Ohr Shalom Synagogue - San Diego
Posted by: 
Metro2
N 32° 43.888 W 117° 09.735
11S E 484797 N 3621529
This synagogue is located at 2512 Third Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103-6511
Waymark Code: WMAYMC
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 03/12/2011
Views: 2
This Synaggoue was used by Congregation Beth Israel from 1926 (when it was built) until 2001. In 2002, it became the Ohr Shalom Synagogue- which is part of the Conservative Judaism branch.
The Synagogue's website (
visit link) indicates the following about the building:
"Built by: M. Trepte & Son, 1925-1926. Trepte is the oldest continuously operating construction company in San Diego, a master builder. The contract to build Temple Beth Israel was one of two contracts that made Trepte a major regional construction company.
Designed by: William H. Wheeler, noted San Diego master architect (1873-1956). This is the only synagogue building designed by Wheeler. Other Wheeler buildings include:
The Balboa Theatre, 1924, Horton Plaza
Klauber Wangenheim Building, 1929, 7th Ave. & Island
San Diego Athletic Club, 1928, 6th Ave. & A St.
Immaculate Conception Church, Old Town
Benbough-Gonzalez Estate, 1925, 2174 Guy St. Mission Hills
In Mexico: Palacia Gubernador, 1929, Mexicali
Architectural Style: Mediterranean Revival, Byzantine style. This style of synagogue architecture was popular around the US at this time. It was used for Temple Isaiah in Chicago in 1924 by architect Alfred Alschuler. The style was influenced by the discovery of an ancient synagogue in Tiberias in Palestine which reminded Alschuler of motifs used in Byzantine architecture. He thought that Byzantine architecture may have incorporated ancient Jewish themes.
Some of the characteristics of this style used in the Ohr Shalom building are:
Octagonal sanctuary
Domed ceiling
Wide central seating plan
Middle Eastern decorative motifs "