The American Synagogue: A Historical Dictionary and Sourcebook

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

The institution of the American synagogue has played a significant role in the history of American Judaism, which remains an incomplete history if it is limited to the lives of individuals and events. This work helps complete the history as it is the first reference book to document the historical development of many individual synagogues in the United States and Canada. It includes over 350 entries of synagogues from among the four main movements, each of which have made an impact on the Jewish community, either locally or beyond. It is an essential tool for researchers, scholars, and students, as well as anyone interested in the historical aspects of American Judaism. An essay on the historical development of the American Synagogue by Frances Weinman Schwartz, introduces the volume. Entries are arranged alphabetically by city within each state. Synagogue descriptions include the date of the congregation's founding, the reason for its founding and its congregational mission, the history of buildings and neighborhood, its local or national historical impact, its significance in the movement to which it belongs, major episodes in the congregation's history, as well as details about the service of its rabbis. A brief bibliography follows each entry, and a general bibliography and index complete the volume.

Reviews

Olitzky...has compiled a dictionary describing over 350 synagogues in the United States and Canada. Entries are arranged alphabetically by state and city and include a brief history of the congregation, founding date, religious orientation (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, or Reconstructionist), mission statement, local or national impact, building history, and data on important rabbis...the dicitonary is a step in the right direction because there is a paucity of material in this area.-Library Journal
Olitzky's synagogue sourcebook covers the four major movements of Judaism: Orthodox, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Reform. The introduction by Frances Weinman Schwartz presents a history beginning with early settlements of 1654 in New Amsterdam....Recommended for academic libraries.-Choice
"Olitzky's synagogue sourcebook covers the four major movements of Judaism: Orthodox, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Reform. The introduction by Frances Weinman Schwartz presents a history beginning with early settlements of 1654 in New Amsterdam....Recommended for academic libraries."-Choice
"Olitzky...has compiled a dictionary describing over 350 synagogues in the United States and Canada. Entries are arranged alphabetically by state and city and include a brief history of the congregation, founding date, religious orientation (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, or Reconstructionist), mission statement, local or national impact, building history, and data on important rabbis...the dicitonary is a step in the right direction because there is a paucity of material in this area."-Library Journal

Author Bio

KERRY M. OLITZKY is Director of the School of Education at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, New York, where he also directs the Graduate Studies program. He is the author of numerous books and journal articles and has written extensively in the field of American Jewish History, particularly on the history of Reform Judaism. With Lance J. Sussman and Malcolm H. Stern, he published Reform Judaism in America: A Biographical Dictionary and Sourcebook (Greenwood Press, 1993). Dr. Olitzky is annual special issue editor of aging and judaism for the Journal of Psychology and Judaism and chairs the editorial board of Compass, a magazine for teachers.