The Hebrew Congregation of Woodmont is an Orthodox synagogue located at 15-17 Edgefield Avenue, Woodmont, Milford, Connecticut, in the United States. The historic 1926 beach summer, resort synagogue was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
| Hebrew Congregation of Woodmont | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Orthodox Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Synagogue |
| Leadership | Rabbi Schneur Wilhelm |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 15-17 Edgefield Avenue, Woodmont, Milford, Connecticut |
| Country | United States |
  Location in Connecticut | |
| Geographic coordinates | 41°13′33″N 73°0′5″W / 41.22583°N 73.00139°W |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) |
|
| Type | Synagogue |
| Style | Colonial Revival |
| Date established | 1920 (as a congregation) |
| Completed | 1926 |
| Website | |
| jewishmilford | |
Hebrew Congregation of Woodmont | |
| Area | 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| MPS | Historic Synagogues of Connecticut MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 95000860[1] |
| Added to NRHP | July 21, 1995 |
Historic building
editThe small, wood-frame, clapboard synagogue was built in the Colonial Revival style typical of small New England towns for seasonal use by Jewish families who came to stay on the beach in the summer months.[2] An adjacent social hall was built in 1946.[3]
In 2012, the historic building was badly damaged by a fire, caused by an electrical wiring problem.[4] A reconstruction was quickly planned to restore both the 1926 sanctuary and the adjacent 1946 social hall, which suffered minor damage.[5][6][7][8] The social hall was restored in time for the High Holy Days in 2013.[9]
The building was one of fifteen Connecticut synagogues added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995[1] and 1996 in response to an unprecedented multiple submission, nominating nineteen synagogues.[10][11]
Congregation
editThe congregation began in 1920, meeting during the summer months in the vacation home of Rabbi Yehuda Heschel Levenberg. Ground was broken for a permanent synagogue building in 1926, and completed by the summer vacation season of 1927. A summer Sunday school opened in 1936, and a social hall was built in 1946. By the early 21st century, however, the summer population had declined and the diminished congregation hired Rabbi Schneur and Chanie Wilhelm of the Chabad movement in 2007 with the hope that they could attract enough members to make the Hebrew Congregation into a year-round synagogue. As of 2014, services were being held on the Sabbath and Jewish holidays year-round.[12][13][14]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Historic Synagogues of Connecticut". National Park Service.
- ^ "Fire damages historic Milford synagogue; Torahs, Shofar are rescued by firefighters". New Haven Register. October 14, 2012.
- ^ "Fire Guts Milford Synagogue". Connecticut Post. October 14, 2013.
- ^ "Milford Launches Building Plan". Community News. February 19, 2013.
- ^ "Milford rabbi vows to rebuild after devastating fire". Connecticut Jewish Ledger. October 13, 2012.
- ^ "GHA Lends a Helping Hand to the Rebuilding of a Milford Synagogue". www.godfreyhoffman.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014.
- ^ "Rebuilding Burnt Historic Shul". June 25, 2013.
- ^ "Milford Synagogue Works to Repair Fire Damage in Time for Holidays". NBC Connecticut. September 3, 2013.
- ^ Charles, Eleanor (April 7, 1996). "In the Region/Connecticut;15 Synagogues Gain National Landmark Status". New York Times. Retrieved July 31, 2010.
- ^ Ransom, David F. (March 29, 1995). "NRHP Registration Form Multiple Property Listing: Historic Synagogues of Connecticut". National Park Service. Retrieved July 31, 2010.
- ^ "Bagel Beach: Jewish Milford experiences a renaissance…again". Connecticut Jewish Ledger. June 13, 2012.
- ^ "At Historic Synagogue, A Congregation at Last". The New York Times. December 9, 2007.
- ^ Bagel Beach Historical Association[dead link]