Congregation Mishkan Tefila (Chestnut Hill, Mass.) Records
Scope and Content Note
This collection consists of annual reports, annual registers, play scripts, programs, event flyers, a history of the temple museum and the following publications: "The Jewish Center," "Mishkan Tefila News," and a yearbook.
Dates
- 1922-1996
Creator
- Congregation Mishkan Tefila (Chestnut Hill, Mass.) (Organization)
Language of Materials
The collection is in English and Hebrew.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for researcher use. Please contact us to request access or to make an appointment to view this collection at jhcreference@nehgs.org.
Use Restrictions
There may be some restrictions on the use of this collection. For more information contact jhcreference@nehgs.org.
Historical Note
Congregation Mishkan Tefila was founded in 1858 as Mishkan Israel, and is considered to be the oldest conservative synagogue in New England. Its founding members were East Prussian Jews who separated from Ohabei Shalom, which was predominately Polish at the time. In 1894, Mishkan Israel and another conservative synagogue, Shaarei Tefila, merged to form Congregation Mishkan Tefila.
In the early part of the 20th century, the congregation moved from the South End of Boston to Roxbury (the synagogue was located on Moreland Street and Elm Hill Avenue.) Beginning in the 1940s, however, the Boston Jewish population began to move from the Roxbury-Mattapan-Dorchester areas to the suburbs of Newton and Brookline. In response to this demographic shift the synagogue moved its religious school to Walnut Street in Newton in 1955, and began planning for a new building in Chestnut Hill on Hammond Pond Parkway. The groundbreaking ceremony was on November 13, 1955. In 1958, services were held for the first time in the new synagogue building.
References
- Materials from the collection.
- "Our History." Congregation Mishkan Tefila. August 10, 2010 (http://www.mishkantefila.org/aboutus.html)
Chronology
- 1858
- Mishkan Israel founded with former East Prussian Jewish congregants of Ohabei Shalom.
- 1894
- Mishkan Israel and Shaarei Tefila merge to form Congregation Mishkan Tefila.
- 1955
- Religious School moves to Walnut Street in Newton.
- 1955
- Groundbreaking ceremony held on November 13th on Hammond Pond Parkway.
- 1958
- First services held in new building.
Extent
0.5 linear feet (1 manuscript box)
Abstract
Congregation Mishkan Tefila was founded in 1858 as Mishkan Israel, and is considered to be the oldest conservative synagogue in New England. Its founding members were East Prussian Jews who separated from Ohabei Shalom, which was predominately Polish at the time. In 1894, Mishkan Israel and another conservative synagogue, Shaarei Tefila, merged to form Congregation Mishkan Tefila. The synagogue moved its religious school to Walnut Street in Newton in 1955, and began planning for a new building in Chestnut Hill on Hammond Pond Parkway. The groundbreaking ceremony was on November 13, 1955. In 1958, services were held for the first time in the new synagogue building. This collection contains plays, annual reports, programs for events and dinners, and newsletters.
Physical Location
Located in Boston, Mass.
Processing Information
Reprocessed by Stephanie Call, 2010
- Boston (Mass.)
- Braslavsky, Solomon G., 1887-1975
- Brochures
- Chestnut Hill (Mass.)
- Congregation Mishkan Tefila (Chestnut Hill, Mass.). Board of Trustees
- Corporation reports
- Plays
- Publications (documents)
- Roxbury (Boston, Mass.)
- Rubenovitz, Herman H.
- Rubenovitz, Mignon L. (Mignon Levine)
- Synagogues
- Yearbooks
- Title
- Guide to the Congregation Mishkan Tefila (Boston, Mass.) Records, I-462
- Author
- Reprocessed by Stephanie Call
- Date
- 2010
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center at American Ancestors Repository