# Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim

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Jewish synagogue in Alexandria, Louisiana, US

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Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim Religion Affiliation Reform Judaism Rite Nusach Ashkenaz Ecclesiastical or organisational status Synagogue Leadership Rabbi Judy Ginsburg Status Active Location Location 2021 Turner Street, Alexandria, Louisiana Country United States Location in Louisiana Coordinates 31°17′53″N 92°27′17″W / 31.2979616°N 92.4548251°W / 31.2979616; -92.4548251 Architecture Architect Max Heinberg Type Synagogue Style Mid-Century modernist Established 1859 (as a congregation) Completed 1952 Specifications Capacity 350 worshippers Materials Brick Website jewishtemple.org

**Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim** known locally as *"The Jewish Temple"* is an historic [Jewish synagogue](/source/Jewish_synagogue) located in [Alexandria](/source/Alexandria%2C_Louisiana), [Louisiana](/source/Louisiana), in the United States. Founded in 1859 by Jews from the [Alsace](/source/Alsace) region of [France](/source/France), it is one of the oldest congregations in Louisiana and one of the original founding members of the [Union of American Hebrew Congregations](/source/Union_of_American_Hebrew_Congregations), now known as the [Union for Reform Judaism](/source/Union_for_Reform_Judaism).

## History

Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim was originally established as the Hebrew Benevolent Society of Rapides Parish in 1852 in order to provide a Jewish Cemetery for burials. One belief for this is that certain families bought a burial ground when a small outbreak of yellow fever claimed six Jewish lives in the early 1850s. Eventually, the society evolved into a congregation in 1859.[1] The first President of the Temple was Isaac Levy.

In 1860, the Jewish women of Alexandria assembled to found the Ladies' Hebrew Benevolent Society in order to raise money to buy real estate on which a temple could be built. The Ladies Hebrew Benevolent Society eventually changed its name to the Temple Sisterhood. In 1869, the Temple Sisterhood held a fundraising ball to raise money to build a synagogue at the corner of Third and Fiske Streets. Construction of the temple concluded in 1871. Two years later the congregation joined the [Union of American Hebrew Congregations](/source/Union_of_American_Hebrew_Congregations) (now URJ) and hired Rabbi Marx Klein as its first rabbi.

Gemiluth Chassodim experienced great increase in its membership, from 123 families in 1925, to 154 families in 1930 and 203 families in 1945. The "Second Temple," which stood as an imposing [Greek Revival](/source/Greek_Revival) structure (more than three stories tall) with a dome burned in 1956. The congregation had already constructed its current [Mid-Century modern](/source/Mid-Century_modern) structure on Turner Street in the early 1950s. Designed by Max Heinberg, it stands as a unique example of Mid-Century modern architecture even to this day. In the early 1960s, the current sanctuary, offices, and classrooms were added. The sanctuary is capable of holding some 350 people at maximum capacity.

Thirty-four presidents and 25 rabbis have served the temple. In 2013, Rabbi Harley Karz-Wagman became the twenty-fifth rabbi of the Temple after leaving Mt. Sinai Synagogue in [Cheyenne, Wyoming](/source/Cheyenne%2C_Wyoming). In 2016, Rabbi Peter Schaktman served the congregation.

The congregation hired its first female clergy member since its founding in 1859, Rabbi Cantor Raina Siroty in 2017.

## Clergy

The following individuals have served as [rabbi](/source/Rabbi) of the congregation:

Ordinal Name Term started Term ended Term of office Notes 1 Marx Klein 1873 1879 5–6 years [2] 2 M. Weinstein 1881 1882 0–1 years 3 Abraham Meyer 1882 1884 1–2 years 4 H. Joseph M. Chumaceiro 1884 1885 0–1 years 5 Israel Heinberg 1888 1889 0–1 years 6 Hyman Saft 1889 1891 1–2 years 7 Louis Schreiber 1892 1895 2–3 years 8 Alex Rosenspitz 1895 1901 5–6 years 9 Emile Ellinger 1901 1905 3–4 years 10 Herman J. Elkin 1905 1907 1–2 years 11 Leonard J. Rothstein 1907 1918 10–11 years 12 Harry Weiss 1919 1920 0–1 years 13 Myron M. Meyer 1921 1926 4–5 years 14 H. Cerf Strauss 1927 1930 2–3 years 15 Albert G. Baum 1930 1942 11–12 years 16 Abraham Shinedling 1943 1944 0–1 years 17 H. Bruce Ehrmann 1946 1947 0–1 years 18 Mordecai M. Thurman 1947 1951 3–4 years 19 Robert J. Schur 1952 1956 3–4 years 20 Joel C. Dobin 1957 1957 0 years 21 Martin I. Hinchin 1958 1988 29–30 years 22 James L. Kessler 1988 1989 0–1 years 23 Arnold S. Task 1989 2011 21–22 years 24 Harley Karz-Wagman 2013 2016 2–3 years 25 Peter Schaktman 2016 2017 0–1 years 26 Raina Siroty 2017 incumbent 8–9 years [3]

## Notable members

- [Sylvan Friedman](/source/Sylvan_Friedman), politician

## Gallery

		- The Historic Menorah Upon The Bimah

		- The Aseret HaDibrot And The Ner Tamid

		- The Ner Tamid Looking Toward The Stained-Glass Ceiling

		- The Aron Kodesh

		- L'Dor V'Dor Monument And Garden

		- View Of The Sanctuary From The Bimah

		- The Bimah

		- View Of The Sanctuary From Rear

## See also

- [B'nai Israel Traditional Synagogue](/source/B'nai_Israel_Traditional_Synagogue)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-msje_1-0)** ["History of Alexandria Congregations"](https://web.archive.org/web/20111206125423/http://msje.org/history/archive/la/HistoryofAlexandriaCongregations.htm). *Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities*. Goldring-Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Archived from [the original](http://www.msje.org/history/archive/la/HistoryofAlexandriaCongregations.htm) on December 6, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Rabbi_Listing_2-0)** Hinchin, Martin. ""Four Score and Eleven:" *A History of the Jews of Rapides Parish, Louisiana*".

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Raina Siroty"](http://www.rainasiroty.com). Retrieved December 9, 2025.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Jewish Temple synagogue (Alexandria, Louisiana)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Jewish_Temple_synagogue_(Alexandria,_Louisiana)).

- [Official website](http://www.jewishtemple.org)

v t e City of Alexandria Areas Garden District Education Rapides Parish School Board Alexandria Senior High School Bolton High School Peabody Magnet High School Holy Savior Menard Central High School Louisiana State University of Alexandria Landmarks Alexandria Mall Alexandria Museum of Art Alexandria Zoological Park Bentley Hotel Kent Plantation House Louisiana History Museum Rapides Parish Coliseum Former Bringhurst Field Religion Roman Catholic Diocese of Alexandria B'nai Israel Traditional Synagogue Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim Emmanuel Baptist Church Transportation Alexandria International Airport (formerly England Air Force Base) Culture Former Alexandria Aces Alexandria Warthogs Louisiana Rangers

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