ANSHE EMETH (PARK SYNAGOGUE) - The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History

ANSHE EMETH (PARK SYNAGOGUE), the first "Jewish Center" west of the Alleghenies and, by the 1940s, the largest Conservative congregation in the U.S., was founded by Jewish POLES in 1857. The congregation met for services in rented halls until 1880, when it purchased the Erie St. Methodist Church on E. 9th St. near Woodland Ave. For 40 years the congregation could not afford a full-time rabbi. In 1902 Anshe Emeth merged with a smaller congregation, probably Baruch Ohel Chesed. It erected a brick synagogue in 1904 at E. 37th and Scovill and hired Rabbi SAMUEL MARGOLIES† (1904-16). Anshe Emeth became the largest Orthodox congregation in the city, with 300 members by 1916. That year it merged with Congregation Beth Tefilah, which had been organized in 1912 in GLENVILLE, and purchased a building at 105th and Hampton prior to the merger.

In 1919 Samuel Benjamin became rabbi of Anshe Emeth and led the drive to build the Cleveland Jewish Center. The congregation moved into the new building at 1117 E. 105 St. in 1921 but did not dedicate it until construction was completed in Oct. 1922. In June 1922 SOLOMON GOLDMAN† became the rabbi and led Anshe Emeth, now called the Cleveland Jewish Center, into the Conservative movement. During his 6-year tenure, it became the center of Jewish life in Glenville. Its building contained basketball and handball courts, a swimming pool, and a large auditorium. The congregation sponsored lectures, social functions, and entertainment, provided space for clubs, housed a branch of the CLEVELAND HEBREW SCHOOLS, and offered Americanization classes. By 1940, its membership reached 920 families, making it the largest congregation affiliated with the United Synagogue of America, the Conservative congregational union. The congregation hired Cleveland-born Armond E. Cohen, who celebrated his 60th year as rabbi of the congregation in 1994. In 1947 the congregation sold the Jewish Center building and began worshiping at the PARK SCHOOL between Euclid Hts. Blvd. and Mayfield Rd. in CLEVELAND HEIGHTS Construction soon began at this site (3300 Mayfield Rd.) on a synagogue designed by Eric Mendelsohn. It was dedicated in Dec. 1950. In 1969 Park dedicated Kangesser Hall, a 2,000 seat auditorium for religious services, concerts, and lectures. In 1986 Park acquired the Brith Emeth Temple building complex in PEPPER PIKE, facilitating the expansion of religious and social services to Park members living in suburban communities east of Cleveland Hts. In 1995 membership stood at 1,700 families.

The Park Synagogue: A Historical View, 1869-1994 (1994).

Anshe Emeth Records, WRHS.

See also PARK SYNAGOGUE; JEWS & JUDAISM; RELIGION.

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• IMMIGRATION AND ETHNICITY
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