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…
Tag: Synagogues
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…
Moses Montefiore Synagogue, Bloomington, Illinois
Update: The synagogue has been renovated by a new owner. Don’t let anyone tell you that smaller cities in America are boring! After eating lunch at a great “farm to table” place downtown, I began wandering around the streets to the east of Bloomington’s center. I spotted this building, and was intrigued; what was it?…
Shaare Emeth, Temple of the Gates of Truth
After writing my recent St. Louis Magazine article about Centenary United Methodist Church, one of the oldest continually operating congregations in downtown St. Louis, and in the city in general, I became interested in the synagogue that backed right up to the church. It was dramatically named Temple of the Gates of Truth, and I…
Congregation Zephran David
Originally in the Near North Side on Dayton near Leffingwell, the Congregation Zephran David moved out to the West End in the 1920-30s. The construction date in the City’s records is clearly wrong at 1900, since the Sanborn maps show this as a house at this address. The 1900 date is probably for the earlier…
West End, Revisited
The West End used to be one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city. It’s changed dramatically with a mix of homeowners and public housing. There is amazing architecture everywhere. Take the former synagogue above, which reminds me of the Virginia Theater in Dutchtown. Or check out this mansion above, or the church below. I’m…
Romainische Shul Synagogue, Goodfellow at Romaine Place
Ahavas Achim Anshei Romania was one of many synagogues that popped up in western St. Louis, where there had long been a large Jewish population. But unlike other waves of Jewish emigration from Western Europe, now many arrived from the eastern portion of the continent. I would assume that Romanian Jews founded this location. Or…