Tifereth Israel Congregation

A Brief History With Some Context of Washington, DC Jewish Institutional History

TI Today

TI's diverse and "spiritually inclusive community" offers members a wide range of educational courses, community events, opportunities to make friends, and occasions to study and to learn together. Come and drop in on a Friday or Saturday. One can find many service choices at TI - they include a monthly Carlebach-Style Friday night service with singing and a wonderful Shabbat meal; a more traditional Shabbat morning service in the main sanctuary; Junior Congregation; a monthly Havurah-Style Service; and a monthly Family Service. TI welcomes you and your family with Ruach (spirit). Check the TI Web calendar for upcoming events.

Early Days

Tifereth Israel Congregation began about 1914 in the area around 14th and U Streets, NW. At that time, the area was "uptown" relative to other synagogues in the area near 7th and H Streets, NW. Initially, congregants met in the home of Louis Mensh and in rented space. On June 19, 1917, the Congregation was incorporated in the District of Columbia as Chevrah Tifereth Israel. Among the initial officers were Sam Goodman and Samuel Rod. Today, their respective sons Benjamin Goodman and Joseph Rod are members of the Congregation.

The 1920's and 1930's

In the early 1920's the Congregation acquired a large house at the northwest corner of 14th and Euclid Streets, NW, and converted that house into a synagogue. In about 1923, Rabbi Gedalia Silverstone was hired to lead the Congregation. The building had a sanctuary and very little space for other functions. Religious school class was held in the attic. There was no social hall and no office space. (That building no longer exists. The lot now contains a gas station.)

Rabbi Gedalia Silverstone left for Palestine in 1936 and was succeeded by his son Rabbi Harry Silverstone. It was clear by the late 1930's that the building had inadequate space for the activities of the Congregation. Board meetings were held in the sanctuary, as there was no other available space. These meetings, tumultuous at times, were not in keeping with the sanctity of the sanctuary. The need for a larger sanctuary plus other facilities was pressing. Rabbi Harry Silverstone and others spurred an effort in the late 1930's to fund and obtain a suitable building.

Finding a New Home

World War II intervened, and attention was focused on helping the Jews in Europe. Afterward, the Congregation again aimed its efforts at finding a more suitable home. One early attempt around 1950 was the consortium of Tifereth Israel, Agudas Achim, and Ohev Sholom, all Orthodox congregations at that time. Nicknamed "TAOS," rhyming with chaos, this consortium attempted unsuccessfully to find a basis to merge and build a suitable home for the resulting congregation. Agudas Achim finally built alone at 14th and Tuckerman Streets, NW, and the consortium was gone.

A New Building and Becoming Conservative

Tifereth Israel acquired the property at 16th and Juniper Streets, NW and broke ground in 1956 for a new building. A key fundraiser for this effort was auto dealer Joseph Cherner who died suddenly in 1956. The building was completed and funded through the efforts of Sidney Brown and many others. On September 15, 1957 the new building was formally opened and dedicated. The Wolman Sanctuary has about 600 seats on the main floor and about 128 seats in the balcony. The balcony was installed for reasons of space, not as separate seating for women in the then Orthodox congregation which allowed mixed seating. Later in 1957, Rabbi Harry Silverstone retired and was replaced by Rabbi Shmaryahu Swersky.

Ohev Sholom was still looking for a permanent building, as it merged with Talmud Torah Congregation. A merger with Tifereth Israel was proposed to bring more people into the large new building. This merger foundered on the issue of who would be the surviving Rabbi. Even with the intervention of the Jewish Community Council of Greater Washington, an agreement could not be obtained. Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah then built its own building across the street at 16th and Jonquil Streets, NW, which opened in 1960.

In about 1955, a congregant of an Orthodox synagogue in Michigan sued his congregation in civil court for allowing mixed seating. The Orthodox Union provided expert witnesses to support his claim, and he won his suit. That congregation went back to separate seating, but the plaintiff was not appreciated in his community! As a result of such events, the Orthodox Union sent emissaries to its member congregations where mixed seating was practiced. At Tifereth Israel, they explained that an Orthodox congregation in the Nation's Capital must be a model for all concerned, and to practice separate seating. The Congregation instead decided to retain mixed seating by leaving the Orthodox Union, and in 1960 joining United Synagogue, the organization of Conservative synagogues. This organizational change did not affect the traditional character of the worship service.

Rabbi Abramowitz

Rabbi A. Nathan Abramowitz was engaged in 1960 as the first Conservative Rabbi of the Congregation. During the 1960's it became clear that much of the Jewish community had moved to the suburbs, leaving behind the city of Washington and its Jewish institutions. By the late 1960's, Tifereth Israel had a "satellite" Hebrew School meeting at Pyle Junior High School in Bethesda, MD. In the Congregation's election of officers in May 1969 the nominated slate of candidates favored moving to the suburbs. An opposing slate was formed and won that election on the plank of maintaining a viable presence in Washington.

