Congregation Albert

{{short description|Reform synagogue in Albuquerque, New Mexico, US}}

{{infobox religious building | caption = Congregation Albert | coordinates = {{coord|35|7|41|N|106|34|3|W|region:US-NM_type:landmark|display=it}} | country = United States | established = 1897 {{small|(as a congregation)}} | founded_by = {{ubl|Alfred Grunsfeld|Henry N. Jaffa|Berthold Spitz}} | functional_status = Active | image = Congregation Albert, Albuquerque NM.jpg | image_upright = 1.4 | leadership = Rabbi Celia Surget | location = {{nowrap|3800 Louisiana Boulevard NE,}} [[Albuquerque]], [[New Mexico]] | map_caption = Location in [[New Mexico]] | map_relief = 1 | map_size = 250 | map_type = New Mexico | name = Congregation Albert | religious_affiliation = [[Reform Judaism]] | status = [[Synagogue]] | website = {{url|congregationalbert.org}} | year_completed = {{ubl|1900 {{small|(West Gold Avenue)}}|1951 {{small|(Lead Street)}}|1984 {{small|(Louisiana Boulevard)}}}} }}

'''Congregation Albert''' is a [[Reform Judaism|Reform]] [[Jewish]] [[synagogue]] located at 3800 Louisiana Boulevard Northeast<ref name="abqjournal.com">{{cite web | author = Steinberg, David | date = October 15, 2005 | url = http://abqjournal.com/news/metro/399149metro10-15-05.htm |title=Congregation Albert City's Oldest | work = Albuquerque Journal }}</ref> in [[Albuquerque]], [[New Mexico]] in the United States.<ref name="jmaw.org"/> Established in 1897, the congregation is the oldest Jewish organization of continued existence in the state.<ref name="congregationalbert.org">{{cite web | access-date = 2015-06-14 | archive-date = 2015-06-12 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150612085809/congregationalbert.org | title = Home | url = http://congregationalbert.org | url-status = dead | work = Congregation Albert }}</ref>{{self-published-inline|date=December 2023}}

== History ==

=== Formation and early years ===

Congregation Albert was established as a congregation in 1897. It was established by Alfred Grunsfeld (its first treasurer), Henry N. Jaffa (its first president and the first [[Mayor of Albuquerque]]), and Berthold Spitz (the city's Postmaster for 12 years), after discussions with 70 members of the first congregation in Albuquerque, the [[B’nai Brith]] Lodge No. 336, which had been formed in 1883.<ref name="jmaw.org">{{cite web |url=http://www.jmaw.org/congregation-albert-albuquerque-jewish/ |title=Congregation Albert: The Oldest Continuing Jewish Organization in Albuquerque, New Mexico |work=Jewish Museum of the American West |date=September 16, 2013 |author=Silver, Samantha }}</ref><ref name="arizona.edu">{{cite web |url=http://www.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/swja/congalbert.htm |title=Congregation Albert; Albuquerque, New Mexico |work=Bloom Southwest Jewish Archives |access-date=2015-06-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216222227/http://www.library.arizona.edu/exhibits/swja/congalbert.htm |archive-date=2017-12-16 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="google.com">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HoPeuOvwZ1IC&q=%22congregation+albert%22+new+mexico&pg=PA236 |title=A History of the Jews in New Mexico |author=Tobias, Henry J. |year=1992 |publisher=UNM Press |isbn=0826313906 |via=[[Google Books]] }}{{page needed|date=June 2015}}</ref>

The naming rights of the new synagogue were auctioned off.<ref name="jmaw.org"/><ref name="arizona.edu"/><ref name="google.com"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/93059/land-of-enchantment |title=Marking a Century of Jewish Life in New Mexico |work=Tablet Magazine |author=Sandweiss, Naomi |date=March 7, 2012 }}</ref> In 1897, the Grunsfeld family, winning the auction for $250 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|250|1897|r=-2}}}} in current dollar terms), elected to name the synagogue after Alfred’s deceased father, Albert Grunsfeld, who had immigrated to [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]], from Germany in the 1870s.<ref name="jmaw.org"/><ref name="arizona.edu"/><ref name="google.com"/>

At the outset, the synagogue had 34 members and its religious services were held at the [[Knights of Pythias]] Hall on Gold Avenue in [[downtown Albuquerque]].<ref name="jmaw.org"/><ref name="google.com"/> Half a year later, the synagogue moved to the Jolly Ten Hall located on Gold Avenue.<ref name="jmaw.org"/>

Congregation Albert advertised for a rabbi in ''[[The American Israelite]]''.<ref name="arizona.edu"/><ref name="google.com"/> Its first Rabbi was Dr. William H. Greenburg of London, England, who served from 1898 to 1900 and held his first service for 50 members on March 18, 1898.<ref name="jmaw.org"/><ref name="arizona.edu"/> Greenburg served in his initial two-year term for a salary of $125 per month (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|125|1898|r=-2}}}} in current dollar terms).<ref name="google.com"/>

