Park Synagogue
Encyclopedia
The Park Synagogue, or Anshe Emeth Beth Tefilo, is a Conservative
synagogue
with campuses in Cleveland Heights
and Pepper Pike, Ohio
, suburbs of Cleveland
. It is one of the oldest congregations in Ohio. Senior Rabbi Joshua Skoff began his 22nd year with the congregation in August, 2011.
when it was founded in 1869. The original name was Anshe Emeth Synagogue, and it was located in downtown Cleveland
. By 1888, however, arguments between congregants over the direction of the temple had grown too divisive, and so some members left to form a Reform
congregation.
The remaining members built a new temple in 1903. In 1917, two congregations, Anshe Emeth and Beth Tefilo, merged to form a larger congregation, since many Jews
were moving east by this time. This combined congregation bought land on East 105th Street. This property would eventually be the Cleveland Jewish Center, and construction began in 1920.
Construction was completed by 1922, and the CJC became the major focal point of Jewish life in Cleveland. In addition to a synagogue, the Center had a ballroom
, a recreation center, and an indoor swimming pool
. It was also at this time that the congregation became a Conservative one under the direction of Rabbi Solomon Goldman.
With this new direction came changes that were highly controversial for the formerly-Orthodox attendees. Women and men were allowed to sit together, and the selling of Aliyot
was forbidden. These changes resulted in violence against the Rabbi, and eventually an "Anti-Goldman" faction attempted to file legal action, which was appealed all the way to the Ohio Supreme Court, who refused to hear the case. Rabbi Goldman left for Palestine
in 1929. Rabbi Goldman later became a leading rabbi in Chicago.
Anshe Emeth Beth Tefilo went through a number of rabbis until the arrival of Armond Cohen, a 26-year-old rabbi. Burdened with heavy debt
, Cohen and lay leaders raised funds to relieve the congregation. A second problem was that, since 1917, the majority of Jews in the area had moved to the east side of Cleveland, specifically Cleveland Heights. To provide for the Jewish population there, Cohen and the congregation purchased the defunct Park School and its property. This became the eastern Cleveland Jewish Center.
The following summer, in 1943, a day care and nursery school was added to the Center, and an adjacent lot of 21 acres (84,984.1 m²) was purchased from John D. Rockefeller
. In 1945, a fire broke out, destroying most of the old Park School buildings, as well as the synagogue's library and Torah
scrolls. Erich Mendelsohn
was hired to design the new synagogue. Completed in 1950, Park Synagogue is considered a significant example of modern synagogue design; one writer comments that its "adventurous use of space is masterly; there are surprises round every corner and unexpected vistas at every turn."
In 1986, to meet the needs of a Jewish population that had expanded into a variety of Cleveland suburbs, Park Synagogue East was opened in Pepper Pike, a suburb of Cleveland. A new facility for the East Campus was completed in 2005.
In 1990, Rabbi Skoff was called to serve The Park Synagogue, first as Associate Rabbi and then as Senior Rabbi. Skoff quickly emerged as a leading orator and statesman, succeeding in unifying and re-energizing the congregation. For the first time, in 1993-1995, Park Synagogue was successful in establishing an Endowment Fund, to support and enhance the synagogue's mission and programs. In 1996, at the age of 36, Skoff was given life tenure with the congregation. Under Rabbi Skoff's leadership, Park Synagogue is one of the largest Conservative congregations in the country and has been awarded eleven Solomon Schechter Synagogue of Excellence Awards. In 2008, Rabbi Skoff was honored with the newly-endowed Leighton Rosenthal Chair in Rabbinics, the first rabbi in Cleveland to be so honored by a congregation. And, in June, 2010, the congregation celebrated Rabbi Skoff's 20 years of rabbinic leadership through the establishment of The Rabbi Joshua Skoff Programming Fund.
