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Descriptive Summary
Creator:	Temple Ohabei Shalom (Brookline, Massachusetts)
Title:	Temple Ohabei Shalom (Brookline, Massachusetts), records
Dates:	undated, 1909-1991
Abstract:	Temple Ohabei Shalom was founded on February 26, 1843 by several Boston Jewish families, and is the first synagogue established in Massachusetts. After meeting in the homes of both a founding congregant and the first elected Rabbi, Abraham Saling, Ohabei Shalom dedicated its first building on Warren (now Warrenton) Street in Boston in 1852. In 1855, the German Jewish congregants left Ohabei Shalom and founded Congregation Adath Israel (now Temple Israel in Boston.) The Polish Jewish congregants maintained the name Ohabei Shalom and the cemetery land in East Boston. In 1858, East Prussian Jews also left the congregation, forming Die Israelitische Gemeinde Mishkan Israel (now Miskhan Tefila in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.) This collection contains flyers, programs and tickets for events as well as copies of bulletins and newsletters, such as Brotherhood Bulletin, Stars and Stripes, Temple Bulletin and Temple Tidings.
Languages:	The collection is in English.
Quantity:	1.5 linear feet (3 manuscript boxes)
Identification:	I-459
Repository:	American Jewish Historical Society
Location:	Located in AJHS, Boston, MA.

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Historical Note¹

Temple Ohabei-Shalom, Brookline, Massachusetts

Temple Ohabei Shalom, the oldest synagogue in Massachusetts, was founded on February 26, 1843 by the families of Isaac Wolf, Peter Spitz, William Goldsmith, Bernard Fox, Charles Heineman, Jacob Norton, Abraham F. Block, Moses Ehrlich, Bernard Wurmsur, and Julius Spitz. Ohabei Shalom ("Lovers of Peace") initially held their services in the Spitz home on Fort Hill, but soon elected their first officials of the congregation-Moses Ehrlich, President; William Goldsmith, Vice President; and Abraham Saling, Rabbi-and moved their services to Rabbi Saling's home, where they were conducted until 1845. In 1844, the synagogue petitioned the City of Boston for 100 square feet of land in the East Boston City Cemetery, but the petition was rejected. Later that year, the synagogue purchased 10,000 square feet of land for a cemetery at the corner of Byron and Homer Streets in East Boston; the City approved this purchase on October 5, 1844. On March 22, 1845, the State of Massachusetts granted the congregation a charter of incorporation.

From 1846-1852, congregants met in a private home on Albany Street. On March 26, 1852, the synagogue dedicated its building on Warren Street (now Warrenton Street) in Boston. Instruction in both German and Hebrew was taught in the school adjacent to the Synagogue, and the Jewish community utilized the synagogue's common space for a number of events. However, there were factions within the congregation that eventually created a division between the Polish and German Jewish congregants. Polish Jews were unhappy with the Bavarian rituals and the German cantor Joseph Sachs. The German Jews took Sachs with them when they broke away from the congregation, as well as the Ohabei Shalom name and rights to the cemetery, building, and bequest monies of Judah Touro. The disagreement was brought to the civil court, which ruled in favor of the Polish Jews, and the temple formally separated into two congregations. Ohabei Shalom, the Polish synagogue, maintained the cemetery in East Boston, the bequest money, and the name. In 1855, the German Jews moved to a building on Pleasant Street, purchased cemetery land in Wakefield, Massachusetts, and named their synagogue "Adath Israel"-now Temple Israel in Boston. In 1858, Jews from East Prussia broke away and formed yet another congregation-Die Israelitische Gemeinde Mishkan Israel (now Mishkan Tefila in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.) The discord between Adath Israel and Ohabei Shalom did not last however, and in 1864 men from both congregations established the United Hebrew Benevolent Association (a forerunner of the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston.)

In 1863, the synagogue moved across the street from its original building, followed by a move in 1887 to Union Park Street in the South End. In 1921, the synagogue purchased land in Brookline, Massachusetts, where the synagogue still stands. In the 1870s, the congregation began to adopt changes to their rituals in order to maintain relevancy in the changing Boston Jewish community. In 1870, the congregation held its first confirmation for boys and girls. This was followed by the establishment of a mixed choir in 1871. In 1875, family pews were installed and women were no longer required to sit in the gallery.

