Temple Adas Israel
Encyclopedia
Temple Adas Israel is a historic synagogue
located at the intersection of Washington and College Streets in Brownsville
, Tennessee
, United States
. Built in 1882, it is the oldest synagogue building
in Tennessee and one of fewer than a hundred surviving 19th century synagogues in the country. On January 19, 1979, Temple Adas Israel was added to the National Register of Historic Places
.
Ashkenazim immigrants, brothers Joe and Sol Sternberger, founded the Adas Israel Congregation in 1867. When the Sternbergers immigrated to the United States, they brought a Torah
written on sheepskin
. Led by Isaac Levi, the Orthodox
community first met for prayers in the home of Jacob and Karoline Felsenthal. Over the next fifteen years, Adas Israel moved towards Reform Judaism
and membership grew to 25 families.
In 1878, the congregation founded Adas Israel Cemetery, a Jewish burial ground
still in use today. The congregation became too large to continue meeting in local homes; therefore, a 200-seat wooden synagogue was built in 1882. A large ceremony took place on March 2, 1882 for the synagogue's dedication. Attendees included not only congregation members, but many of the city's non-Jews
. Emil Tamm became the first lay leader
to lead the congregation in its new temple
. Because Adas Israel congregation has never had a full-time rabbi
, subsequent lay leaders have included Abe Sternberger, Morton Felsenthal, Fred Silverstein, and Fred Silverstein Jr. During the 20th century, the congregation's membership began to shrink. Currently, about 12 families attend Friday night services at Temple Adas Israel.
and was modeled after the United Hebrew Congregation Temple in Louisville
, Kentucky
. It originally featured a small steeple
, an extremely rare feature for a synagogue. The building underwent a major renovation in the 1920s; the wooden siding was replaced with brick, the steeple was removed, and new pew
s and an organ were installed. A particularly beautiful suite of thirteen stained glass
windows, arched in Gothic style, were installed in 1910. The window above the Torah ark is unusual in a synagogue in that it depicts a large, realistic human eye
; similar to the Eye of Providence
found on the one-dollar bill
and in Masonic
iconography
.
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...
located at the intersection of Washington and College Streets in Brownsville
Brownsville, Tennessee
Brownsville is a city in Haywood County, Tennessee, United States. It is the county seat of Haywood County. The city is named after Jacob Jennings Brown, an officer who served during The War of 1812.-Geography:...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Built in 1882, it is the oldest synagogue building
Oldest synagogues in the United States
The designation of the oldest synagogue in the United States requires careful use of definitions, and must be divided into two parts, the oldest in the sense of oldest surviving building, and the oldest in the sense of oldest congregation...
in Tennessee and one of fewer than a hundred surviving 19th century synagogues in the country. On January 19, 1979, Temple Adas Israel was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
History
Brownsville's Jewish community began when two GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Ashkenazim immigrants, brothers Joe and Sol Sternberger, founded the Adas Israel Congregation in 1867. When the Sternbergers immigrated to the United States, they brought a 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...
written on sheepskin
Sheepskin
Sheepskin is the hide of a sheep, sometimes also called lambskin or lambswool.Sheepskin may also refer to:* Parchment, a thin material made from calfskin, sheepskin or goatskin** Diploma, originally made of sheepskin...
. Led by Isaac Levi, the Orthodox
Orthodox 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...
community first met for prayers in the home of Jacob and Karoline Felsenthal. Over the next fifteen years, Adas Israel moved towards Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism (North America)
Reform Judaism is the largest denomination of American Jews today. With an estimated 1.5 million members, it also accounts for the largest number of Jews affiliated with Progressive Judaism worldwide.- Reform Jewish theology :Rabbi W...
and membership grew to 25 families.
In 1878, the congregation founded Adas Israel Cemetery, a Jewish burial ground
Jewish cemetery
A Jewish cemetery is a cemetery where members of the Jewish faith are buried in keeping with Jewish tradition....
still in use today. The congregation became too large to continue meeting in local homes; therefore, a 200-seat wooden synagogue was built in 1882. A large ceremony took place on March 2, 1882 for the synagogue's dedication. Attendees included not only congregation members, but many of the city's non-Jews
Gentile
The term Gentile refers to non-Israelite peoples or nations in English translations of the Bible....
. Emil Tamm became the first lay leader
Lay leader
A lay leader is a member of the laity in any congregation who has been chosen as a leader. Since lay leadership is not an ordained clerical office, the lay leader's responsibilities vary according to the particular tradition to which he or she belongs...
to lead the congregation in its new temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
. Because Adas Israel congregation has never had a full-time rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
, subsequent lay leaders have included Abe Sternberger, Morton Felsenthal, Fred Silverstein, and Fred Silverstein Jr. During the 20th century, the congregation's membership began to shrink. Currently, about 12 families attend Friday night services at Temple Adas Israel.
Architecture
Temple Adas Israel is a modest example of Gothic Revival architectureGothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
and was modeled after the United Hebrew Congregation Temple in Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. It originally featured a small steeple
Steeple (architecture)
A steeple, in architecture, is a tall tower on a building, often topped by a spire. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religious structure...
, an extremely rare feature for a synagogue. The building underwent a major renovation in the 1920s; the wooden siding was replaced with brick, the steeple was removed, and new pew
Pew
A pew is a long bench seat or enclosed box used for seating members of a congregation or choir in a church, or sometimes in a courtroom.-Overview:Churches were not commonly furnished with permanent pews before the Protestant Reformation...
s and an organ were installed. A particularly beautiful suite of thirteen stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
windows, arched in Gothic style, were installed in 1910. The window above the Torah ark is unusual in a synagogue in that it depicts a large, realistic human eye
Human eye
The human eye is an organ which reacts to light for several purposes. As a conscious sense organ, the eye allows vision. Rod and cone cells in the retina allow conscious light perception and vision including color differentiation and the perception of depth...
; similar to the Eye of Providence
Eye of Providence
The Eye of Providence is a symbol showing an eye often surrounded by rays of light or a glory and usually enclosed by a triangle...
found on the one-dollar bill
United States one-dollar bill
The United States one-dollar bill is the most common denomination of US currency. The first president, George Washington, painted by Gilbert Stuart, is currently featured on the obverse, while the Great Seal of the United States is featured on the reverse. The one-dollar bill has the oldest...
and in Masonic
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
iconography
Iconography
Iconography is the branch of art history which studies the identification, description, and the interpretation of the content of images. The word iconography literally means "image writing", and comes from the Greek "image" and "to write". A secondary meaning is the painting of icons in the...
.
External links
- Temple Adas Israel on Google Street ViewGoogle Street ViewGoogle Street View is a technology featured in Google Maps and Google Earth that provides panoramic views from various positions along many streets in the world...