Adath Israel Congregation
The Jewish Encyclopedia
of Western Pennsylvania
A project of the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center
Adath Israel Congregation (The Ward Street Shul) was located in a section of the South Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh between Bates Street and Schenley Park.
According to a 1939 survey by the Works Progress Administration, Adath Israel was founded in 1921 and held services in unidentified private homes until 1923 and in the home of Bella Fenstersheib in 1923 and 1924. The congregation launched a synagogue drive in 1923 and raised funds to purchase a house at 3257 Ward St. The following year, the congregation obtained a charter and dedicated the house as a synagogue. In its early years, Adath Israel often rented the Carnegie Lecture Hall for High Holiday services.
Adath Israel purchased land at 433 Irwin Ln. in Reserve Township from Kether Torah Congregation in 1950 for the establishment of the Adath Israel Cemetery.
Although no firm statistics are available, congregational records suggest that Adath Israel reached its peak membership in the 1940s with approximately 40-50 families. The membership of the congregation gradually declined over the next half-century, as Jewish families migrated out of the Oakland area. Adath Israel disbanded in 1993.
Upon closing, Adath Israel Congregation donated its synagogue to the United Jewish Federation to underwrite an endowment. The congregation donated its memorial boards, at least one of its three Torah scrolls, and its cemetery to Congregation Poale Zedeck in Squirrel Hill, and sent its remaining Torah scrolls to Yeshiva Or David in Jerusalem.
The Adath Israel Sisterhood was founded in 1924, as the congregation was preparing to move into its synagogue. The Sisterhood was a leading funder of the congregation.
Adath Israel Congregation ran a religious school for children during its early years, but the school gradually disbanded as families relocated and the membership declined.
Adath Israel Congregation was primarily led by members throughout the year and often hired a cantor for High Holiday services. Spiritual leaders include Rabbi Judah Moses.
Families known to be associated with Adath Israel include Adelman, Alpern, Auerhan, Barmen, Berkover, Berman, Beruh, Bluestone, Brody, Brusker, Canter, Caplan, Cassler, David, Davis, Dine, Dubinsky, Dukes, Elyanoff, Feldman, Freedlander, Friedman, Gedunsky, Gelb, German, Gindler, Goldberg, Goldenson, Goodman, Greenfield, Grob, Haber, Hadburg, Herr, Hiller, Hirsh, Hochberg, Israel, Karsh, Kartub, Katz, Kaufman, Kernerman, Kessler, Kopelov, Labovitz, Langer, Lazier, Lebowitz, Leff, Lehman, Leventon, Lewis, Linder, Loev, Meritser, Meyers, Miller, Moskowitz, Moss, Nathenson, Pattak, Paul, Penner, Pikovsky, Polien, Price, Rabinovitz, Rabinowitz, Rice, Rofey, Rosenblum, Rosenson, Rubin, Ryan, Schilit, Schorr, Sherry, Shorr, Silverman, Simon, Singer, Snitzer, Sokolsky, Solomon, Stein, Stern, Stevenson, Sussman, Swartz, Tenenbaum, Tisherman, Touber, Trachtenberg, Tulip, Valinsky, Vixman, Vogel, Weinberg, Weiss, Werner, Wilder, Wise, Yolkut, Zeligsohn, and Zelkowitz.
