Massachusetts Synagogues and Their Records, Past and Present by Carol Clingan This listing attempts to identify and trace every synagogue that has been recorded in Massachusetts. All the information is accurate to the best that could be determined, but there are undoubtedly errors and omissions. Sources consulted include: city directories, real estate records incorporation papers, newspapers, and information from individual synagogues and their members. Wherever possible, name changes, location changes and mergers are recorded, as well as dates for the closing or disappearance of congregations. The symbol < before a date indicates that it is the earliest record found, while the symbol > indicates that it is the latest record found. In both cases, the actual date may be earlier or later. If a congregation is associated with a particular cemetery, there is a number that indicates the listing for that cemetery on the accompanying cemetery list. Records marked are to be found in the particular synagogue, but there are also other repositories listed in the column for “Other Records”. Here are the codes: AJHS American Jewish Historical Society (www.ajhs.org) JCAM Jewish Cemetery Association of Massachusetts (www.jcam.org) MA Massachusetts State Archives (www.sec.state.ma.us/arc) NEHA New England Hebrew Academy (www.theneha.org) NSJHS North Shore Jewish Genealogical Society (www.jhsns.net) Dartmouth Jewish Collection at University of Mass. Dartmouth library (www.lib.umassd.edu/archives/cjc-mc8.html) WHM Worcester Historical Society (www.worcesterhistory.org/founding.html) Copyright © 2010. Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Boston, Inc. Contact [email protected] for permission to reproduce. CIC 7/6/10 (Rev. 2) Massachusetts Synagogues and Their Records, Past and Present ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQR City/Town Name of congregation Contact Information Year Founded by (if other than local Past locations Any mergers Cemetery Yahrzeit Member Officer History Death Marriage Bris BBM Pictures Other 1 founded Jews) Records ACTON Congregation Beth Elohim 133 Prospect St. (PO Box 1969 1969--merged with Section in town x To mid- 2218), 01720; 978-263- Congregation Rodoph Shalom, cemetery; new plots 70s 3061; [email protected] Maynard in Beit Olam 2 Chabad Center 148 Great Road, 01720; 1999 3 978-929-2513 AMHERST Jewish Community of Amherst 742 Main St., 01002; 413- 1969 122 x X X website X X maybe X x 256-0160; info@J-C- 4 A.org ANDOVER Congregation Beth Israel 501 S. Main St.(PO Box 2004 Merger of Tifereth Israel, Andover, Moving to 17 Boutwell 11,68,72,73 X Bulletins- acctning exhibit 929), 01810; 978-474- and Beth El, Lowell Rd in 0540; storage 5 [email protected] Chabad Lubavitch of Merrimack 310 N. Main St.., 01810; 1992 Chabad X X X X X x Valley 978-470-2288; 6 [email protected] Temple Emanuel 7 Haggetts Pond Rd., 1920 1920-1957 Lawrence; 2 X Some X XSince mid-1990s x AJHS 01810; 978-470-1356; 1957-1979 Lowell St., www.templeemanuel.net Lawrence; 1979 -- 7 Andover Havurat Shalom 17 Olde Berry Rd., 8 01810; 978-470-2542 Tifereth Israel 510 S. Main St., 01810 c. 1990 Was Tifereth Israel/ 9 Anshe Sfard, Lawrence ARLINGTON Hebrew