Temple Israel of Swampscott and Marblehead (Mass.) Records

Temple Israel of Swampscott and Marblehead started as a gathering of men at the home of Eli Cohen on July 15, 1946. The group, among them Harry Weinstein, Cecil Weinstein, and Adrian Comins, was dissatisfied with their current synagogue, Temple Beth El in Lynn, and discussed the need for a house of worship and school for the Jewish community of Swampscott and Marblehead. A temporary executive committee under the leadership of Weinstein was established to survey the community and investigate the establishment of a synagogue in the area. Members of this committee also met with sixty wives of charter members who would form the Sisterhood and lead the fundraising, social, and cultural activities for the synagogue.

High Holiday services were held at Odd Fellows Hall in Swampscott that same year, and in December, the Old Ingalls Estate at 837 Humphrey Street in Swampscott was purchased to become their first meeting hall. Ground was broken on a new meeting hall in 1947, and services were held in the basement while the building was still unfinished. Also in 1947, Weinstein became the first president of the new congregation, and Rabbi Abraham Karp became the first full-time rabbi at Temple Israel in 1949.

Land for a cemetery in Peabody was purchased from Temple Beth El in 1948, and the synagogue joined the United Synagogues of America the following year. The first class graduated from the Hebrew School in 1950. Membership continued to grow into the 1950s as a wave of Jewish families migrated to the North Shore from Boston, and in 1955, a new temple building was designed by Modernist architect Pietro Belluschi to meet the increased demand. The new building was dedicated in 1956.

In the early twenty-first century, populations shifts and declining membership led Temple Israel and Temple Beth El (formerly of Lynn, but moved to Swampscott in 1968) to begin talks to merge their congregations. The charter for the new synagogue, Congregation Shirat Hayam, was signed in 2005, and in 2006, Temple Israel’s building and a portion of its property were sold to the Town of Swampscott.

1946

Temple Israel of Swampscott and Marblehead is established.

1946

The first meeting hall at the Old Ingalls Estate is purchased.

1947

Ground is broken on a new building at 837 Humphrey Street in Swampscott.

1948

Land for a cemetery is purchased.

1949

Rabbi Abraham Karp becomes the first full-time rabbi at Temple Israel.

1949

Temple Israel joins the United Synagogues of America.

1950

The first class graduates from Hebrew School.

1953-1955

Cantor Harry Lubow serves as rabbi.

1955

A new temple building is designed by Pietro Belluschi and the groundbreaking ceremony is held.

1955-1957

Rabbi Meyer Finkelstein serves as rabbi.

1956

The new building is dedicated.

1957-1977

Rabbi Peretz Halpern serves as rabbi.

1977-1996

Rabbi Sanford Shanblatt serves as rabbi.

2005

Temple Israel and Temple Beth El merge to create Congregation Shirat Hayam.

2006

The synagogue building and a portion of land are sold to the Town of Swampscott.