| Congregation Beth Israel | |
|---|---|
 Temple Beth Israel | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Reform Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Synagogue |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 1931 NW Flanders Street,Portland,Oregon |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 45°31′34″N122°41′28″W / 45.52611°N 122.69111°W /45.52611; -122.69111 |
| Architecture | |
| Architects |
|
| Type | Synagogue |
| Style | Neo-Byzantine |
| Established | 1858(as a congregation) |
| Completed |
|
Temple Beth Israel | |
| Built | 1926–1928 |
| Part of | Alphabet Historic District[1] (ID00001293) |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002141 |
| Added to NRHP | July 26, 1979 |
Congregation Beth Israel is aReform Jewish congregation andsynagogue, located at 1931 NW Flanders Street,Portland,Oregon, in the United States.
The congregation was founded in 1858, while Oregon was still aterritory, and built its first synagogue in 1859.[2]
The congregation's first building was a modest, single story, pitched-roof, wood-framed, clapboard building withGothic pointed-arch windows and door.[3]: 14
This early structure was replaced by an 1889 synagogue building, which was destroyed by fire in December 1923.[4][5] Designed by Portland architectWarren H. Williams, the building, described asMoorish Revival design in some sources,[5] is elsewhere described as a combination of eclectic andGothic Revival styles, with two towers topped by bulbous domes.[3]: 55 The Oregonian newspaper in 1923 described its style as "semi-Gothic and Mooresque".[4] It was located at S.W. 12th and Main Streets indowntown Portland. Its two towers were 165 ft (50 m) tall, and the main interior space measured 82 by 56 feet (25 m × 17 m), and featured an arched ceiling 52 feet (16 m) high.[4]
It was replaced in 1928 by a notableNeo-Byzantine synagogue building at N.W. 19th and Flanders that continues to serve the congregation. This building was listed as Temple Beth Israel on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1979,[6] and is considered one of the finest examples of Neo-Byzantine-style architecture on thewest coast. The building was inspired by theAlte Synagoge (Steelerstrasse Synagogue) inEssen, Germany.[7][8][9][10] The interior of Steelerstrasse, the first modern synagogue in Germany, was praised as Germany's most beautiful; however it was destroyed duringKristallnacht.[8]
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