Congregation of Arlington 122 Sylvia St. 1906 Gone by 1930s 10 Heights ASHLAND Shaarei Shalom, Reform Jewish PO Box 454, 01721; 508- 1995 Meet in church Minutes website Congregation of Ashland 231-4700; [email protected] 11 ATHOL Agudas Achim 411 Pine Street 1907 Eastern European Immigrants; 47 Pine Street Became Temple Israel began as Athol Hebrew Association 12 MA Temple Israel 107 Walnut St., 01331; 1950 New name and building X website Rabbi records only 978-249-9481; for Agudas Achim www.templeisraelathol.or 13 g ATTLEBORO Agudas Achim Congregation 901 N. Main St., 02703; 1910/1911 Current building since 3 X xsome since some 508-222-2243; 1968 1970s- 14 [email protected] 80s AYER Congregation Anshey Shalom Cambridge St. & 1948 Various rented locations 1995—merged with Tifereth 15 Norwood Ave. until 1954 Israel, Andover at Beth El BELMONT Beth El Temple Center 2 Concord Av., 02178; 1932/1936 Started as JCC of 121 x Bulletins X 1956 some some x 617-484-6668; Belmont and booklet [email protected] Watertown; moved from Watertown to Belmont 16 1956 BEVERLY Temple B’nai Abraham 200 East Lothrop St., 1897/ 1908 “Bow St. Shul.” Named 6 X Some Some In X x JHSNS; MA 01915; 978-927-3211; Cong. Sons of Abraham progress [email protected] (1908), Cong. Sons of plus Abraham and Isaac NSJHS (1912), Cong. Sons of Abraham (1939); 1913- 1962 at 37 Bow St.; may have absorbed Cong. Sons of Israel (1911) 17 18 Congregation Ohav Shalom 3 Beckford St. 1903/1916 Closed 1976 BOSTON Chabad House 491 Commonwealth 1979 Chabad Ave., 02215; 617-424- 1190; mostly student 19 [email protected] center Temple Israel 477 Longwood Ave, 1854 Moved from South End 121, 133 X X X X X since 1910s Since Since x AJHS, TI 02215; 617-566-3960; c. 1906; 1907-68: 602 1977 1939 Archives [email protected] Commonwealth Ave; 1928 current location as school, then sanctuary 20 in 1973 Congregation Bnai Jacob/ Zvhil- 15 School St., 02108; 617- 1919 Followers of Rabbi Jacob Korff Woodrow Ave, Note: sons of founder founded 51 202 Nothing from Dorchester Mezbuz Beis Medrash 227-8200; Dorchester; Tremont St, Adath Jacob, Kehillah Jacob, [email protected] Boston; Dover; now Bnai Jacob 21 Boston and Newton 22 Congregation Ohavi Sedeck <1887 Copyright © 2010. Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Boston, Inc. Contact [email protected] for permission to reproduce. Massachusetts Synagogues and Their Records, Past and Present ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQR Boston/BRIGH Congregation Ahavath Achim 7 Lawrence Street <1928 1940> 23 TON Congregation Beth David (Talner 64 Corey Rd., 02135; 617- 1961 Talner Rebbe Began in Roxbury as Nothing remiins Cong.) 232-2349; Cong. Mogen u Moshia 24 [email protected] L’Beis David Temple Bnai Moshe 1845 Commonwealth 1932 People moving into Brighton; 1937-50--96 Chestnut 121 xsome some some MA Ave., 02135; 617-254- Began as Ohel Moshe until 1933 Hill Ave.; 1955-81--16 3620; Sidlaw Rd. 25 [email protected] Congregation Chai Odom 77 Englewood Ave., 1970 1970--moved to Brighton from 26 02135; 617-734-5359 Dorchester Congregation Kadimah 113 Washington St., 1941/1942 1960--merged with Toras 27 02135 Moshe, Roxbury Congregation Kadimah-Toras 113 Washington