• Home

The Complete Pilgrim - Religious Travel Sites

Howard Kramer's, The Complete Pilgrim, Religious Travel Site

  • AMERICAN RELIGIOUS SITES
  • CHRISTIAN SITES
  • JEWISH SITES
  • CATHOLIC SITES
  • ISLAMIC SITES
  • INDIAN/HINDU SITES
  • HOLIDAY SITES
  • CASTLES
  • BATTLEFIELDS
  • MOUNTAINS
  • NATURE
  • WILDLIFE SITES
  • PHOTO GALLERIES
  • ARCHIVES
  • ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

JEWISH HERITAGE SITES OF CINCINNATI

April 12, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Cincinnati, Ohio

(photo from Wikipedia)

(photo from Wikipedia)

The City of Cincinnati was the location of the first major Jewish community in America outside of the original thirteen colonies, and features two of the ten oldest standing synagogues in the country, as well as one of the oldest and most important Jewish seminaries west of the Atlantic.  Together, the Shearith Israel Temple, Plum Street Temple and original campus of Hebrew Union College are the cultural cornerstones of one of the most historic Jewish communities in the United States.

 History

Jews began to migrate to the burgeoning city of Cincinnati in the mid-19th century.  Thanks to its prime position on the Ohio River, Cincinatti became an important center of trade on the American frontier, and many Jewish merchants were attracted to the area.  By the time of the American Civil War, the Jewish community of Cincinnati was the largest in the Midwest.

(photo from Wikipedia)

(photo from Wikipedia)

In 1860, the Shearith Israel Temple was founded.  Although it was only an active synagogue until 1882, it set and maintains to the this day several important distinctions: it is the oldest synagogue west of the Alleghany Mountains and the seventh oldest synagogue in the United States, as well as the fourth oldest building in the city of Cincinnati.  Later used as a warehouse and machine shop, Shearith Israel Temple was nearly torn down before being recognized for its historic importance.

The Plum Street Temple was built a few years later, just after the Civil War.  Located on one of Cincinnati’s most impotrant thoroughfares, which is home to several major prestigious religious institutions, the Plum Street Temple was deemed to be one of the most magnificent buildings in the city at the time of its completion.  It was recently renamed the Isaac M. Wise Temple in honor of its founder.

(photo from Wikipedia)

(photo from Wikipedia)

Isaac M. Wise was one of the most important rabbis in American history.  Integral to the establishment of Reform Judaism in the United States, Wise founded Hebrew Union College, arguably the second most important Jewish seminary in the United States after the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York.  Hebrew Union College remains to this day one of the world’s most prestigious training facilities for Reform Jewish leaders.

Visiting

The beautiful old Shearith Israel Temple was saved from the wrecking ball in the 1990s.  Unfortunately, no longer in use as a synagogue, it now houses condominiums.  However, a commemorative plaque on the outside wall notes the building’s historic importance.  The Isaac M. Wise Temple has a spectacular edifice evoking traditional Eastern European and Moorish design elements.  The extravagant interior features columned arches and mosaics evocative of the famous synagogues of Spain.

The campus of Hebrew Union College has become a mecca for both theological students as well as for Reform Jews interested in history.  A traditional American-style college campus, the highlight from a visitor standpoint is the Skirball Museum with exhibits on archaeology, Judaism in America, Israel and the Holocaust.

The Isaac M. Wise Temple is located in downtown Cincinnati, and Hebrew Union College is located in Burnet Woods approximately two miles to the north.  As of this writing no visitor information was available for these sites. The Shearith Israel Temple, also downtown, is closed to visitors except residents, though the outside can be viewed.  Web: www.wisetemple.org (official website of Isaac M. Wise Temple) and www.huc.edu (official website of Hebrew Union College).

Other Sites

Hebrew Union College now has branches in other American cities, including Hebrew Union College of New York and Hebrew Union College of Los Angeles.  Both are also home to small museums.

Filed Under: Jewish Tagged With: US-Midwest

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

About Howard Kramer

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is a culmination of years of his work and passion.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

THE COMPLETE AMERICAN PILGRIM – NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

THE COMPLETE PILGRIM

Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

Site of the Week

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

Wittenberg, Germany The … [Read More...]

Friends of TCP Spotlight

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

by Glory Ali The City of Brotherly Love offers tons to see and do and get this, it’s FREE. That’s right you heard it right it’s FREE. Click here for complete article  

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

by Mary Neuhauser President Trump recently announced his intentions to move the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thereby recognizing Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel. The purpose of this article is to give you a brief overview of what this decision means and why it matters. Click here for […]

Photo of the Week

BASILICA OF ST. DENIS

Last month, I visited one of the most fascinating churches I have ever been to, the almost completely ignored Basilica of St. Denis in the northern suburbs of Paris.  Almost every French monarch is buried here, and almost nobody goes here.  Here are some pics I took:

Basilica of St. Denis

Tomb of Clovis

Tomb of Clovis

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Royal Tombs

Royal Tombs

The Crypt

The Crypt

 

 

 

 

Follow us!

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

Contact Us

Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

Return to top of page
Copyright © 2023 The Complete Pilgrim, LLC || Marietta, GA 30068 || Legal Disclaimers

Website by: Kristina McInerny, Notes From Kris, Inc.