Bikur Cholim Machzikay Hadath

{{Short description|Orthodox Jewish synagogue in Seattle, Washington}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}} {{about|the current congregation and synagogue|a former synagogue building used by this congregation|Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute}} {{Infobox religious building | name = Bikur Cholim Machzikay Hadath | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = Seattle - Bikur Cholim Machzikay Hadath 02.jpg | image_upright = 1.4 | alt = | caption = The present synagogue, in 2009 | religious_affiliation = Orthodox Judaism | tradition = | sect = | district = | prefecture = | province = | region = | deity = | rite = Ashkenazi | festival =  | organisational_status =  | ownership = | governing_body = | leadership = Rabbi Yaakov Tanenbaum | bhattaraka = | patron = | consecration_year = | status = Synagogue | functional_status = Active | religious_features_label = | religious_features = | location = 5145 South Morgan Street, Seward Park, Seattle, Washington 98118 | locale = | municipality = | cercle = | state = | country = | map_type = Seattle landmarks | map_size = 250 | map_alt = | map_relief = 1 | map_caption = Location in Seattle | grid_name = | grid_position = | sector = | territory = | administration = | coordinates = {{coords|47.54361341979439|-122.2667056045517|region:US-WA_type:landmark|format=dms|display=it}} | coordinates_footnotes = | heritage_designation = | architect = | architecture_type = | architecture_style = | founded_by = | creator = | funded_by = | general_contractor = | established = 1891 {{small|(as a congregation)}} | groundbreaking = | year_completed = {{ubl|1914 {{small|(104 17th Avenue S)}}|{{circa|1960s}} {{small|(Seward Park)}}|1972 {{small|(current site)}}}} | construction_cost = | date_demolished =  | facade_direction = | capacity = | length = | width = | width_nave = | interior_area = | height_max = | dome_quantity = | dome_height_outer = | dome_height_inner = | dome_dia_outer = | dome_dia_inner = | minaret_quantity = | minaret_height = | spire_quantity = | spire_height = | site_area = | temple_quantity = | monument_quantity = | shrine_quantity = | inscriptions = | materials = | elevation_m =  | elevation_footnotes = | nrhp = | designated = | added = | refnum = | delisted1_date = | website = {{url|bcmhseattle.org}} | module =  | footnotes = }} '''Bikur Cholim Machzikay Hadath''', abbreviated as '''BCMH''', is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue located at 5145 South Morgan Street, in the Seward Park neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, in the United States. Founded in 1891, it is the oldest synagogue in Washington state;<ref>{{cite news |author=Higgins, Mark |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/neighbors/sewardpark/ |title=Large Jewish population calls diverse community home |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |date=n.d. |access-date=2009-10-14 }}</ref> and practises Ashkenazi traditions.

==History==

The congregation was founded in 1891 as Chevra Bikur Cholim.<ref>{{cite book |author=Rochlin, Fred |title=Pioneer Jews: A New Life in the Far West |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |year=2000 |page=211 |isbn= }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author1=Crowley, Walt |author2=Dorpat, Paul |title=National Trust Guide to Seattle |publisher=John Wiley and Sons |year=1998 |page=143 |isbn= }}</ref> Jewish communal religious activity associated with Bikur Cholim predates its formal incorporation. Simchat Torah services were held in 1889 at Red Man’s Hall in downtown Seattle, and the chevra’s early activities included visiting the sick and providing proper burial. Burial grounds were acquired at Oak Lake around 1890.

The congregation’s synagogue at 104 17th Avenue South was designed by architect B. Marcus Priteca and constructed between 1909 and 1915. The building was placed into use beginning in 1910 and was fully completed in 1915. It was sold to the City of Seattle in 1969.<ref name="PCADBikurCholim">{{cite web |title=Pacific Coast Architecture Database |url=https://pcad.lib.washington.edu/building/3227/ |publisher=University of Washington |access-date=15 May 2022}}</ref> Since 1969, the former synagogue building has housed the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute.

Bikur Cholim moved to Seward Park in the early 1960s. In 1971, Congregation Bikur Cholim merged with Congregation Machzikay Hadath.

On January 22, 1972, the newly formed Congregation Bikur Cholim—Machzikay Hadath dedicated its newly constructed synagogue building in Seward Park.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bcmhseattle.org/about |title=About us |work=Congregation Bikur Cholim—Machzikay Hadath |date=n.d. |access-date=2009-10-14}}</ref> In an antisemitic incident in September 2009, the synagogue was defaced with Nazi graffiti.<ref>{{cite web |author=Willmsen, Christine |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009859716_webantisemitic13m.html |title=Seward Park area synagogues defaced with swastikas: Sometime Saturday night or early Sunday, someone painted red swastikas on two synagogues in the Seward Park neighborhood, according to Seattle Police and synagogue members |work=Seattle Times |date=September 13, 2009 |access-date=2009-10-14 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://jta.org/news/article/2009/09/14/1007826/seattle-synagogues-defaced-with-swastikas |title=Seattle synagogues defaced with swastikas |work=Jewish Telegraph Agency |date=September 14, 2009 |access-date=2009-10-14 }}</ref>

In September 2009, the synagogue was vandalized with Nazi graffiti in an antisemitic incident.<ref>{{cite web |author=Willmsen, Christine |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009859716_webantisemitic13m.html |title=Seward Park area synagogues defaced with swastikas: Sometime Saturday night or early Sunday, someone painted red swastikas on two synagogues in the Seward Park neighborhood, according to Seattle Police and synagogue members |work=Seattle Times |date=September 13, 2009 |access-date=2009-10-14 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://jta.org/news/article/2009/09/14/1007826/seattle-synagogues-defaced-with-swastikas |title=Seattle synagogues defaced with swastikas |work=Jewish Telegraph Agency |date=September 14, 2009 |access-date=2009-10-14 }}</ref>

In 2015, the congregation began construction of a new youth center as part of its campus.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jewishsound.org/event/bcmh-expansion-kick-off-and-brunch/ |title=BCMH Expansion Kick-Off and Brunch |work=The Jewish Sound |date= |access-date=2015-03-17 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://mikereport.wordpress.com/2014/12/07/revered-but-weathered-synagogue-building-to-be-retired/ |title=Revered But Weathered Synagogue Building To Be Retired |work=The Mike Report |date=December 7, 2014|access-date=2015-03-17 }}</ref>

Ben Bridge of Ben Bridge Jeweler's at one point was the President of Bikur Cholim Machzikay Hadath.

== Leadership == The rabbi of Bikur Cholim Machzikay Hadath has been Rabbi Yaakov Tanenbaum, since Fall 2016.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rabbinic Leadership |url=http://bcmhseattle.org/about/the-rabbi/ |website=Bikur Cholim Machzikay Hadath |accessdate=2 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161103233908/http://bcmhseattle.org/about/the-rabbi/ |archive-date=3 November 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Moshe Kletenik served as rabbi from 1994 until June 2013.

== Gallery == <gallery> Seattle - Upper Room 01.jpg|Former Machzikay Hadath synagogue at 152 26th Avenue, in 2011 Seattle Langston 01.jpg|Former Bikur Cholim synagogue at 104 17th Avenue S., now the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute </gallery>

==See also== * Bikur cholim

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{official website|http://www.bcmhseattle.org/ }}

Category:Jews and Judaism in Seattle

Category:Jewish organizations established in 1891  Category:21st-century attacks on Jewish institutions Category:Orthodox synagogues in Washington (state) Category:Synagogues in Seattle Category:1891 establishments in Washington (state) Category:20th-century synagogues in the United States Category:Synagogues completed in 1972 Category:Ashkenazi synagogues in the United States