St., 1960 Rabbi Levine X X x x Moshe 02135; 617-254-1333; 28 http://ktm.shuls.net 29 Kehal Keervr 45 Portina Rd. 1984 Lubavitcher Shul of Brighton 239 Chestnut Hill Ave., 1927 Cong. Anshe Lubavitch, nothing 02135; 617-782-8340 179 Glenway St., 30 Dorchester until 1963 Sephardic Community of Greater 74 Corey Rd., 02135; 1962 Wave of Egyptian immigrants Dorchester till late 2010--began hosting New X X X X x x x Boston 617-232-7979 1960s, then Salisbury Ashkenaz Minyan Rd., Brookline until 31 1988 Shaloh House (Beth Chomesh 29 Chestnut Hill Ave, For Russian immigrants Began late 1980s as from old shuls Synagogue) 02135; 617-782-5507; Beth Chomesh [email protected] Synagogue/Beis Menachem Mendel, 19 32 Claymoss Rd. 33 Temple Sinai 16 Sidlaw Road 1939 Moved to Brookline c. 1952 34 Boston/CHARLESTOWNBeth Jacob 212A Main St. 1908 35 Kahal Chsidim 1 Poplar Place 1936 Achanu B'nai Israel Sfard 32 Michigan Ave. 1931 1931-35 Ellington St.; 1935-37 66 Erie St., 36 Boston/DORCHESTER 1937 32 Michigan Ave. 1937> 37 Congregation Adath Bnei Israel 17 Gleason St 1928 1943> (Beth Hamedrash Hagadol) Adath 163 Woodrow Ave. 1925/1926 Offshoot of Hadrath Israel by 170 Woodrow Ave. 1955> 38 Jacob followers of Rabbi Jacob I. Korff MA Agudas Israel Anshi Sfard 220 Woodrow Ave 1915/1916 Offshoot of Hadrath Israel “Woodrow Avenue 1970--burned; 1972 sold to 140 Synagogue”; 1916-17-- church 1000/1107 Blue Hill Ave.; 1928-20--31 Johnston Pl.; 1920-24-- 39 170 Woodrow Ave. NEHA 40 Ahavath Israel 969 Blue Hill Ave. <1915 1919> Congregation Anshi Klevan 378 Norfolk St. 1913 Moved from South End. 1934--reorganized as Beth 41 Jacob Anshe Sfard MA Congregation (Nusach Hoari) 179 Glenway Street 1923 Ellington St., Mt. 1963--moved to Brighton as Anshi Lebovitch Bowdoin Hall; Lubavitcher Shul of Brighton; 42 Washington St. 1966--builiding sold to church MA; AJHS Congregation Anshi Volin 58 Harwood St. 1909 Members of Anshe Shepetovka, 1909-29—13 Florence c. 1975--building taken by City prob. 162 43 West End St. NEHA Avath Achim Anshe Dorchester 21 Greenwood St. 1908 80 Erie St., Washington St.; 1911 became Beth 44 El MA Beth Aknosis Poali Israel Anshi 170 Woodrow Ave. 1933 Breakaway from Agudas Israel 1944--building sold to Ohel 45 Sephardic Anshe Sfard Torah MA Temple Beth El 100 Fowler St. 1911 “Fowler St. Shul” ; 1965--moved to Newton; 1967-- 146 began as Avath Achim; building sold to church; 1998 46 1912-28--94 Fowler St. building razed Cong. Beth Jacob Anshe Sfard 393 Norfolk St. 1934 Reorganization of 1973--building sold to church NEHA-- Anshe Klevan Golden 47 NEHA Book MA Congregation Beth Pinchas 61 Columbia Road Moved from West End. 1961--moved to Brookline; 48 (Machziki Torho) 1944; 1999--building sold Chevra Chai Odom 101 Nightingale St. 1902 Members of Hadrath Israel Originally called Chevra 1970--fire; moved to Brighton; 154 49 Chai Yodim 1971--building sold to church MA 50 (Beth Hamedrash) Eisel Abraham 17-21 Gleason St. 1933 Congregation Hadrath Israel 235 Woodrow Ave. 1908/1915 1911-1914 known as Hadrath Moved from Roxbury; c. 1970--merged into Temple 83 Kodesh, Roxbury 1914-19--1000 Blue Hill Adas Israel, Hyde Park, to Ave.; 1928--to become Adas Hadrath; building 51 Woodrow Ave.