Cleveland Jewish History - Cleveland's Old Synagogues

Cleveland's Old Synagogues

We hope to identify all the still-standing structures in Cleveland that were once home to a Jewish congregation. For the major structures we will try to add pictures of the building interior as it is now.

Do not overlook the full pages on The Temple at University Circle, the Euclid Avenue Temple, and its Tiffany Windows, a treasure we believe is not available elsewhere on the web.

We show these buildings in this order: mid-town (East 38th - East 55th), Glenville, Mount Pleasant and Shaker Heights. Given the Jewish community's continual movement to the east, this is also roughly in chronological order.

For continuing congregations we provide a link to the History page of their website. We also recommend the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History as the best online resource for old, now vanished, congregations.

To learn how to explore old Jewish Cleveland on a JCC-sponsored tour led by Nate Arnold, click here.

Nate Arnold and Arnie Berger October 2007

	Oheb Zedek Congregation On East 38th Street and Scovill (Community College) Avenue. Founded by members who left B'nai Jeshurun, wanting to remain Orthodox. Constructed in 1905. Left in 1921 for Morison Avenue and Parkwood Drive in Glenville (below) Building is now the Triedstone Baptist Church. For a photo of Jewish Carpenters Union members standing in front of this building in 1911, click here. For a 1976 photo in Cleveland Memory, click here.
	B'nai Jeshurun On East 55th Street and Scovill Also known as "The Hungarian Shul" Congregation moved here in 1906 from Eagle Street (it had occupied the former home of Anshe Chesed) and changed from Orthodox to Conservative. In 1926 they moved to Mayfield Road as "The Temple on the Heights". Building is now the Shiloh Baptist Church. Since 1980 they have been in Pepper Pike, returning to their Hebrew name B'nai Jeshurun.
	Cleveland Hebrew Schools Building Originally built in 1900 Known as the Margolis Memorial Building Located at 2491 East 55th Street. Building acquired in 1921 from the German Singing Society (Cleveland Gesang Verein). Sold to a black Baptist church in 1932. Now owned by The House of Wills Funeral Home.
	Willson Avenue Temple (Tifereth Israel) East 55th Street Reform Occupied 1894 - 1924 Rabbis Moses Gries, then Abba Hillel Silver Then moved to University Circle (below)
	Euclid Avenue Temple Euclid Avenue at 82nd Street Now Anshe Chesed - Fairmount Temple Reform Occupied 1912 - 1957 Rabbis Louis Wolsey, Barnett Brickner Congregation moved to Fairmount Boulevard in Beachwood in 1957 Building now owned by Liberty Hill Baptist Church click to learn more
	Oheb Zedek Congregation Morison Avenue and Parkwood Drive in Glenville Built in 1921 Samuel Benjamin, then Israel Porath, rabbis In the 1950s congregation moved to Taylor Road in Cleveland Heights. Now part of Oheb Zedek - Taylor Road Synagogue
	Morison Avenue Bath House Morison Avenue in Glenville Built in 1920s Also used as a Mikveh Now a Baptist church
	Tetiever Shul Linn Drive in Glenville Came from Woodland to this building in 1926 In 1957 they constructed what became, with the merger of N'Vai Zedek and The Kinsman Jewish Center, Warrensville Center Synagogue.
	Small "shul" on East 105th Street in Glenville More information later
	Cleveland Jewish Center 1117 East 105th Street Anshe Emeth Beth Tefilo - now Park Synagogue Then Orthodox, became Conservative in the late 20s Occupied 1921 -1947 Rabbis Solomon Goldman, Harry Davidowitz and Armond Cohen When congregation moved to Cleveland Heights building bought by Cory United Methodist Church click to learn more
	The Temple East 107th Street and Ansel Road Now The Temple-Tifereth Israel Reform Occupied 1924, still in use, though the main facility is now in Beachwood. Rabbis Abba Hillel Silver, Daniel Jeremy Silver School building rented by community schools. click to learn more
	N'Vai Zedek Congregation East 119th Street and Union Avenue Mount Pleasant (Kinsman) area Constructed in 1922. Would later become part of Warrensville Center Synagogue Kehilat Yaakov.
	Kinsman Jewish Center B’Nai Jacob Kol Israel (Orthodox) East 146th Street and Kinsman Avenue Founded in 1930 by members of Anshe Mamoresher B'nai Jacob Congregation. Rabbis David Genuth (1933-48), Jacob Muskin (1948) Building dedicated in 1932, sold in 1958. Merged with congregations Tetiever Ahavath Achim Anshe Sfard and Neveh Zedek to form Warrensville Center Synagogue. more (ECH) For the history of Kehillat Yaakov (Warrensville Center Synagogue and the new Cedar Road Synagogue), click here.
	Beth El Temple Built in 1954 Modern Orthodox On Chagrin Road west of Lee Road, near the border of Cleveland, one of only two synagogues in Shaker Heights. Sold building in 1998 to a credit union Merged with Heights Synagogue (formed by former members of Beth Am) to form Beth El - the Heights Synagogue which then bought Sinai Synagogue's former building in Cleveland Heights in 2003.
	Shaker Lee Synagogue 3688 Lee Road in Shaker Heights, near the border of Warrensville Heights. Orthodox. SL was formed by the 1959 merger of Ohel Jacob and Ohel Yavne congregations. Rabbi Isaac Krislov. In 1962 joined by Tifereth Israel (Orthodox). Building dedicated in 1961. Sold in 1970. In 1972 merged with Warrensville Center Synagogue. Now owned by Chapel of Hope Christian Fellowship.

If you are interested in American synagogue buildings, click here.

Top of Page CJH Home