12-20 Townsend Street
The Jewish Encyclopedia
of Western Pennsylvania
A project of the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center
Shaare Zedeck Congregation was an Orthodox congregation founded by Polish immigrants to Pittsburgh in the late 1890s. It received a charter in January 1900 with Isaac Studinski, Marks Pickler, E. Kleinman, Sam Rosen, Gdale Kamler, Lazarus Cosky, and Oyzer Cohen listed as charter members.[1]Shaare Zedeck charter, Allegheny County Charter Books, Vol. 26, p.234-235 (online). The congregation initially met in rented quarters at 7 Scott St. in the Hill District and dedicated a new synagogue at 14 Townsend St. in 1907.[2]Congregation Shaare Zedeck Hadlukah Banquet program, 1935 [BM225 P692 S524 C749] (online). [3]“Shaare Zedeck Anshe Poland,” WPA Church Archives, 1937-1940. [4]“To Dedicate Synagogue,” Pittsburgh Press, Aug. 19, 1907 (online—Newspapers.com). [5]“Two Synagogues, Newly Built, Thrown Open,” Pittsburgh Post, Sept. 2, 1907 (online—Newspapers.com). [6]“Pittsburgh Jews Dedicate Two Handsome Temples,” Pittsburgh Gazette, Sept. 2, 1907 (online—Newspapers.com).
Shaare Zedeck remained in the Hill District until the mid-1940s, when it followed the Jewish population to the eastern neighborhoods of the city. The congregation relocated to 5751 Bartlett St. in Squirrel Hill after 1946.[7]“Congregation To Be Moved,” Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, Sept. 14, 1946 (online—Newspapers.com). It merged with Young Israel Congregation in the 1970s, and the merged congregation is currently located at 5831 Bartlett St.
Although it never had a full-time rabbi, Shaare Zedeck had several part-time spiritual leaders, including Rabbi Aaron Mordechai Ashinsky and Rabbi Abraham Zilberberg.
Families associated with Shaare Zedeck before 1935 include Berlin, Blitz, Braverman, Breckman, Caplan, Cherry, Cohen, Crystal, Danzinger, Davis, Domb, Dorman, Flasterstein, Folgan, Fried, Friedman, Friend, Fromm, Garfinkel, Golding, Goldman, Goldstein, Gordon, Greenspan, Hecht, Hofman, Kamler, Kaufman, Kirshenbaum, Kitay, Klein, Kolor, Kronzack, Kwalwasser, Laska, Levy, Lichtstein, Marion, Markovitz, Mayers, Melman, Osofsky, Pepir, Pittler, Ponitzman, Reiter, Riba, Rothstein, Salaman, Schilett, Schreider, Schrinsky, Schwartz, Schwartzstein, Schwebel, Shall, Shrut, Siegal, Silk, Singer, Slackman, Schapiro, Shapiro, Steinberg, Tamres, Titelbaum, Tuch, Volkovitz, Weintrob, Weisman, Wnuck (Wnuk), Wychansky, Zeidensnider, and Zwang.[8]Congregation Shaare Zedeck Hadlukah Banquet program, 1935 [BM225 P692 S524 C749] (online).
In addition to housing the congregation, the Shaare Zedeck synagogue was home to three organizations associated with the local Polish Jewish population: the Erste Warshover Unterstitzungs Verein, the Varshover Ladies Auxiliary Society, and the local chapter of the Federation of Polish Jews in America.[9]Congregation Shaare Zedeck Hadlukah Banquet program, 1935 [BM225 P692 S524 C749] (online). In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Shaare Zedeck synagogue at 5751 Bartlett St. was home to the Talmudical College of Pittsburgh.[10]“Papernick To Be Cited,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Feb. 7, 1970 (online—Newspapers.com).
Shaare Zedeck acquired cemetery property on Stewart Avenue in Carrick from Congregation Ahave Sholem in 1918.[11]Allegheny County Deed Book 1909, p. 525-527 (online). A renovation effort in 1925 included a new ohel (chapel) and a widening of the road leading into the cemetery to accommodate hearses.[12]Congregation Shaare Zedeck Hadlukah Banquet program, 1935 [BM225 P692 S524 C749] (online). The cemetery is currently managed by the Jewish Cemetery & Burial Association.[13]Jewish Cemetery & Burial Association (website).
References
| ↑1 | Shaare Zedeck charter, Allegheny County Charter Books, Vol. 26, p.234-235 (online). |
|---|---|
| ↑2, ↑8, ↑9, ↑12 | Congregation Shaare Zedeck Hadlukah Banquet program, 1935 [BM225 P692 S524 C749] (online). |
| ↑3 | “Shaare Zedeck Anshe Poland,” WPA Church Archives, 1937-1940. |
| ↑4 | “To Dedicate Synagogue,” Pittsburgh Press, Aug. 19, 1907 (online—Newspapers.com). |
| ↑5 | “Two Synagogues, Newly Built, Thrown Open,” Pittsburgh Post, Sept. 2, 1907 (online—Newspapers.com). |
| ↑6 | “Pittsburgh Jews Dedicate Two Handsome Temples,” Pittsburgh Gazette, Sept. 2, 1907 (online—Newspapers.com). |
| ↑7 | “Congregation To Be Moved,” Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, Sept. 14, 1946 (online—Newspapers.com). |
| ↑10 | “Papernick To Be Cited,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Feb. 7, 1970 (online—Newspapers.com). |
| ↑11 | Allegheny County Deed Book 1909, p. 525-527 (online). |
| ↑13 | Jewish Cemetery & Burial Association (website). |
