Temple Beth Hillel Beth Abraham Explained

Temple Beth Hillel Beth Abraham
Image Upright:1.4
Religious Affiliation:Reform Judaism
Festivals:-->
Organizational Status:-->
Leadership:Rabbi Bradley N. Bleefeld
Status:Synagogue
Functional Status:Active
Location:547 Irving Avenue, Millville, Cumberland County, New Jersey 08332
Map Type:USA New Jersey Cumberland County
Map Size:250
Map Relief:1
Coordinates:39.4342°N -75.1253°W
Architecture Type:Synagogue
Architecture Style:Classical Vernacular
Year Completed:1909
Date Destroyed:-->
Facade Direction:North
Height Max:21feet
Materials:Red brick
Elevation Ft:-->
Module:
Embed:yes
Beth Hillel Synagogue
Added:November 7, 1978
Refnum:78001755
Designated Other1 Name:New Jersey Register of Historic Places
Designated Other1 Abbr:NJRHP
Designated Other1 Link:New Jersey Register of Historic Places
Designated Other1 Date:April 15, 1978
Designated Other1 Number:1036[1]
Designated Other1 Num Position:bottom
Designated Other1 Color:
  1. ffc94b

Temple Beth Hillel Beth Abraham, officially Congregation Temple Beth Hillel – Beth Abraham of Carmel, is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue located at 547 Irving Avenue in the Carmel section of Deerfield Township, near Millville, in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States.

Formed in 2008 through the merger of Temple Beth Hillel in Deerfield Township, and Temple Beth Abraham in Bridgeton Township,[2] the congregation worships in the former Beth Hillel synagogue that was built between 1901 and 1909. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1978, for its significance in architecture and social history.[3]

History

Carmel and Deerfield

The Jewish settlement of Carmel, a small settlement in Deerfield Township, began in 1882, when a group of Russian families emigrated to the area, with the help of Michael Heilprin, to escape the large scale pogroms caused by the Eastern question. Heilprin, a Polish Jew, was a merchant who established, during the 1880s, small sweat shops for the purposes of producing clothing. Overcrowding in Carmel was common, with just thirty homes to accommodate approximately 280 Jews. In the early 1890s the sewing work had increased in size to the point where a three-story factory was built and several clothing related businesses were instituted. By 1900 Carmel had grown from 36 families to 89 and several more factories were put into operation, these provided the main source of income for the community.[3]

The Beth Hillel synagogue was constructed between 1901 and 1909. Made of red brick and designed in the Classical Vernacular style, the synagogue reflects the nature of the working-class Carmel community. External features include corner and central pilasters, round arch windows with a pair of double hung sashes and overhead mullion. The interior features include a panelled wooden ark with carved gilded peacocks and a carved replica Torah, two stage bimah with turned newel posts, balusters and cyma, handrails, panelling and the upper gallery.[3]

Bridgeton

Bridgeton, with a Jewish population of 600, had only one synagogue, Congregation Beth Abraham, that in 1963 followed Conservative practices.[4]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Cumberland County . New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection – Historic Preservation Office . 2 . March 25, 2024 .
  2. News: Green, Joe . Deerfield Township synagogue to dedicate eye-catching mural on first of Rosh Hashanah . South Jersey Times . September 8, 2010 . December 27, 2023 . NJ.com .
  3. Web site: [{{NRHP url|id=78001755}} National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Beth Hillel Synagogue ]. National Park Service. George A. . Chidley IV . December 1977 . With
  4. Web site: Frenkel, Margaret . American Synagogue Directory . Lawrence Frenkel . New York . 4th . 1963 . December 27, 2023 . 60 .