦ Photographs: 1991 & 2007 Style of Architecture: Mid-Century Modern ♦ Current Building: 1962 Photographs By Author and By Julia McKenzie Hodges
Etz Chaim Sephardic Synagogue 725 Augusta Street - Montgomery, Alabama Congregation Established in 1912 ♦ Affiliation: Sephardic Judaism ♦ Photograph: 1991 Style of Architecture: Mid-Century Modern ♦ Former Building: 1962 Etz Chaim Sephardic Synagogue merged with Agudath Israel Congregation in 2001 (see above). The present use is not known.
Mishkan Israel Congregation 503 Broad Street - Selma, Alabama Congregation Established in 1867 ♦ Affiliation: Reform Judaism ♦ Photographs: 1991 Style of Architecture: Romanesque Revival ♦ Current Building: 1899
Tri-Cities Jewish Congregation - Temple B'nai Israel Atlanta Avenue & 8th Street - Sheffield, Alabama Congregation Established in 1906 ♦ Affiliation: Reform Judaism ♦ Photographs: 2007 By Frances Webb Style of Architecture: Vernacular Revival ♦ Former Building: 1908 Congregation is now located in adjacent Florence, Alabama - see listing above. Former building is now a church.
Temple Emanuel 2320 East Skyland Boulevard - Tuscaloosa, Alabama Congregation Established ca. 1912 ♦ Affiliation: Reform Judaism ♦ Photographs: 1991 Style of Architecture: Modern/Contemporary ♦ Former Building: 1971 The current Congregation of Temple Emanuel traces its origins to the Jewish settlers in Tuscaloosa in the 1880's. The 1971 building was sold in 2007 to the Alabama School for the Deaf and Blind. Temple Emanu-El is planning to build a new synagogues as a joint venture with the University of Alabama Hillel.
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