Meanwhile in 1969 the Jewish Community Center sold its building at 16th and Q Streets, NW to move to a new "Jewish Campus" on Montrose Road in Rockville, MD. The Jewish Social Service Agency and the Hebrew Home left their Spring Road facilities to also move to the "Jewish Campus". Other congregations established suburban school facilities, and eventually some congregations moved themselves from the city to even farther out in the suburbs.

Viet Nam and Social Action

For Tifereth Israel, the 1970's was a period of pulling together those of long affiliation who remained with an in-town congregation, and younger families joining close to where they lived. The Viet Nam War was a frequent sermon issue as Rabbi Abramowitz applied his interpretation of the portion of the week to showing the moral and ethical disaster of that continued war. These Jewish moral and ethical concerns were also reflected in the organization of a Social Action Committee, which addressed community needs close to home. By helping Jews and others in need within our own community, volunteer congregants put their principles into action. These efforts continue today in a variety of ways.

TI becomes Egaliarian in the 70's

This was also the period in which the participation of women in worship services was addressed and resolved. By the mid-1970's the congregation was egalitarian in participation in all services without regard to gender. the first conservative synagogue in Washington D.C. to do so. TI member Barbara White has written "Women on the Bima" (Word), a history of how TI became egalitarian. This egalitarian participation was within the framework of the traditional service elements. For some years, there had been a paid Torah reader, and a paid High Holy Day Cantor, but these paid personnel were replaced by volunteer congregants by the end of the decade. Participation by everyone was more important at Tifereth Israel because of the decision not to rely on paid readers and chanters. Services were lead and Torah was read by a variety of volunteers. It was of considerable help that Rabbi Abramowitz, and later Rabbi Seidel are both very musical and can chant portions of the service.

In addition to regular Shabbat worship services, the Congregation started an occasional "alternative" service providing differing approaches to Shabbat worship. Many different leaders and approaches later, Tifereth Israel is still having alternative services about once a month with the active commitment of many congregants.

The 1980's - many Bar and Bat Mitzvahs

During the 1980's the Congregation and its building both aged. The Sanctuary and Auditorium were redecorated, and the air conditioning compressor was replaced. We talked about repairing the front steps, and started to put funding aside for eventual major needs such as roof replacement. As the young children of newer members matured, almost every available Shabbat morning in some years had a Bar or Bat Mitzvah. In 1984, for example, some Bar and Bat Mitzvahs were celebrated on holidays other than Shabbat in order to have enough opportunities for each person to have an unshared simcha. During some of those years, the total number of religious school students exceeded the capacity of the building, and different classes were held on different days in order to fit.

Rabbi Seidel

By the 1990's the congregants had aged further, and we had fewer young children in school. The Congregation addressed the need to attract new, younger families and continue the life cycle. Rabbi Ethan Seidel was engaged as Rabbi of the Congregation, overlapping for four years with Rabbi Abramowitz who then retired to "emeritus" status. The Congregation has attracted younger families who have become involved in a variety of activities, especially including regular Shabbat and holiday service attendance.

Building Renovation

To provide wide-ranging accessibility of the building and its programs, the Congregation added in the 1990's: a ramp into the building, specially equipped restrooms, devices to transport people up and down the stairs within the building, hearing-assist devices for services, and a religious school class for deaf children. In addition, the Congregation pursued other specialized facilities. Meanwhile, the front steps were replaced, the heating/cooling system was updated, the roof was replaced, the exterior facade was repaired, and the Congregation committed to substantial repairs, renovations, and improvements to keep our building going well beyond the forty-plus years that we have so far enjoyed its facilities. The Congregation mobilized to define building facility needs and to go about making it happen!

In 1999, the Congregation extensively renovated its Wolman Sanctuary and Cherner Auditorium. Through the continuing efforts of the ATID ("atid" is Hebrew for "future") Committee of the Congregation, the rest of the building was renovated during 2000, including the installation of an elevator to provide access throughout the building, and the creation of all new offices and a new lobby. Also, extensive air conditioning improvements were done. All of this supports the ongoing operations of a vibrant congregation.

Influx of Young Families & a Kitchen Renovation

During the 2000's TI has continued to grow with the influx of a whole cadre of younger Jewish families and many, many children - especially in the under kindergarten age group. TI started offering Tot Shabbat services once again. L'dor v'dor.

In 2007 we began a two year phased renovation of the kitchen and of the backstage area - to accomodate a modern kitchen facility as well as newly created dish wash, and dish storage areas. In addition we have created a newly deigned Teen lounge for the "tween" and teen groups.

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