| St. Thomas Synagogue | |
|---|---|
Hebrew:קהילת קודש ברכה ושלום וגמילות חסדים | |
.jpg) St. Thomas Synagogue | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Reform Judaism |
| Rite | Nusach Sefard |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Synagogue |
| Leadership | Rabbi Julia Margolis |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 2116 Crystal Gade,Charlotte Amalie,Saint Thomas,U.S. Virgin Islands 00802 |
| Country | United States |
  Location on theU.S. Virgin Islands | |
| Geographic coordinates | 18°20′41″N64°55′59″W / 18.34472°N 64.93306°W /18.34472; -64.93306 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | |
| Date established | 1796(as a congregation) |
| Completed | 1833 (1833) |
| Materials | Rubblestone |
| Website | |
| synagogue | |
St. Thomas Synagogue | |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Part of | Charlotte Amalie Historic District (ID76001860) |
| NRHP reference No. | 97001270 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | September 25, 1997 |
| Designated NHL | September 25, 1997 |
| Designated CP | July 19, 1976 |
| [1][2] | |
St. Thomas Synagogue, officiallyCongregation Beracha Veshalom Oogemiluth Hasadim (Hebrew:קהילת קודש ברכה ושלום וגמילות חסדים) orThe Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas, is a historicReformJewishsynagogue located at 2116 Crystal Gade, Queens Quarters, inCharlotte Amalie on the island ofSaint Thomas in theU.S. Virgin Islands. The synagogue building was declared aNational Historic Landmark in 1997.[1][3]
The congregation was founded in 1796 by Spanish and PortugueseSephardic Jews who had come to theCaribbean Basin to finance trade betweenEurope and theNew World.[1] The building was constructed in 1833, and is the second oldest synagogue in the United States (afterTouro Synagogue inNewport, Rhode Island built in 1763). As a result of HurricanesIrma andMaria, Category 5 hurricanes which ravaged much of the Caribbean and St. Thomas in September 2017, the synagogue sustained significant damage, but has remained in continuous operation during this time under the leadership of Rabbi Michael Feshbach.[4][5]
As of January 2023, the congregation is led by Rabbi Julia Margolis.[6]
The St. Thomas Synagogue stands north of Charlotte Amalie's central business district, on the north side of Crystal Gade near its junction with Raadets Gade. It is a single-story structure, built out of rubblestone joined by a mortar mix of lime, sand, andmolasses, and covered by a shallow pitch hip roof. Its front, separated from the street by an entry courtyard, has aGreek Revival temple front, but withGothic Revival arched window openings. Thefaçade is recessed, with the temple pediment supported by brick pillars with Tuscan styling. On the interior, the Torah ark is located on the east wall, with thetevah, on a dais against the west wall. The center of the chamber is demarcated by a square of four Ionic columns mounted on pedestals, and there are rows of bench pews on the north and south walls. The seating areas of men and women are separated by movable wooden partitions.[3]
Media related toSt. Thomas Synagogue at Wikimedia Commons| International | |
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