Naval Academy Jewish Chapel

{{short description|Jewish naval chapel in Maryland, United States}} {{Use American English|date=May 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}} {{About|the Uriah P. Levy Center and Jewish Chapel at the U.S. Naval Academy|information about the chapel at [[Naval Station Norfolk]], the Navy's oldest land-based Jewish Chapel|Commodore Levy Chapel}} {{Infobox religious building | building_name = Commodore Uriah P. Levy Center and Jewish Chapel | image = Uriah-P-Levy-Center.jpg | image_upright = 1.4 | alt = Photo of the exterior of Commodore Uriah P. Levy Center and Jewish Chapel | caption = The chapel exterior in 2010 | map_type = USA Maryland | map_size = 250 | map_relief = 1 | map_caption = Location within [[Maryland]] | location = [[Annapolis, Maryland|Annapolis]], [[Maryland]] | country = United States | coordinates = {{coord|38.980278|-76.481189|region:US-MD_type:landmark|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | religious_affiliation = [[Judaism]] | rite = | consecration_year = | status = [[Synagogue]] | functional_status = Active | heritage_designation = | leadership = | architect = Joseph Boggs | architecture_type = | architecture_style = | general_contractor = [[The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company]] | groundbreaking = November 2, 2003 | year_completed = 2005 | construction_cost = $8 million | specifications = | interior_area = {{convert|35000|sqft|m2}} | capacity = | length = | width = | facade_direction = | height_max = | materials = [[Jerusalem stone]] | footnotes = <ref name=Lebovich/><ref name=USNAfacts/> | website = {{url|usna.edu/chapel/faithcommunity/jewishcommunities.php}} }}

'''Commodore Uriah P. Levy Center and Jewish Chapel''' is the [[Jewish]] [[Place of worship#Judaism|chapel]] at the [[United States Naval Academy#Halls and principal buildings|United States Naval Academy]], in [[Annapolis, Maryland]].

The center is named in honor of [[Commodore (United States)|Commodore]] [[Uriah P. Levy]] (1792–-1862), the first Jewish commodore in the United States Navy, who is famous for refusing to flog his sailors.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bailey |first=Steve |title=In Annapolis, Md., the Past Is Always at Hand |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=August 22, 2008 |url=http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/08/22/travel/escapes/22american.html?pagewanted=print |accessdate=2010-03-18}}</ref><ref name=USNAfacts>{{cite web |url=http://www.usna.edu/PAO/Levy_Center/Levy%20Center.doc |title=Facts: The Commodore Uriah P. Levy Center and Jewish Chapel |work=Public Affairs Office |publisher=[[U.S. Naval Academy]] |date= |access-date=2010-03-18 |archive-date=May 26, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060526053718/http://www.usna.edu/PAO/Levy_Center/Levy%20Center.doc |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> The Levy Center is adjacent to Mitscher Hall and contains a 410-seat [[synagogue]], a fellowship hall, a Character Learning Center, classrooms, and offices for the Brigade's social director, the academic board, and the academy's Honor Board.<ref name=USNAfacts/>

Before the chapel was completed in 2005, Jewish midshipmen attended Congregation Knesset Israel in downtown Annapolis,<ref name=Harris>{{cite news |last=Harris |first=Hamil R. |title=Jewish Chapel Is Set to Open at Naval Academy |newspaper=Washington Post |date=September 17, 2005 |page=B09 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/16/AR2005091601729.html |accessdate=2010-03-18}}</ref> or held services in the interfaith chapel at Mitscher Hall.

==History== The [[groundbreaking ceremony]] was held on November 2, 2003,<ref name=USNAfacts/> and the building was dedicated in September 2005.<ref name=LevyCenter>{{cite web |accessdate= |url=http://www.usna.edu/PAO/Levy_Center/vpk.htm |title= Press Kit: Uriah P. Levy Center Dedication Ceremony 18 September 2005 |publisher=U.S. Naval Academy |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070220005859/http://www.usna.edu/PAO/Levy_Center/vpk.htm |archivedate=20 February 2007}}</ref>

The Levy Center cost $8 million to design, build and furnish; of which approximately $1.8 million was paid for with military construction funds,<ref name=USNAfacts/> and the remaining amount was paid for by donations raised by the Friend of the Jewish Chapel, a campaign headed by Jewish alumni of the academy and others.<ref name=USNAfacts/><ref name=Lebovich>{{cite web |last=Lebovich |first=William |title=Navy Temple |work=Architecture Week |page=D1.1 |date=May 3, 2006 |url=http://www.architectureweek.com/2006/0503/design_1-1.html |accessdate=2010-03-18 |archive-date=October 20, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081020074122/http://www.architectureweek.com/2006/0503/design_1-1.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:USNA-Jewish-Chapel.jpg|thumb|Naval Academy Jewish Chapel]]

==Architecture== The {{convert|35000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} building was designed by Maryland architect Joseph Boggs<ref name=Lebovich/> and was built by [[The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company]].<ref name=USNAfacts/> The entrance pavilion has elements related to the center bay of [[Thomas Jefferson]]'s [[Monticello]]. Levy purchased Monticello in 1834 and restored it because of his admiration for Jefferson, who died in 1826.<ref name=Harris/> The chapel includes a nearly {{convert|45|ft|m|adj=on}} high wall that is a replica of the [[Western Wall]] in Jerusalem. The wall is made of [[Jerusalem stone]].<ref name=Harris/> The roof of the building is constructed of copper.<ref name=USNAfacts/> The architecture of the exterior is [[United States Naval Academy#Halls and principal buildings|consistent]] with nearby [[Bancroft Hall]].

The chapel was awarded the Maryland [[American Institute of Architects|AIA]] Honor Awards 2006, Public Building of the Year; Institutional.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.archiplanet.org/wiki/Levy_Center,_U.S._Naval_Academy |title=Levy Center, U.S. Naval Academy |work=Archiplanet.org |publisher= |date= |access-date=2010-03-18 }}</ref>

== See also == {{stack|{{portal|Maryland|Judaism}}}} * [[Aloha Jewish Chapel]] * [[History of the Jews in Maryland]] * [[Jewish American military history]] * [[Jewish War Veterans]] * [[National Museum of American Jewish Military History]] * [[Naval Academy Chapel]] * [[United States Navy Chaplain Corps]] * [[United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel#Jewish chapel|United States Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel]] (including Jewish chapel) * [[West Point Cadet Chapel|United States Military Academy Chapel]] * [[West Point Jewish Chapel]]

== References == {{reflist}}

== Further reading == * {{cite book |author=Jaccarino, Pamela Lerner |title=Honor: Uriah P. Levy Center and Jewish Chapel |publisher=Sandow Media |date=June 1, 2008 }} * {{cite book |author=Leepson, Marc |title=Saving Monticello: The Levy Family's Epic Quest to Rescue the House that Jefferson Built |publisher=Free Press |year=2001 |edition=hardcover }}

==External links== * {{official website|https://www.usna.edu/chapel/faithcommunity/jewishcommunities.php}}

[[Category:2005 establishments in Maryland]] [[Category:21st-century synagogues in the United States]] [[Category:Jewish-American military history]] [[Category:Jewish organizations established in 2005]] [[Category:Military chapels of the United States]] [[Category:Religious buildings and structures in Annapolis, Maryland]] [[Category:Synagogues completed in 2005]] [[Category:Synagogues in Maryland]] [[Category:Unaffiliated synagogues in the United States]] [[Category:United States Naval Academy buildings and structures]] [[Category:University and college chapels in the United States]]