United Hebrew Congregation (Chesterfield, Missouri)
| United Hebrew Congregation | |
|---|---|
| Basic information | |
| Location | 13788 Conway Road, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
|
| Affiliation | Union for Reform Judaism |
| Country | United States of America |
| Status | Active |
| Leadership | Rabbi: Brigitte S Rosenberg |
| Website | www.unitedhebrew.org |
The United Hebrew Congregation (or Congregation Achdut Yisroel) at 13788 Conway Road in St. Louis, Missouri is a Reform Jewish synagogue. It is the first Jewish Congregation established west of the Mississippi River.
The United Hebrew Congregation formed on Rosh Hashannah, 1837 in St. Louis when ten members rented a room for services. There is a debate among historians regarding the exact year this minyan was organized.
Abraham Weigel, who was to become UHC’s first president, and Nathan Abeles, the first secretary, rented a room over a grocery and held the first minyan in St. Louis. Louis Bomeisler, a German from Philadelphia, probably conducted the first service in St. Louis for Rosh HaShanah on September 29. He proceeded to order a Torah, prayer books, and Taleisim for the new group.
Twelve men met four years later at the Oracle Coffee House at 2nd and Locust to write the constitution for Achdut Yisrael, the United Hebrew Congregation. In 1841, a constitution was adopted and United Hebrew was formally founded, the first Jewish congregation west of the Mississippi.
United Hebrew established its first home in 1848 in the former North Baptist Church on Fifth Street near Green Street (now Broadway) between Washington and Lucas.
In 1854, United Hebrew Congregation hired the first documented rabbi to serve in St. Louis, Rabbi Bernard Illowy. His term of service lasted about one year, and in 1856, he left for Syracuse.
In 1857, the congregation moved to a new building next to the Benton Public School on Sixth Street between Locust and St. Charles. The building was consecrated on June 17, 1859, with Rabbi M. J. Raphall of New York officiating.
United Hebrew moved steadily westward, next to Twenty-first and Olive Streets in 1879, and then in 1903 into a remodeled Mount Cabanne Church at the southwest corner of Kingshighway and Von Versen (after 1917, Enright).
In 1927, the United Hebrew Congregation dedicated a new home at 225 S. Skinker. Designed by the architectural firm of Maritz and Young with consulting architect Gabriel Ferrand, the notable, Byzantine revival structure was said to be one of the three largest synagogues in the nation. The United Hebrew Congregation worshiped there for 62 years until 1989. An educational building, also designed by Maritz and Young, was added in the early 1950s. The Missouri Historical Society purchased the historic Skinker building in early 1989. It is now the Society's library and research center.
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