In September 1849, as thousands made their way west in pursuit of gold, eleven men met in a small home on Main Street in Honesdale, Pa. In the kerosene light, they pledged to form a Jewish congregation and to hold services for members of the Jewish faith. Eight years later, in September 1856, the first services were held in the congregation’s new building on Court Street.

One hundred and seventy-five years later, Congregation Beth Israel is the oldest continually operating synagogue in the United States still in its original building, and descendants of three of the original 11 families remain involved with the congregation. Today, the sounds of young people talking and learning fill the pews, as do the songs and prayers of the small Jewish community that has endured on the site for nearly two centuries.

Shortly after that September meeting, the community borrowed a Torah scroll from New York for its first service – held on Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) – at the home of F.G. Waller and led by Louis Millhauser. It is a tribute to these individuals of clear conscience, fine ideals, and strong character that Congregation Beth Israel stands today. Without their belief in the moral obligation to provide forthcoming generations with religious instruction so they would grow strong in their faith, the congregation might never have come into being. 

In 1850, a Torah scroll, a shofar, a M’gillah (Scroll of Esther), and a burial ground were purchased, but it was not until April 6, 1852, that the leaders instituted a constitution, began to keep written records, and elected Samuel Frankel as president and William Weiss as treasurer.

That same year, Rabbi Kutner was engaged as the congregation’s spiritual leader, also serving as cantor, teacher, and shochet (ritual slaughterer) – all for $150 a year. In 1852, his salary was increased to $200, and in 1853, at his request, the growing congregation approved a raise of $30.

At this time, the congregation’s attention turned toward assessing members to ensure working capital after which married men paid $8 for a seat, unmarried men paid $6.50, and non-members were asked to contribute $1 for the privilege of attending holiday services. Records show that one member invited a friend and his son to attend services, but failed to pay for their seats. The matter was brought to the congregation’s attention and the dollar was paid.

In April of 1862 a new hazan/shochet/mohel (cantor/ritual slaughterer/ritual circumcizor) was hired. The fees for his services were set at $5 for a wedding, $0.50 for the slaughter of a cow, $0.06 for a sheep or lamb, and $2 for a circumcision.

Families with children from five to 13 were assessed an additional $6 annually for teaching, whether or not the children attended the religious school. Mr. Lipschitz, whose children did not attend, protested. A special meeting was called and after much deliberation, the congregation decided Mr. Lipschitz could pay a reduced fee ‑ $4.87½. That was as high as it ever was. In fact, for most of the last century, Congregation Beth Israel does not charge for religious school.

By 1854, the growing congregation held regular meetings, as well as Shabbat services, and Hebrew school in regular succession, although all activities were held in members’ homes or rented halls. By the next year, discussions concerning a permanent building grew lively. In March 1856, thanks to the intervention of Mr. R.F. Lord, Chief Engineer of the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company, the company donated a building lot, 39X150 feet on Court Street, on which a synagogue was to be constructed. During the construction, money ran short, and again Mr. Lord came to the rescue with a personal donation—and a proviso. The story goes that he asked that a steeple be added to the building. This practice was not traditional for synagogues, but, as he remarked: “What is a church without a steeple?” Locally, indeed, the synagogue was often referred to as “the Jewish Church.”

In 1860, the congregation’s wives formed a Woman’s Society, which later became the Hebrew Ladies Aid and, still active,  today is known as the Sisterhood of Congregation Beth Israel. Through their generosity, the women presented the first melodeon or reed organ to the congregation in 1882. Later, it was replaced by a small organ, and music has remained an important part of the congregation’s life.

The outbreak of the Civil War came in the early years of the congregation, but its meetings’ minutes do not reflect events in the world-at-large. In June 1865, however, the minutes show a request from the Lincoln Memorial Society to the congregation, and a contribution was duly sent. Although there is no explicit listing of members who served in the military at the time, members were known to have fought in the war, including one at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Members of the congregation have always served in the armed forces, defending and protecting the United States, and were among Honesdale’s finest who gave the ultimate sacrifice during the two World Wars. More recently, a member of the congregation was among the first responders killed in the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City.

Rabbi Kutner departed in 1857 to assume a more desirable position elsewhere. A succession of rabbis, both full- and part-time, followed. In 1883, the Beth Israel was the 83rd congregation to join the newly formed Union of American Hebrew Congregations (now the Union for Reform Judaism), the umbrella organization of Reform Jewish congregations in North America.

For the next six decades, through triumph and tragedy, the synagogue on Court Street continued to serve as a refuge and anchor for the area’s Jewish community. Then came the night of May 23, 1942, when a devastating flood descended on Honesdale, seriously damaging the congregation’s building. Many of today’s residents have vivid memories of the destruction that swept away most of the town’s riverbank structures. Standing among the ruins, slightly askew on its foundation, a large hole in its side, the historic stained glass windows washed out, and the inside completely destroyed was, of course, the indestructible Congregation Beth Israel.

The building was repaired and, in the intervening decades, Beth Israel’s membership increased and declined as families came and went. Recently the congregation replaced the historic stained-glass windows with beautiful, handcrafted stained-glass windows.

In its early years, Congregation Beth Israel was served by a variety of itinerant rabbis. For most of the 20th Century, until the 1970’s, lay leaders in the congregation led services and provided religious instruction. Rabbi Lewis Bogage served the congregation for several years in the 1970’s. From 1975 thru 2015, Rabbi Allan Smith, z”l served at the part-time rabbi of the congregation. Rabbi Elliott Kleinman and his wife, Rabbi Eve Rudin succeeded Rabbi Smith in 2014 and continue to serve the congregation today.

Congregation Beth Israel continues to flourish. For 175 years, it has been the members’ deep devotion to their Jewish community and the beloved building on Court Street that has been the staying power behind Congregation Beth Israel.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once observed, “An institution is the lengthened shadow of one man.” Indeed, today’s Congregation Beth Israel is the exceptionally long shadow of the 11 families who gathered 175 years ago to express their enduring commitment to America and the Jewish future.