The Park Synagogue became one of the earliest Conservative synagogues in the country to build and maintain its own "Mikvah", located on the Park Main campus and completed in 2000. A "Mikvah" is a ritual immersion pool of water, used for moments of transition in a person's life. Converting to Judaism, getting married, surviving serious illness—all of these are moments of transition which can be marked through immersing in the Mikvah. Some women elect to visit the Mikvah on a monthly basis, in order to mark the transition of the monthly menstrual cycle. In the late 1990s, Rabbi Skoff and then-President Stuart Garson discussed with Charlotte Goldberg the building of a new Mikvah. This was needed because the newly-opened Orthodox Mikvah was not made available for ceremonies led by non-Orthodox Rabbis. Through the generosity of Charlotte Goldberg and family, a Community Mikvah, open to all Jews and all branches of Judaism, was made possible.
The Park Synagogue was honored in 2005 when Senior Rabbi Joshua Skoff was chosen to speak and represent the American Jewish community at the White House for the ceremonial lighting of the Hanukkah menorah with the First Family and White House staff. Rabbi Skoff spoke words marking the occasion, recited a blessing and lit the menorah as the President and First Lady Laura Bush watched and participated. The menorah used was borrowed from The Park Synagogue's collection of art, and had been saved from the hands of the Nazis during World War II.
In April, 2008, The Park Synagogue East facility was the host site for an episode of The Food Network's "Dinner:Impossible" series. In the episode, celebrity chef Michael Symon
is charged with the task of preparing a complete Kosher For Passover Seder meal for 100 people, and is given six hours to do so. The episode, aired in August, 2008, shows Symon being supervised in the Park Synagogue kitchen by Rabbi Skoff and caterer Marlene Leitson, to ensure his adherence to the traditional Passover rules. The episode first aired in August, 2008.
In 2010, The Park Synagogue was honored by the newly-opened National Museum Of American Jewish History in Philadelphia. Park Synagogue was chosen as a "Featured Synagogue", for recognition as a leading American congregation, one of only a dozen congregations chosen to represent the growth and appeal of Jewish life in America.
Park Synagogue has continued its long devotion to education with preschool and youth associations such as Kadima
and United Synagogue Youth
. Park's Hebrew School has been designated a "School of Excellence" by the Conservative movement. In recent years, Park has developed a strong adult education
program, with Bible
, Talmud
, and Torah Studies. Adult B'ne Mitzvahs have increased greatly. Outreach to the intermarried has been emphasized. In addition, multiple outreach programs and associations such as Brotherhood/Men's Club and Sisterhood allow for participation in the Jewish community. Adult programming prior to the High Holidays has included public officials who have appeared to the Park Synagogue community. Recent speakers at the pre-holiday Institute (in chronological order) have included former Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell, Ohio Education Chancellor Eric Fingerhut, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, Governor Ted Strickland and U.S. Representative Marsha Fudge.
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
with campuses in Cleveland Heights
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Cleveland Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, a suburb of Cleveland. The city's population was 46,121 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Cleveland Heights is located at ....
and Pepper Pike, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, suburbs of Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. It is one of the oldest congregations in Ohio. Senior Rabbi Joshua Skoff began his 22nd year with the congregation in August, 2011.
History
The synagogue was originally OrthodoxOrthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
when it was founded in 1869. The original name was Anshe Emeth Synagogue, and it was located in downtown Cleveland
Downtown Cleveland
Downtown Cleveland is the central business district of the City of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Reinvestment in the area in the mid-1990s spurred a rebirth that continues to this day, with over $2 billion in residential and commercial developments slated for the area over the next few years...
. By 1888, however, arguments between congregants over the direction of the temple had grown too divisive, and so some members left to form a Reform
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
congregation.
The remaining members built a new temple in 1903. In 1917, two congregations, Anshe Emeth and Beth Tefilo, merged to form a larger congregation, since many Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
were moving east by this time. This combined congregation bought land on East 105th Street. This property would eventually be the Cleveland Jewish Center, and construction began in 1920.
