I clearly had not been paying attention to what has been happening in McRee Town, which has been experiencing a huge amount of development over the last twenty years. For example, the old synagogue above, which was only active for a short amount of time as the Southside Hebrew Congregation from 1928 to 1944, is…
Tag: Synagogues
Moses Montefiore Synagogue, Revisited
I knew in my short visit to Bloomington-Normal that there was one place that I had to check up on, and I was pleasantly surprised! The former Moses Montefiore Synagogue has been purchased and renovated into what I believe, according to newspaper reports, a new community space. If the article proved true, it was renovated…
Page Boulevard, South Side, Lewis Place
Page Boulevard is unique among the major arteries in the city in that it is lined with houses and apartments for its entire length, with the exception of corner stores. I caught the south side of the street on an early Saturday morning bathed in sunlight, and the houses were looking good. There’s a lot…
Holy Corners Revisited, West Side of Kingshighway
I looked at Holy Corners way back in January of 2009, and I figured it was long overdue for an update. First up is the beautiful Tuscan Temple, which is an example of the Doric Order of classical architecture. But I have to chuckle, as it is Roman in form, as it only has columns…
Two Synagogues, West County
United Hebrew Congregation has a rich history going back to 1837, when the City of St. Louis was still a relatively small town, and before the influx of German and Irish immigrants had dramatically changed the makeup of the population. Like many of the prominent congregations of any religion or denomination in St. Louis, it…
Discovering Shaw, 19: Old B’Nai El Synagogue
One of the most historic Jewish congregations in America, B’Nai El called the Shaw neighborhood, at 3666 Flad, home from 1905 to 1930. I realized I photographed their next location on Delmar and several years ago. They are now located on the outer road north of Highway 40 just east of I-270 (you’ve seen it…
Around the Gates, University City
The sun was setting as I took some pictures of the gates to University Heights, just to the west of the Loop. The lions are actually concrete casts of the originals, which are now in an undisclosed location. I still think University City’s city hall is one of the most beautiful in the area. Update:…
Congregation Temple Israel
Rob Powers at Built St. Louis has taken much better pictures of Congregation Temple Israel, but I was surprised to discover that the bronze finial on the roof is now gone. I have featured a previous location of Temple Israel at Holy Corners in the past. Built in, it is truly an exceptional example of…
Old United Hebrew Temple, Missouri Historical Society Archives
Update: See the Temple’s current location in this post from May of 2020. I never realized it, but the old United Hebrew Temple on Skinker was a Maritz and Young design from 1927. The strong Moorish inspiration is present in the columns, windows and overall design. The new location, which I realized I have visited,…
Old Shaare Zedek Synagogue
Update: I went back by the old synagogue in the spring of 2021. Wow, what an amazing structure! The old Shaare Zedek Synagogue is now occupied by the equally historic Pleasant Green Missionary Baptist Church, but the beauty of the house of worship still shows through. I find Jewish architecture intriguing. Since it is not…