Allegheny County
Congregation Beth Mogen David began in the Hill District of Pittsburgh and later moved to the East End of the city. It obtained a charter in 1934 as Congregation Kehilleth Isaac and initially met at 11 Miller St., in the home of member George Stern. Stern had previously been a founder of Congregation Ezras Tzadickem. Kehilleth Isaac formally changed its name in 1936 to Beth Mogen David and rededicated a former synagogue at 21 Miller St. that had originally been used by Moogen David Congregation.
Beth Mogen David partnered with Shaare Zedeck Congregation in 1937 to bring Rabbi Abraham B. Zilberberg to Pittsburgh to lead both congregations. In the 1940s, Zilberberg oversaw the relocation of Beth Mogen David to 825 Highview St. in the East End. The synagogue was damaged in a fire in January 1954 but was rehabilitated and continued to used for several years. The congregation informally closed sometime after Rabbi Zilberberg’s death in 1962.
Bibliography
- Feldman, Jacob. “The Jewish Experience in Western Pennsylvania,” Pittsburgh: Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, 1986 (catalog record).
- “Rabbinical College Dean To Arrival Here Tonight,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 11, 1937 (online—Newspapers.com).
- “4-Alarm Fire Sweeps East Liberty Synagogue,” Pittsburgh Press, January 08, 1954 (online—Newspapwers.com).
Exhibit History
- Author: Eric Lidji
- Created: December 3, 2023
- Current: December 3, 2023