| | Abstract: | B'nai Jeshurun Congregation, one of the largest Conservative synagogues in the United States, was established in 1866 by Jewish Hungarian immigrants as an Orthodox synagogue in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1884, a vacated synagogue building on Eagle Street in Cleveland housed the congregation. Buildings on Scoville Avenue and East 55th Street were home to the congregation from 1906-1926, when the congregation moved to Mayfield and Lee Roads, Cleveland Heights, Ohio. In 1980 B'nai Jeshurun moved to Fairmount Boulevard, Pepper Pike, Ohio. A gradual shift from the Orthodox to Conservative movement began under the first rabbi, Sigmond Dreschler. Over the years, portions of the congregation broke away over the issue of liberalization of religious practices and formed new congregations, including Oheb Zedek in 1904 and Beth Am in 1933. Rabbi Rudolph M. Rosenthal served the then firmly Conservative congregation from 1933-1976. The collection consists of individual portraits of rabbis, presidents of the synagogue, and cantors. Presidents include Herman Sampliner, Jacob Klein, Samuel Klein, Moses Lichtig, David Beck, N. L. Holstein, Julius Steuer, and Abraham Heimlich. Rabbis include Samuel Schwartz, Jacob Klein, Solomon Goldman, Rudolph M. Rosenthal, and Stanley Schachter. Group portraits of confirmation classes, graduation, and high school classes are part of the collection, as are group portraits and views of social events, worship, youth events, holiday celebrations, and the Sisterhood. | |
