Congregation Beth Israel (Hartford, Connecticut)

Congregation Beth Israel, Hartford, Connecticut

Congregation Beth Israel was founded in 1843 and is Connecticut's oldest synagogue. Originally established as an Orthodox congregation, the synagogue eventually converted to Reform and was one of the founding members of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (Union for Reform Judaism) in 1877. In 1854, the Ladies' Deborah Society was established, which operated as a charitable group within the synagogue. Until 1856, the congregation met in congregants' homes and buildings throughout the city. The first building to house the synagogue, "Touro Hall," was also the first synagogue in Hartford, but was partially destroyed by fire in 1875. The synagogue then moved to Charter Oak Avenue, where it remained until 1935. In 1868, the synagogue purchased land on Zion Hill for their cemetery, which was dedicated in 1874. The current synagogue building is on Farmington Avenue in West Hartford.

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