A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BETH ISRAEL CONGREGATION

In June, one of the most historic houses of worship in Washington County, Beth Israel Synagogue, passed into history. The aging congregation with fewer members did not require a large facility. AMVETS (American Veterans) purchased the property to move its national headquarters to the synagogue building.

 Marilyn Posner, Beth Israel congregation member and past president, provided me with much of the background for this commentary. I knew I was in good hands because Mrs. Posner had been a reporter and assistant news editor for the Observer-Reporter and won several national and state writing/editing awards. In 1991, she painstakingly researched and wrote the 100-year history of Beth Israel.

Between 1881 and 1924, over two million Jews fled persecution and economic hardship from Eastern Europe to the United States. Washington County offered an inviting environment to raise a family and to worship. At one time, synagogues existed in all of the small river towns throughout the Monongahela Valley. With each passing year, additional Jewish retail establishments opened their doors on Main Street in the City of Washington and throughout the county.  

Washington’s Jewish community first held regular religious services at the home of Nathan Samuels on West Chestnut Street. The Samuels’ home soon became inadequate for the growing Jewish population. Two other locations were rented for a larger gathering place.

In 1891, Washington welcomed its first formal spiritual leader, Rabbi Jacob Goldfarb of Lithuania. He would serve the congregation for its first 50 years until 1941. Under his guidance, $4,500 was raised to build the first permanent Washington synagogue at North Franklin and West Spruce.

Beth Israel—the House of Israel—was the name chosen by the founding leadership. This congregation would become a source of prayer, education, faith, and consolation for the generations of Washington Jews who followed. In 1901, thirty-two men signed the original charter that was approved by the Washington County Court of Common Pleas to incorporate the congregation.

As the Washington Jewish community continued to grow, additions to the original structure could not keep pace with the demands of the larger congregation. After the Depression and World War II, the leadership took up the idea of building a new, expanded synagogue for congregational use.

Finally, in 1952, the 50th Anniversary of Beth Israel, a building campaign was initiated that resulted in the construction of the existing structure on North Avenue. On September 4, 1955, a farewell service was held at the old synagogue. At the conclusion, the congregation removed the sacred Torahs and marched to the new Beth Israel. The building’s cornerstone was a solid piece of marble quarried from the Judean hills of Israel.

On a weekend in December 1955, the public was invited to an open house to admire the new building. An astonishing 4,000 guests toured the facility. Beth Israel was truly a vibrant part of the Washington community. Over the years, programs on interfaith study were scheduled with Christian Ministers. Washington Community Theater and other groups used the auditorium/gymnasium for their programs. Beth Israel was living up to its potential in all respects.

I asked Mrs. Posner for her impressions on the status of Beth Israel when she first moved to Washington in 1972. She remembered that there were many young families with more than 50 children in the Sunday school. In addition to the Sabbath, the congregation held religious services during the week. Beth Israel was home to numerous Jewish charitable organizations and youth activities.

As time went on, demographic and occupational trends influenced the number of Jewish families in Washington County. According to the Virtual Jewish Library, “Children raised in smaller Pennsylvania towns began moving to cities with larger Jewish communities. Educated children did not return to the small family businesses.” In addition, shopping malls replaced many Main Street retail establishments.

Mrs. Posner recalled a more recent event with both great sorrow and pride. On Saturday, October 27, 2018, eleven Jewish worshipers were gunned down at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Some of the slain had relatives and friends at Beth Israel.

The following Friday night, at the regular Beth Israel Sabbath service, a memorial program was held that included speakers from Pittsburgh. The Washington Christian community and other supporters showed up en masse to mourn with the Beth Israel congregation. It was the final time that the main sanctuary was filed to capacity with rows of extra chairs to accommodate the many citizens who came to express their grief.

With the closing of the synagogue, Mrs. Posner has recently filled her days by finding good homes for the historical and religious materials accumulated by Beth Israel. The Rauh Jewish History Program & Archives, housed at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, accepted many important documents and artifacts. This program preserves the documentary history of Jews and Jewish communities of Western Pennsylvania, allowing them to be accessible for future research. Various prayer books and the synagogue’s many library books were distributed to public libraries, colleges, universities, prisons, other congregations, youth groups, and individuals.

While the ownership and use of the synagogue has changed, the remaining Jewish community continues to exist by holding regular Sabbath services on Zoom with attendees from across the country praying together.

Over the years, the building that housed Beth Israel played an important role in the religious and civic development of Washington County. This important history deserves to be remembered.