The Rockdale Temple, formally Kahal Kadosh Bene Israel (19th-century spelling K. K. Benai Israel), is an

Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews ( ; also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim) form a distinct subgroup of the Jewish diaspora, that Ethnogenesis, emerged in the Holy Roman Empire around the end of the first millennium Common era, CE. They traditionally spe ...

Reform Reform refers to the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The modern usage of the word emerged in the late 18th century and is believed to have originated from Christopher Wyvill's Association movement, which ...

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

congregation and

synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

, located in Amberley Village, a suburb of

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

, in the United States. Founded in 1824, it is the oldest Jewish congregation west of the

Allegheny Mountains The Allegheny Mountain Range ( ) — also spelled Alleghany or Allegany, less formally the Alleghenies — is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the Eastern United States and Canada. Historically it represented a significant barr ...

, the oldest congregation in Ohio, the second oldest Ashkenazi congregation in the United States and one of the

oldest synagogues in the United States Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England * Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, M ...

. The synagogue is easily accessible from both I-71 (exit 14) and I-75 (exit 10) via the

Ronald Reagan Cross County Highway Ronald Reagan Cross County Highway, formerly and locally known as Cross County Highway, is a west-east Controlled-access highway, freeway in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. It stretches from southern Colerain Township, Hamilton County, ...

History

The congregation was founded in 1824 in Cincinnati, at the time, a

frontier town A border town is a town or city close to the boundary between two countries, states, or regions. Usually the term implies that the nearness to the border is one of the things the place is most famous for. With close proximities to a different coun ...

. On January 18, 1824, the Congregation Bene Israel was formally organized; those in attendance were Solomon Buckingham, David I. Johnson,

Joseph Jonas Joseph Jonas (1845 – 22 August 1921) was the German-born Lord Mayor of Sheffield, England in 1904–05. Background Jonas was born in Bingen am Rhein, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse in 1845, and became a naturalized British citizen in 1876. (tra ...

, Samuel Jonas, Jonas Levy, Morris Moses, Phineas Moses, Simeon Moses, Solomon Moses and Morris Symonds. The congregants were primarily

Spanish and Portuguese Jews Spanish and Portuguese Jews, also called Western Sephardim, Iberian Jews, or Peninsular Jews, are a distinctive sub-group of Sephardic Jews who are largely descended from Jews who lived as New Christians in the Iberian Peninsula during the fe ...

who had immigrated from

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. On January 8, 1830, the Ohio General Assembly granted the congregation a charter. The leaders recognized the need for a synagogue and efforts were made to raise funds for a building. In 1836 the first home at Sixth and Broadway was consecrated. In 1852 another synagogue was built on the same site. The 1852 building was sold in 1870 to the Allen Temple AME Church. On 27 August 1869, the congregation dedicated a magnificent building at Eighth and Mound Streets. In 1906 the congregation moved to the Neoclassical Rockdale Temple, designed by Cincinnati architect

Rudolph Tietig Rudolph Tietig (1877-1958) was an architect in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States and a partner in the Tietig & Lee architectural firm with Walter H. Lee (1877-1952).Charles Frederic GosCincinnati, the Queen City, 1788-1912, Volume 4S.J. Clarke ...

(1877–1958). The 1906 building no longer exists. Since 1969, the congregation has worshiped in a new synagogue at 8501 Ridge Road in Amberley Village.

Dave Brubeck David Warren Brubeck (; December 6, 1920 – December 5, 2012) was an American jazz pianist and composer. Often regarded as a foremost exponent of cool jazz, Brubeck's work is characterized by unusual time signatures and superimposing contrasti ...

cantata A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian language, Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal music, vocal Musical composition, composition with an musical instrument, instrumental accompaniment, ty ...

''The Gates of Justice'' (1969) had its first performance at the new Rockdale Temple.Dave Brubeck: The Gates of Justice
/ref> For thirty-one years readers or cantors conducted services. In 1855, Dr.

Max Lilienthal Max Lilienthal (November 6, 1815 – April 6, 1882) was a German-born adviser for the reform of Jewish schools in Russia and later a rabbi and proponent of Reform Judaism in the United States. Life and religion Work for Russian Government Lili ...

was elected as the first permanent rabbi. Under Dr. Lilienthal's leadership many reforms were introduced into the previously orthodox service and the congregation was actively involved in the beginnings of the Reform movement. Since that time there have been nine rabbis; Rabbi Meredith Kahan now serves the congregation.

Raphael Benjamin Raphael Benjamin (June 19, 1846 – November 15, 1906) was an English-born rabbi who ministered in Australia and America. Life Benjamin was born on June 19, 1846, in London, England, the son of Elias Benjamin and Mary Lazarus. Benjamin attende ...

was rabbi of the congregation from 1882 to 1888. Throughout the long history of the congregation distinguished rabbis have relied on remarkably able and committed

lay Lay or LAY may refer to: Places *Lay Range, a subrange of mountains in British Columbia, Canada * Lay, Loire, a French commune *Lay (river), France * Lay, Iran, a village * Lay, Kansas, United States, an unincorporated community * Lay Dam, Alaba ...

leadership. Women have contributed notably, serving as presidents of the congregation as well as assistant and senior rabbis. Rabbis and members have participated actively in communal activities in the Jewish and general community.

The congregation today

A progressive spirit and recognition of the need for change and growth characterize the goals of the congregation. There is outreach to a diverse membership. In addition to the religious school, the congregation participates in the Cincinnati Reform Jewish High School. The Sisterhood (Women of Reform Judaism), the Brotherhood and the youth groups facilitate activities which enhance congregational life. Various adult education programs are offered with many issues addressed in evening classes. Rockdale Temple has been at the forefront of Reform Judaism in America and was one of the founding congregations of the

Union of American Hebrew Congregations The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), formerly known as the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC) until 2003, founded in 1873 by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, is the congregational arm of Reform Judaism in North America. The other two arms establ ...

and the

Hebrew Union College Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and remained in regular use as a first language until ...

-Jewish Institute of Religion. During its history, nine rabbis have been its spiritual leaders. Rabbi

Sigma Faye Coran Rabbi Sigma Faye Coran (March 23, 1966 – May 8, 2020) was Senior Rabbi at Rockdale Temple, Amberley, Ohio. She was the first woman to serve as the senior rabbi of a Cincinnati area congregation. Biography Coran was born in St. Louis, Mi ...

served the congregation from 2004 to 2020. Its rabbi, educator, staff and lay-leaders help to guide and teach congregants to create personally fulfilling expressions of their Judaism. It offers a choice of programming for the needs of its diverse congregation and emphasizes the value of lifelong learning.

References

External links

*
Rockdale Temple, circa 1910HistoryRockdale Temple
{{Synagogues in the United States 1824 establishments in Ohio 20th-century synagogues in the United States English-American culture in Ohio English-Jewish culture in the United States Founding members of the Union for Reform Judaism Jewish organizations established in 1824 Portuguese-Jewish culture in the United States Reform synagogues in Ohio Sephardi Jewish culture in the United States Sephardi Reform Judaism Spanish-American culture in Ohio Sephardi synagogues Spanish-Jewish culture in the United States Synagogues completed in 1836 Synagogues completed in 1852 Synagogues completed in 1869 Synagogues completed in 1906 Synagogues completed in 1969 Synagogues in Cincinnati Synagogues in Ohio

History

The congregation today

See also

References

External links