After its [[cornerstone]] was set on September 3, 1899, in April 1900 Congregation Albert's first building was dedicated on West Gold Avenue (at the northeast corner of its intersection with 7th Street), with an onion-shaped oriental dome, [[pitched roof]], and twin staircases leading to a second-story entrance, and Rabbi Pizer Jacobs was installed as the second rabbi of the synagogue.<ref name="abqjournal.com"/><ref name="jmaw.org"/><ref name="google.com"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jewishhistorymuseum.org/collections/books-and-documents/article/20-congregation-albert |title=Congregation Albert – Docs |publisher=Jewish History Museum}}{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 1902, Jacob H. Kaplan became the Rabbi.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/historynewmexic01cogoog |title=History of New Mexico: Its Resources and People |volume=2 |author=Anderson, George B. |publisher=Pacific States Publishing Company |year=1907 |page=[https://archive.org/details/historynewmexic01cogoog/page/n34 545] }}</ref> [[Methodist]]s were allowed to use the synagogue until their church was built in 1904.<ref name="google.com"/> In 1919, the synagogue had 84 members and, after a dip during [[the Depression]], in 1944 it had 87 members.<ref name="google.com"/>

Rabbi David D. Shor served the congregation from 1948 to 1978, during which time he was tendered a lifetime contract in 1956.<ref name="jmaw.org"/><ref name="google.com1">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cQx_nWoj7UwC&pg=PA156 |title=Jews in New Mexico Since World War II |author=Tobias, Henry Jack |publisher=UNM Press |year=2008 |isbn=978-0826344182 |via=[[Google Books]] }}{{page needed|date=June 2015}}</ref> In 1951, Congregation Albert moved to a building on Lead, between Oak and Mulberry SE.<ref name="abqjournal.com"/><ref name="jmaw.org"/>

===Recent history=== At the time of the synagogue's 75th anniversary, a 600-copy limited edition [[Diamond Jubilee]] History entitled ''Congregation Albert, 1897–1972'' by Professor Gunther Rothenberg, a [[University of New Mexico]] professor of [[European history]] and [[Jewish history]], was printed.<ref name="arizona.edu"/> In 1975, the synagogue elected a woman president, Ethel Cahn.<ref name="google.com1"/>

The synagogue was led by '''Rabbi Paul J. Citrin''' from 1978 to 1996.<ref name="google.com1"/> In 1984, Congregation Albert moved to its current location, at 3800 Louisiana Boulevard NE, just south of Montgomery.<ref name="abqjournal.com"/><ref name="jmaw.org"/>

The synagogue was led by '''Rabbi Joseph R. Black''' from 1996 to 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rabbijoeblack.com/index.php?id=37|title= Biography of Rabbi Joseph R. Black|work=rabbijoeblack.com}}</ref> In 2000, out of 606 working members, 14% were doctors and 9% were attorneys.<ref name="google.com1"/> In 2005, it had more than 700 members.<ref name="abqjournal.com"/>

'''Cantor Barbara R. Finn''' served as Cantor from 2004 to 2024; she became Cantor Emerita in July 2024.

'''Rabbi Harry L. Rosenfeld''' led Congregation Albert from 2011 to 2021, and currently serves as Rabbi Emeritus.

'''Rabbi Celia Surget''' has served as Congregation Albert's Rabbi since July 1, 2021.

The synagogue is a member of the [[Union for Reform Judaism]], having joined in 1921.<ref name="congregationalbert.org" />{{self-published-inline|date=December 2023}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U4gzAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA7-PA19 |title=The Union Bulletin |volume=11 |publisher=Union of American Hebrew Congregations |year=1921 |via=[[Google Books]] |access-date= }}{{page needed|date=June 2015}}</ref>

== Notable members == * [[Alex Bregman]], a professional [[Major League Baseball]] player with the [[Boston Red Sox]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jewishnewmexico.org/docs/the_link/oct_2011.pdf |title=Simchas: Alex Bregman with other Jewish baseball champs |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612113507/http://www.jewishnewmexico.org/docs/the_link/oct_2011.pdf |archive-date=2015-06-12 |work=The New Mexico Jewish Link |date=October 2011 |page=15 |access-date= }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{official website|http://www.congregationalbert.shulcloud.com/}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Albert, Congregation}} [[Category:1897 establishments in New Mexico Territory|Congregation Albert]] [[Category:20th-century synagogues in the United States]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Albuquerque, New Mexico|Congregation Albert]] [[Category:Jewish organizations established in 1897|Congregation Albert]] [[Category:Reform synagogues in New Mexico]] [[Category:Synagogues completed in 1900]] [[Category:Synagogues completed in 1951|Congregation Albert]] [[Category:Synagogues completed in 1984]]