Temple Beth Hillel Beth Abraham

Temple Beth Hillel Beth Abraham
The NRHP-listed synagogue, in 2010
Religion
AffiliationReform Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organizational statusSynagogue
LeadershipRabbi Bradley N. Bleefeld
StatusActive
Location
Location547 Irving Avenue, Millville, Cumberland County, New Jersey 08332
Geographic coordinates39°26′3″N 75°7′31″W / 39.43417°N 75.12528°W / 39.43417; -75.12528
Architecture
TypeSynagogue
StyleClassical Vernacular
Date established2008 (merged congregation)
  • c. 1880s (Beth Hillel)
  • unknown (Beth Abraham)
Completed1909
Specifications
Direction of façadeNorth
Height (max)21 feet (6.4 m)
MaterialsRed brick
Website
tbh-ba.org
Beth Hillel Synagogue
Area6.3 acres (2.5 ha)
NRHP reference No.78001755[1]
NJRHP No.1036[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPNovember 7, 1978
Designated NJRHPApril 15, 1978

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,[3] 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.[1][4]

History

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Carmel and Deerfield

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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.[4]

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.[4]

Bridgeton

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Bridgeton, with a Jewish population of 600, had only one synagogue, Congregation Beth Abraham, that in 1963 followed Conservative practices.[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System – (#78001755)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  2. ^ "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Cumberland County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection – Historic Preservation Office. March 25, 2024. p. 2.
  3. ^ Green, Joe (September 8, 2010). "Deerfield Township synagogue to dedicate eye-catching mural on first of Rosh Hashanah". South Jersey Times. Retrieved December 27, 2023 – via NJ.com.
  4. ^ a b c Chidley IV, George A. (December 1977). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Beth Hillel Synagogue". National Park Service. With accompanying photo
  5. ^ Frenkel, Margaret, ed. (1963). "American Synagogue Directory" (4th ed.). New York: Lawrence Frenkel. p. 60. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
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