Chronology
1843	Temple Ohabei Shalom is founded.
1844	Ohabei Shalom petitions Boston for space in East Boston Cemetery; petition is denied.
1844	Ohabei Shalom purchases 10,000 square feet in East Boston for cemetery.
October 4, 1844	City of Boston approves the purchase of land in East Boston.
March 22, 1845	Ohabei Shalom granted a charter of incorporation.
1846-1852	Congregants meet at private home on Albany Street.
March 26, 1852	Warren Street building dedicated.
1855	Adath Israel (Temple Israel) forms with dissenting German Jewish congregants.
1858	East Prussian Jews split from congregation, form Mishkan Israel (now Mishkin Tefila.)
1863	Synagogue moves across the street from original building on Warren.
1870	First confirmations for boys and girls held.
1871	Mixed choir established.
1875	Family pews installed; women no longer required to sit in the gallery.
1887	Synagogue moves to Union Park Street in the South End.
1921	Synagogue purchases land in Brookline.

Footnote

¹ Information for this administrative sketch is from the following resources:

"Our Building." Temple Ohabei Shalom. August 9, 2010 (http://ohabei.org/ohabei/building.php)

Sarna, Jonathan D. and Ellen Smith. The Jews of Boston. Boston: Combined Jewish Philanthropies, 1995

Materials from the collection.

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Scope and Content Note

This collection contains fliers, pamphlets and brochures concerning programs and events of the Congregation Brotherhood, an anniversary program of the Congregation Sisterhood, and the following publications: Brotherhood Bulletin, Stars and Stripes, Temple Bulletin and Temple Tidings.

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Arrangement

The collection is arranged into five series as follows:

• Series I: Brotherhood, undated, 1923-1952
• Series II: General, 1925-1984
• Series III: Programs, 1909-1991
• Series IV: Publications, 1924-1972
• Series V: Sisterhood, 1982

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The collection is open to all researchers by permission of the Director of Library and Archives of the American Jewish Historical Society, except items that are restricted due to their fragility.

Use Restrictions

Information concerning the literary rights may be obtained from the Director of Library and Archives of the American Jewish Historical Society. Users must apply in writing for permission to quote, reproduce or otherwise publish manuscript materials found in this collection. For more information contact:
American Jewish Historical Society, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY, 10011
email: reference@ajhs.org

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Related Material

Bureau of Jewish Education of Boston, I-496
Temple Israel, I-458
United Hebrew Benevolent Society, I-211, I-223
Boston Jewish Community Relations Council, I-123
Combined Jewish Philanthropies, I-220

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Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); Temple Ohabei Shalom (Brookline, Massachusetts), records; I-459; box number; folder number; American Jewish Historical Society, Boston, MA and New York, NY.

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Acquisition Information

Accession information is unknown.

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Access Points

• Subject Organizations:

  • Congregation Adath Israel (Boston, Mass.)
  • Temple Ohabei Shalom (Brookline, Mass.)

• Subject Topics:

  • Associations, institutions, etc.--United States--Political activity.
  • Jews, German--United States--History--19th century.
  • Jews, Polish--United States--Cultural assimilation.
  • Synagogues.

• Subject Places:

  • Boston (Mass.)
  • Brookline (Mass.)
  • East Boston (Boston, Mass.)

• Document Types:

  • Brochures
  • Programs
  • Synagogue bulletins
  • Tickets

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Container List

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series I: Brotherhood, undated, 1923-1952.
English.
Box 1, Folders 1-6.
Scope and Content: This series contains flyers from various events sponsored by the congregation's Brotherhood, as well as the publications Brotherhood Bulletin and Stars and Stripes. The latter was a publication of the War Service Committee.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	1	General/Miscellaneous	undated, 1927, 1944
1	2-5	Publications/Brotherhood Bulletin	1923-1952
1	6	Publications/Stars and Stripes	1942-1945

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Series II: General, 1925-1984.
English.
Box 1, Folder 7.
Scope and Content: This series contains one folder with tickets to services, a newsletter from the Boston Bureau of Jewish Education, invitations to events and meetings, handwritten membership statistics, and a program from the consecration of a Torah scroll.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	7	Miscellaneous	1925-1984

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Series III: Programs, 1909-1991.
English.
Box 1, Folder 8.
Scope and Content: This series contains one folder with programs to dedications and anniversaries. The 90th Anniversary program contains a detailed historical account of the synagogue's beginnings up to 1933.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	8	Miscellaneous Events	1909-1991

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Series IV: Publications, 1924-1972.
English.
Box 1, Folder 9 -- Box 3, Folder 1.
Scope and Content: This series contains several folders with copies of the newsletters Temple Bulletin and Temple Tidings.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	9	Temple Bulletin	1924-1935
Box	Folder	Title	Date
2	1-6	Temple Tidings	1935-1969
Box	Folder	Title	Date
3	1	Temple Tidings	1970-1972

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Series V: Sisterhood, 1982.
English.
Box 3, Folder 2.
Scope and Content: This series contains one folder with the 1982 anniversary program for the congregation's Sisterhood. This publication provides historical details about the buildings, clergy and congregation up to 1982.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
3	2	Eightieth Anniversary Program	1982

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