Congregation Knesseth Israel (Ellington, Connecticut)

Congregation Knesseth Israel, also known as the Ellington Shul, is a Modern Orthodox synagogue located at 236 Pinney Street in Ellington, Connecticut. The congregation was founded in 1906 by a group of Yiddish-speaking Jewish farmers from Russia and Eastern Europe.[2] Its building, dating to 1913, is a rare example of an early 20th-century rural synagogue in the state, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.[1]

Congregation Knesseth Israel ק"ק כנסת ישראל
The synagogue building of Congregation Knesseth Israel
Religion
Affiliation	Orthodox Judaism
Rite	Ashkenazi
Leadership	Elias Friedman OBM, President Irving Bork, Vice-president Irene Langley, Secretary Louise Cohen, Treasurer
Year consecrated	1906
Status	Active
Location
Location	Ellington, CT, USA
Shown within Connecticut Show map of Connecticut Congregation Knesseth Israel (Ellington, Connecticut) (the United States) Show map of the United States
Geographic coordinates	41°53′50.5″N 72°28′46.5″W
Architecture
Architect(s)	Leon Dobkin
Type	Synagogue
Style	Colonial Revival
Completed	1913
Construction cost	$1,500
Specifications
Direction of façade	East
Length	30 feet (9.1 m)
Width	40 feet (12 m)
Materials	wood
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Added to NRHP	July 21, 1995
NRHP Reference no.	95000862[1]
Website
http://www.ellingtonshul.org

Architecture and history

Knesseth Israel is located in what is now a rural-residential setting south of Ellington center, on the west side of Pinney Road (Connecticut Route 286) a short way north of its junction with Middle Road. It is a modest single-story wood frame structure, with a hip roof and clapboarded exterior. Its main facade is three bays wide, with a center entrance sheltered by a gabled portico. The portico is supported by square posts, and has a Star of David in the gable. The flanking windows consist of a lower pair of sashes, and an upper transom with paired round arches applied. The interior of the building consists of one large chamber, with a bema that appears slightly oversized due to the building's small size. Because it is a single-story building, the segregated worship area for women (normally located in a second-floor gallery) is on the south side of the main space, separated by a low divider.[3]

The synagogue was built in 1913, and was originally located at the corner of Middle Rd. and Abbott Rd. in Ellington.[2] It was built in the Colonial Revival Style partly with funds from the philanthropist Baron Maurice de Hirsch's Jewish Colonization Association.[4] In the 1954 the building was moved to its present location at 236 Pinney St.[3] The building was designed by Leon Dobkin.[1][3]

In addition to the synagogue, the congregation maintains an Orthodox Jewish cemetery within the larger Ellington Cemetery.[5][6]

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Tolland County, Connecticut

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
2. "Congregation Knesseth Israel - Ellington CT. Eastern Connecticut's Orthodox Synagogue". Archived from the original on 2006-12-08. Retrieved 2006-11-19.
3. David F. Ransom (June 6, 1994). "NRHP Registration: Knesseth Israel Synagogue". National Park Service. and Accompanying two photos, exterior and interior
4. Buildings Report
5. "Congregation Knesseth Israel - Ellington CT. Eastern Connecticut's Orthodox Synagogue". Archived from the original on 2006-10-05. Retrieved 2006-11-19.
6. "International Jewish Cemetery Project - Connecticut". Archived from the original on 2007-02-09. Retrieved 2006-11-19.

External links

• Congregation Knesseth Israel's Website