Construction was completed by 1922, and the CJC became the major focal point of Jewish life in Cleveland. In addition to a synagogue, the Center had a ballroom
Ballroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
, a recreation center, and an indoor swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
. It was also at this time that the congregation became a Conservative one under the direction of Rabbi Solomon Goldman.
With this new direction came changes that were highly controversial for the formerly-Orthodox attendees. Women and men were allowed to sit together, and the selling of Aliyot
Aliyah (Torah)
An aliyah is the calling of a member of a Jewish congregation to the bimah for a segment of reading from the Torah. The person who receives the aliyah goes up to the bimah before the reading and recites a blessing. After the reading, the recipient then recites another concluding blessing...
was forbidden. These changes resulted in violence against the Rabbi, and eventually an "Anti-Goldman" faction attempted to file legal action, which was appealed all the way to the Ohio Supreme Court, who refused to hear the case. Rabbi Goldman left for Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
in 1929. Rabbi Goldman later became a leading rabbi in Chicago.
Anshe Emeth Beth Tefilo went through a number of rabbis until the arrival of Armond Cohen, a 26-year-old rabbi. Burdened with heavy debt
Debt
A debt is an obligation owed by one party to a second party, the creditor; usually this refers to assets granted by the creditor to the debtor, but the term can also be used metaphorically to cover moral obligations and other interactions not based on economic value.A debt is created when a...
, Cohen and lay leaders raised funds to relieve the congregation. A second problem was that, since 1917, the majority of Jews in the area had moved to the east side of Cleveland, specifically Cleveland Heights. To provide for the Jewish population there, Cohen and the congregation purchased the defunct Park School and its property. This became the eastern Cleveland Jewish Center.
The following summer, in 1943, a day care and nursery school was added to the Center, and an adjacent lot of 21 acres (84,984.1 m²) was purchased from John D. Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller
John Davison Rockefeller was an American oil industrialist, investor, and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of...
. In 1945, a fire broke out, destroying most of the old Park School buildings, as well as the synagogue's library and Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
scrolls. Erich Mendelsohn
Erich Mendelsohn
Erich Mendelsohn was a Jewish German architect, known for his expressionist architecture in the 1920s, as well as for developing a dynamic functionalism in his projects for department stores and cinemas.-Early life:...
was hired to design the new synagogue. Completed in 1950, Park Synagogue is considered a significant example of modern synagogue design; one writer comments that its "adventurous use of space is masterly; there are surprises round every corner and unexpected vistas at every turn."
In 1986, to meet the needs of a Jewish population that had expanded into a variety of Cleveland suburbs, Park Synagogue East was opened in Pepper Pike, a suburb of Cleveland. A new facility for the East Campus was completed in 2005.
In 1990, Rabbi Skoff was called to serve The Park Synagogue, first as Associate Rabbi and then as Senior Rabbi. Skoff quickly emerged as a leading orator and statesman, succeeding in unifying and re-energizing the congregation. For the first time, in 1993-1995, Park Synagogue was successful in establishing an Endowment Fund, to support and enhance the synagogue's mission and programs. In 1996, at the age of 36, Skoff was given life tenure with the congregation. Under Rabbi Skoff's leadership, Park Synagogue is one of the largest Conservative congregations in the country and has been awarded eleven Solomon Schechter Synagogue of Excellence Awards. In 2008, Rabbi Skoff was honored with the newly-endowed Leighton Rosenthal Chair in Rabbinics, the first rabbi in Cleveland to be so honored by a congregation. And, in June, 2010, the congregation celebrated Rabbi Skoff's 20 years of rabbinic leadership through the establishment of The Rabbi Joshua Skoff Programming Fund.
