B'Nai Israel Synagogue - Cape Girardeau, MO
Posted by: paulspaper
N 37° 18.076 W 089° 31.144
16S E 276731 N 4131269
Constructed in 1937, the B’nai Israel Synagogue of Cape Girardeau,Missouri, is a stuccoed brick, one-story, Spanish Colonial Revival style building with Islamic influences.
Waymark Code: WM5JX9
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 01/15/2009
Views: 11
From the December 2004 issue of "Heritage Matters" from the National Park Service: Prior to construction of the B’nai Israel Synagogue, the congregation met in various locations, such as the Elks Lodge, the Presbyterian Church, and the Community Building in Fairground Park. After fire destroyed the CommunityBuilding in 1937, the small congregation built the B’nai Israel Synagogue, which has been used as a gathering place for Jewish reli-gious and social life.
The Jewish community in south-eastern Missouri dates back to the 1830s, with services held as early as 1836 in nearby St. Louis. Retailer Louis Hecht, along with fellowbusinessmen Jake Pollack and David Minnen, helped organize a chapter of the B’nai B’rith lodge in Cape Giradeau in 1921. Hecht, Pollack, and Minnen bought property on Main Street next to the St.Vincent De Paul Catholic Church. The congregation commissioned T. P. Barnett to design the syna-gogue. The synagogue harkens to Cape Girardeau’s Spanish heritage while reflecting traditional synagogue.
Status: Ruin, not in use
Denomination/Group: Other
Address: 126 S. Main Cape Girardeau, MO USA 63701
Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]
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