Outline of the History of Temple Beth Shalom
History of pre-existent Synagogues in Cambridge,
Massachusetts
Congregation Anshai Sfard of Cambridge
- First chartered congregation - was most likely a group that
included people who broke off and founded Beth Israel.
- Charter May 6, 1898
- Building 83 Webster Avenue, Somerville
- February 28, 1906 - Barnet Shifres signs for mortgage
“presumably for construction of the synagogue”
- June 17, 1957 - merges into Beth Israel; Charter dissolved
October 16, 1957
Congregation Beth Israel
- Founder & first president: philanthropist Israel Nesson.
- Organized 1900 (chartered 1901?)
- Building 238 Columbia Street
- Groundbreaking (& first use for High Holidays): June 17,
1901
- Dedicated: 1903
Temple Ashkenaz
- Broke from Beth Israel over the issue of Ashkenazic/Sephardic
rituals.
- Court case decreed 6 month/6 month split - satisfied no one.
The Ashkenazic faction
- broke and created Temple Ashkenaz.
- Charter 1908
- Building 8 Tremont Street (Originally home of Joshua Kaplan)
- 1924 - house torn down and
present building
erected.
Congregation Yavneh
- Included Talmud Torah Yavneh
- Charter January 4, 1918
- Building 242/44 Western Avenue (3rd floor of three decker)
- 123 River Street (Home)
- 1920 - Building erected at 8 Howard Street
- With changing ethinic base in Riverside area, congregation
closed in 1934.
Temple Beth Shalom of Cambridge
- 1962 - Beth Israel and Temple Ashkenaz merge to form Temple
Beth Shalom
- Choose building on Tremont Street - Reverend Moses Holcer
(Beth Shalom) is first Shamus;
- Harold Andelman (president of Beth Shalom) is first Chairman
of the Board of Trustees;
- Judge Samuel Flaksman (president of Temple Ashkenaz) is first
President
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3/25/96 rev. 4/9/97