The Park Synagogue Today
Membership has grown to roughly 1,850 families. Park has won Excellence Awards from the Conservative movement for Worship and Ceremonies, Library Computerization, Strategic Planning, Access and Concern for the Disabled, Programs and Celebrations, and Fundraising. The award for Worship services reflects the synagogue's reputation as a leader in worship experiences that appeal to young and old. Through interactive learning led by the rabbi, congregational involvement as prayer leaders, Klezmer music, and a personal, inclusive style, prayer is made accessible and relevant to all.The Park Synagogue became one of the earliest Conservative synagogues in the country to build and maintain its own "Mikvah", located on the Park Main campus and completed in 2000. A "Mikvah" is a ritual immersion pool of water, used for moments of transition in a person's life. Converting to Judaism, getting married, surviving serious illness—all of these are moments of transition which can be marked through immersing in the Mikvah. Some women elect to visit the Mikvah on a monthly basis, in order to mark the transition of the monthly menstrual cycle. In the late 1990s, Rabbi Skoff and then-President Stuart Garson discussed with Charlotte Goldberg the building of a new Mikvah. This was needed because the newly-opened Orthodox Mikvah was not made available for ceremonies led by non-Orthodox Rabbis. Through the generosity of Charlotte Goldberg and family, a Community Mikvah, open to all Jews and all branches of Judaism, was made possible.
The Park Synagogue was honored in 2005 when Senior Rabbi Joshua Skoff was chosen to speak and represent the American Jewish community at the White House for the ceremonial lighting of the Hanukkah menorah with the First Family and White House staff. Rabbi Skoff spoke words marking the occasion, recited a blessing and lit the menorah as the President and First Lady Laura Bush watched and participated. The menorah used was borrowed from The Park Synagogue's collection of art, and had been saved from the hands of the Nazis during World War II.
In April, 2008, The Park Synagogue East facility was the host site for an episode of The Food Network's "Dinner:Impossible" series. In the episode, celebrity chef Michael Symon
Michael Symon
Michael D. Symon is a James Beard Foundation Award-winning American chef, restaurateur, television personality, and author. He is seen regularly on Food Network on shows such as Iron Chef America, Food Feuds, and The Best Thing I Ever Ate, as well as Cook Like an Iron Chef on the Cooking Channel...
is charged with the task of preparing a complete Kosher For Passover Seder meal for 100 people, and is given six hours to do so. The episode, aired in August, 2008, shows Symon being supervised in the Park Synagogue kitchen by Rabbi Skoff and caterer Marlene Leitson, to ensure his adherence to the traditional Passover rules. The episode first aired in August, 2008.
In 2010, The Park Synagogue was honored by the newly-opened National Museum Of American Jewish History in Philadelphia. Park Synagogue was chosen as a "Featured Synagogue", for recognition as a leading American congregation, one of only a dozen congregations chosen to represent the growth and appeal of Jewish life in America.
Park Synagogue has continued its long devotion to education with preschool and youth associations such as Kadima
Kadima
Kadima is a centrist and liberal political party in Israel. It was established on 24 November 2005 by moderates from Likud largely to support the issue of Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan, and was soon joined by like-minded Labor politicians...
and United Synagogue Youth
United Synagogue Youth
United Synagogue Youth is the youth movement of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. USY operates in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The goal of the movement is to bring Jewish teenagers closer to Judaism and Israel through learning and social interaction...
. Park's Hebrew School has been designated a "School of Excellence" by the Conservative movement. In recent years, Park has developed a strong adult education
Adult education
Adult education is the practice of teaching and educating adults. Adult education takes place in the workplace, through 'extension' school or 'school of continuing education' . Other learning places include folk high schools, community colleges, and lifelong learning centers...
program, with Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
, and Torah Studies. Adult B'ne Mitzvahs have increased greatly. Outreach to the intermarried has been emphasized. In addition, multiple outreach programs and associations such as Brotherhood/Men's Club and Sisterhood allow for participation in the Jewish community. Adult programming prior to the High Holidays has included public officials who have appeared to the Park Synagogue community. Recent speakers at the pre-holiday Institute (in chronological order) have included former Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell, Ohio Education Chancellor Eric Fingerhut, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, Governor Ted Strickland and U.S. Representative Marsha Fudge.