Congregation Berith Sholom

{{Short description|Reform synagogue in Troy, New York, US}} {{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox religious building | name = Congregation Berith Sholom | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = | image_upright = 1.4 | alt = | caption = | religious_affiliation = [[Reform Judaism]] | tradition = | sect = | district = | prefecture = | province = | region = | deity = | rite = | festival =  | organisational_status = [[Synagogue]] | ownership = | governing_body = | leadership = Rabbi Debora S. Gordon | bhattaraka = | patron = | consecration_year = | functional_status = Active | religious_features_label = | religious_features = | location = 167 Third Street, [[Troy, New York|Troy]], [[Rensselaer County, New York|Rensselaer County]], [[New York (state)|New York]] 12180 | locale = | municipality = | cercle = | state = | country = United States | map_type = New York | map_size = 250 | map_alt = | map_relief = 1 | map_caption = Location in [[New York (state)|New York]] | grid_name = | grid_position = | sector = | territory = | administration = | coordinates = {{coord|42|43|34|N|73|41|30|W|region:US-NY_type:landmark|format=dms|display=it}} | coordinates_footnotes = | heritage_designation = | architect = Marcus Cummings {{small|(attrib.)}} | architecture_type = Synagogue | architecture_style = {{ubl|[[Romanesque Revival architecture|Romanesque Revival]]|[[Italianate architecture|Italianate]]}} | founded_by = | creator = | funded_by = | general_contractor = | established = 1866 {{small|(as a congregation)}} | groundbreaking = | year_completed = 1870 | 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|berithsholom.org}} | module =  | footnotes = }}

'''Congregation Berith Sholom''' ([[transliterated]] from [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] as "Covenant of Peace") is a [[Reform Judaism|Reform]] [[Jewish]] [[synagogue]] located at 167 Third Street, in [[Troy, New York|Troy]], [[Rensselaer County, New York|Rensselaer County]], [[New York (state)|New York]], in the United States.

The synagogue is the oldest continuously used synagogue in the state of New York, the second oldest house of worship in the state outside of the [[New York City|city of New York]],<ref name=Expansion/> and one of the [[Oldest synagogues in the United States|oldest synagogue buildings]] in the United States.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Rediscovering Jewish Infrastructure: Update on United States Nineteenth Century Synagogues |author=Gordon, Mark W. |journal=American Jewish History |volume=84 |number=1 |year=1996 |pages=11–27 |url=http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/american_jewish_history/v084/84.1gordon.html |edition=2019 article update |doi= |access-date= }}</ref>

==History== The congregation was formally founded in 1866 by members of two other congregations, and its name was originally spelled ''Baris Sholem''.<ref name=Expansion>{{cite web |title=Congregation Berith Sholom Anniversary Expansion Capital Project |url=http://www.berithsholom.org/_kd/Items/actions.cfm?action=Show&item_id=1128&destination=ShowItem |publisher=Congregation Berith Sholom |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090724023021/http://www.berithsholom.org/_kd/Items/actions.cfm?action=Show&item_id=1128&destination=ShowItem |archive-date=2009-07-24 }}</ref> The building, which is still in use, was built in the summer of 1870, and finished in time for the [[High Holy Days]]. Reform ritual was adopted around 1890 and the congregation joined the [[Union of American Hebrew Congregations]] in 1920.<ref>{{cite web |title=A short history of Congregation Berith Sholom |url=http://www.berithsholom.org/about-us/our-history |publisher=Congregation Berith Sholom |date= |access-date= }}</ref> Rabbi [[Jacob S. Raisin]] served as rabbi from 1912<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 August 1912 |title=ITEMS OF INTEREST IN THE JEWISH WORLD |url=https://www.nli.org.il/en/newspapers/hebstd/1912/08/16/01/article/8/?e=-------en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxTI--------------1 |work=The Hebrew Standard |location=New York, N.Y. |page=4 |via=[[Historical Jewish Press]] |volume=LX |issue=3}}</ref> to 1915.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Universal_Jewish_Encyclopedia/XZ4YAAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Raisin,+Jacob%22+Charleston+1878&pg=PA68&printsec=frontcover |title=The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia |publisher=The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, Inc. |year=1943 |editor-last=Landman |editor-first=Isaac |editor-link=Isaac Landman |volume=9 |location=New York, N.Y. |pages=68 |language=en |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> Around 1953 an addition was built to house the religious school.<ref name=Expansion/> The building is part of the [[Central Troy Historic District]].

The design of the [[Romanesque Revival architecture|Romanesque Revival]] and [[Italianate architecture|Italianate]] synagogue building is attributed to Marcus Cummings.<ref>{{cite web |author=Gruber, Samuel J. |url=http://samgrubersjewishartmonuments.blogspot.com/2010/11/usa-140-year-old-berith-sholom-in-troy.html |title=USA: 140-Year Old Berith Sholom in Troy, New York |work=Samuel Gruber's Jewish Art & Monuments |publisher=Samuel J. Gruber |date=November 24, 2010 |access-date=December 29, 2023 }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

== Further reading == * {{cite book |title=A century of Temple Berith Sholom, Troy, New York |author=Rezneck, Samuel |publisher=Rickman Press |year=1966 |location= |isbn= |pages= }}

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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Berith Sholom}} [[Category:1866 establishments in New York (state)]] [[Category:19th-century synagogues in the United States]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Troy, New York]] [[Category:Jewish organizations established in 1866]] [[Category:Reform synagogues in New York (state)]] [[Category:Synagogues completed in 1870]]