Congregation of B'nai Israel Synagogue
{{short description|Reform synagogue in Georgia, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox religious building
| name = Congregation of B'nai Israel Synagogue
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| image = The Synagogue c.1915.png
| image_upright = 1.4
| alt =
| caption = The synagogue building in {{circa|1915}}
| religious_affiliation = Reform Judaism
| tradition =
| sect =
| district =
| prefecture =
| province =
| region =
| deity =
| rite =
| festival =
| organisational_status = Synagogue
| ownership =
| governing_body =
| leadership =
| bhattaraka =
| patron =
| consecration_year =
| functional_status = Active
| religious_features_label =
| religious_features =
| location = 525 Telfair Street, Augusta, Georgia
| locale =
| municipality =
| cercle =
| state =
| country = United States
| map_type = USA Georgia
| map_size = 250
| map_alt =
| map_relief = 1
| map_caption = Location in Georgia
| grid_name =
| grid_position =
| sector =
| territory =
| administration =
| coordinates = {{coords|33.47043|-81.96136|region:US-GA_type:landmark|format=dms|display=it}}
| coordinates_footnotes =
| heritage_designation =
| architect =
| architecture_type = Synagogue
| architecture_style = Greek Revival
| founded_by =
| creator =
| funded_by =
| general_contractor =
| established = {{small|(as a congregation)}}
| groundbreaking =
| year_completed = 1869
| construction_cost =
| date_demolished =
| facade_direction =
| capacity =
| length =
| width =
| width_nave =
| interior_area =
| height_max =
| dome_quantity =
| dome_height_outer =
| dome_height_inner =
| dome_dia_outer =
| dome_dia_inner =
| minaret_quantity =
| minaret_height =
| spire_quantity =
| spire_height =
| site_area =
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity =
| shrine_quantity =
| inscriptions =
| materials =
| elevation_m =
| elevation_footnotes =
| nrhp =
| designated =
| added =
| refnum =
| delisted1_date =
| website = {{url|augustajewishmuseum.org}}
| module = {{Infobox NRHP
|embed = yes
| nocat = yes
| name = Congregation of B'nai Israel Synagogue
| nrhp_type = cp
| partof = Augusta Downtown Historic District
| partof_refnum = 04000515
| area =
| designated_nrhp_type = June 11, 2004
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| mpsub =
}}
| footnotes =
}}
Congregation of B'nai Israel Synagogue is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 525 Telfair Street, in Augusta, Georgia, in the United States. The synagogue building is the oldest synagogue in Georgia.{{cite news |last1=McCord |first1=Susan |title=Augusta Commission votes to save two historic buildings |url=https://www.augustachronicle.com/news/government/2015-06-02/augusta-commission-votes-save-two-historic-buildings |accessdate=20 June 2019 |work=The Augusta Chronicle |date=June 2, 2015}} Dedicated in 1869 in the Greek Revival-style,{{cite web |title=2014 — Congregation Children of Israel Synagogue |url=https://www.historicaugusta.org/properties/2014-congregation-children-of-israel-synagogue/ |website=Historic Augusta, Inc. |publisher=Historic Augusta, Inc. |accessdate=26 June 2019}} the synagogue is a contributing property of the Augusta Downtown Historic District, that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.{{cite web |title=Riverwalk and Historic Downtown District |url=https://www.historicaugusta.org/preservation/historic-districts/riverwalk-and-downtown/ |website=Historic Augusta, Inc. |publisher=Historic Augusta, Inc. |accessdate=26 June 2019}}
Restoration efforts
{{unreferenced section|date=January 2024}}
In 2015, the City of Augusta had proposed demolishing the synagogue and the neighboring former Court of Ordinary building with plans to develop more parking for the Municipal Building located next door to the Synagogue.
Soon after the proposal went public, the local Jewish community in Augusta, led by local historian Jack Steinberg, as well as many other citizens concerned about the proposed demolition worked to form a coalition working towards the goal of saving the structures as well as restoring them to become the home of a new Augusta Jewish Museum.
The efforts convinced local leaders to ditch the plans for demolition and after that announcement, a new partnership between Historic Augusta and the local Jewish community was formed with plans for the restoration of the building.
In July 2021, the construction was completed on the Court of the Ordinary building. A dedication ceremony was held for the building commemorating the official opening of Phase One of the project which included attendees from local government leaders to representatives from the Jewish community and Historic Augusta as well.
The Augusta Jewish Museum now reflects on the history of the Jewish community in the Augusta area and includes exhibits on the Holocaust and Israel.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{oweb|https://www.augustajewishmuseum.org/|Augusta Jewish Museum official website}}
- [https://www.isjl.org/georgia-augusta-encyclopedia.html Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities]
{{Synagogues in the United States}}
{{Jews and Judaism in Georgia (U.S. state)}}
{{Georgia county NRHP navbox}}
Category:1869 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:19th-century synagogues in the United States
Category:Greek Revival architecture in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Greek Revival synagogues
Category:Jewish organizations established in 1869
Category:Jewish museums in the United States
Category:National Register of Historic Places in Richmond County, Georgia
Category:Reform synagogues in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Sephardi Jewish culture in the United States
Category:Sephardi Reform Judaism
Category:Synagogues completed in 1869
Category:Synagogues in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Synagogues on the National Register of Historic Places in Georgia (U.S. state)
{{US-synagogue-stub}}