History

Founded in 1881, Congregation Beth Israel has a long history in Charlottesville and is the longest continually operating synagogue in the state of Virginia. Our historic building in the heart of the city is among the 30 oldest synagogue buildings in the country. Read a more detailed history of the congregation below:

  • January 13, 1870: The local merchants, Isaac Leterman and Bernard Oberdorfer, purchased property in their capacity as trustees for the Charlottesville Hebrew Benevolent Society to serve as a Jewish cemetery.

    1882: The Hebrew Benevolent Society began to holding board meetings as Beth Israel Congregation under the leadership of President Aaron Brunn.

    March 10, 1882: Land is purchased for the synagogue on the corner of Market and Church (now Second) Streets, a site now occupied by the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library.

    October 5, 1882: The cornerstone to the Gothic revival structure designed by a local architect, George W. Spooner, is laid. This was an elaborate affair with the Widow's Sons' Masonic Lodge, the local chapter of B'nai Brith, and the Third Regiment Band assisting in the pomp.

    May 30, 1883: Rabbi William Weinstein of Alabama is hired to guide the Congregation. Records are not clear about the duration of his tenure. It seems that a pattern of lay leadership soon is in place and is maintained into the 1940’s.

    June 8, 1883: The synagogue is dedicated.

    1883: The first Jewish wedding takes place in the synagogue.

  • 1902: United States Government requested that CBI sell the land where the synagogue stood to make way for a forthcoming post office building (now a library). By 1904, the synagogue was rebuilt at its current location.

    June 18, 1903: The Widow's Sons' Masonic Lodge laid the cornerstone to the current structure.

    February 9, 1904: Dedication ceremony was held for the rebuilt synagogue.

    1927: CBI joined the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (Reform), a decision resulting out of compromise between older German Jewish families and newly arrived Jews of Eastern European descent.

    1939: With the hiring of Rabbi Albert Lewis as Director of the B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation at UVA, a succession of Hillel directors served CBI in a part-time rabbinic capacity through 1976.

    January 6, 1948: During Friday night services on January 6, a furnace malfunction resulted in a fire. Harry O’Mansky and Isaac Walters rescued the Torah scrolls, but the fire destroyed the roof and damaged the contents of the building.

    January 29, 1949: CBI is rededicated.

    Summer 1979: Rabbi Sheldon Ezring became the first full-time rabbi of CBI in the 20th century.

    May 13, 1982: In celebration of the 100th anniversary of CBI, the cornerstone by Widow's Son's Masonic Lodge was re-installed.

    Summer 1982: Bernard Honan was hired as CBI’s second full time rabbi. Harry and June O’Mansky funded the building of an addition for a religious school. That one-story addition was replaced by a three-story addition in 1995.

    1988: The Hillel Rabbi/Director, Daniel Alexander, was hired as full-time Rabbi of CBI.

    1994: An exhibit was mounted at the Albemarle County Historical Society detailing the history of Jewish settlement in the Charlottesville area. An accompanying catalog was written by Carol Ely, Jeffrey Hantman, and Phyllis Leffler, entitled "To Seek the Peace of the City: Jewish Life in Charlottesville."

    May 12, 1995: The Widow’s Sons’ Masonic Lodge laid the cornerstone for a new education wing.

    1999: CBI acquired a Torah Scroll on permanent loan from the Czech Memorial Scrolls Trusts that had been confiscated by the Nazis from Frydek-Mistek along with hundreds of others from the former Jewish communities of Bohemia and Moravia. These scrolls were rescued by the Czech Memorial Scrolls Trust in 1964 and since then, many have been distributed to Jewish communities around the world in order to memorialize those lost communities.

  • Summer 2016: Thomas (Tom) Gutherz was hired as Senior Rabbi after serving as Rabbi-Educator for 11 years at CBI.

    2016 - 2020: Newly ordained, Rachel Schmelkin was hired as Rabbi Educator / Associate Rabbi.

    January 2017: After 28 years of service, Rabbi Daniel Alexander retired and became the first Rabbi Emeritus of CBI.

    May 2018: Rabbi Tom Gutherz and Rabbi Rachel Schmelkin received the Truah Action Under Fire Award, for their leadership and activism during and after the violence of the Unite The Right rally

    2020 - 2022: Rabbi Jessica Kerman served CBI as Assistant Rabbi

    2020: The CBI Forest School was founded and the program expanded to include not only preschool and Kindergarten but also grades 1-4.

    2022: Director of Education Jill Abbey-Clark received the Covenant Award for Jewish education for her leadership and innovative, novel educational approach at the CBI Forest School.

    2022 - 2023: The historic slate roof above the main sanctuary was replaced preserving the historic substance of the CBI building for future generations.

    2023: The CBI Religious School is (re)named Shorashim, meaning “roots” in Hebrew.

    2024: Rabbi Ezra Leventhal hired as Assistant Rabbi.

  • Hanah & Simon Leterman with family on their 50th anniversary. This is likely the only existing picture of the old synagogue building on Market Street, before the congregation moved to East Jefferson Street.

  • The Religious School at CBI in the mid 1920s.

  • Former member Leo Oberdorfer congratulates President Mortimer Kaufman on the rededication of the synagogue after a fire in 1948 damaged the sanctuary

  • Wedding of Joshua Robinson and Estelle Good at Hillel House in 1946.

  • This photograph shows the synagogue building in the early 20th century.

  • Architect's drawing of the addition to the building planned for 1994/95.

  • Harry & June O'Mansky being honored for their contributions to the congregation.

  • Dedication plaque in CBI's social hall, named O'Mansky Hall.

  • Stained glass window in the main sanctuary.

  • Picture of Rabbi Dan Alexander in front of the entrance to the main sanctuary, who served CBI as Senior Rabbi from 1988-2016. Under Rabbi Alexander's tenure, the CBI community grew considerably in many aspects of congregational life.

  • Rabbi Tom Gutherz speaks to the media after the Unite the Right rally in 2017.

  • Rabbi Rachel Schmelkin leading a prayer vigil for Heather Heyer and those injured and affected by the violence of the Unite The Right rally with other Charlottesville faith leaders.

  • Rabbi Tom Gutherz addresses the audience at an interfaith service marking the anniversary of the Unite The Right rally, together with his colleagues from the Charlottesville Clergy Collective.

  • President of the Union for Reform Judaism, Rick Jacobs visits the congregation after the events of August 11 & 12, 2017

  • Rabbi Jessica Kerman joined the congregation from 2020-2022 as Assistant Rabbi.

  • The original slate roof above the main sanctuary was replaced in 2022/2023.

  • Jill Abbey-Clark receives the prestigious Covenant Award for Jewish Education in 2022.