Congregation Beth Sholom

For similarly named synagogues, see Beth Sholom.
Congregation Beth Sholom
The synagogue interior
Religion
AffiliationConservative Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organisational statusSynagogue
LeadershipRabbi Amanda Russell
StatusActive
Location
Location301 14th Avenue, San Francisco, California
CountryUnited States
Geographic coordinates37°46′59″N 122°28′24″W / 37.783°N 122.4734°W / 37.783; -122.4734
Architecture
Architect(s)Stanley Saitowitz
TypeSynagogue architecture
StyleModernist
Date established1921 (as a congregation)
Completed
  • 1934 (14th Ave. & Clement St.)
  • 2008 (14th Avenue)
Website
bethsholomsf.org

Congregation Beth Sholom is a Conservative Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 301 14th Avenue, in San Francisco, California, in the United States.

History

Founded in 1921, it is one of the oldest synagogues west of the Mississippi River.[1] A member of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, Congregation Beth Sholom is a hub of the Bay Area Jewish community. Beth Shalom built a synagogue on Fourteenth Avenue and Clement Street in 1934 after initially meeting in a church on Fourth Avenue near Geary. The first full-time rabbi, Saul White, age 27 and born and raised in Russian Poland, was hired in 1935.[2] The first bat mitvah, for Judith Stein, was held at the synagogue in 1957.[1]

The congregation moved to a new synagogue designed by architect Stanley Saitowitz in 2008.[3] In 2022, Rabbi Amanda Russell was promoted to the position of senior rabbi, the first woman to hold the position in the congregation.[4]

Rabbinical leaders

The following individuals have served as rabbi of Congregation Beth Sholom:

Ordinal Officeholder Term start Term end Time in office Notes
1 Saul E. White 1934 1983 48–49 years
2 Allan Schranz 1983 1986 2–3 years
3 Alexander Graubart 1986 1991 4–5 years
4 Alan Lew 1991 2005 13–14 years
5 Kenneth Leitner 2005 2007 1–2 years
6 Micah Hyman 2007 2014 6–7 years
7 Aubrey Glazer 2014 2018 3–4 years
8 Dan Ain 2018 2022 3–4 years
9 Amanda Russell 2022 incumbent 1–2 years

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Pine, Dan (February 18, 2022). "Forward-looking Beth Sholom looks back at 100 years of progress". J. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  2. ^ Rosenbaum, Fred (May 11, 2009). Cosmopolitans: A Social and Cultural History of the Jews of the San Francisco Bay Area. University of California Press. doi:10.1525/california/9780520259133.003.0007. ISBN 978-0-520-25913-3.
  3. ^ King, John (August 11, 2008). "New synagogue livens up Richmond District". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  4. ^ Stutman, Gabe (April 22, 2022). "Rabbis on the move: departures and promotions across the Bay Area". J. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
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