Sholom history

The silver tik in the central niche is an antique acquired from an Indian Jewish congregation which dedicated it in 1921.

Regular Shabbat Services were inaugurated in 1925.

The synagogue grew as more Jewish families emigrated to the United States and by 1929 the Ladies’ Aid Society, which became the Sisterhood of the Congregation, was begun.

They began a branch called "Lakeview Anshe Sholom Center", and opened in 1940 in a converted greystone residence at 540 West Melrose Street.

As it grew, they hired a young Hebrew teacher, Rabbi Herman Davis zt'l, and quickly elevated him to the position of Rabbi of the congregation, in 1945.

Rabbi Silber continued his gifted leadership of Anshe Sholom, until his passing in 1946.

After meeting temporarily in Samuel Kessler's home, the Congregation moved to a permanent site at 467 E Street, SW. Talmud Torah remained in that location for almost 50 years, until the Federal redevelopment program forced the Congregation to leave in the early 1950's.

Congregation Beth Sholom and Community Center, house of peace, was chosen in 1951 for their new name, when the two groups came together to unite into one single conservative house of worship.

Wright accepted the commission in December 1953, and the architect and the rabbi established a fruitful working partnership that led to one of a small group of religious buildings Wright completed.

In 1955 the Greenwich Hebrew Institute was renamed Temple Sholom and became the “Putnam Hill” neighbor to Christ Church (Episcopal), and a major religious influence and source of pride within Greenwich, Fairfield County and Westchester County.

The new sanctuary on Clinton Street for Congregation Beth Sholom and Community Center was dedicated in 1956, yet a few years later it became clear that the congregation would soon outgrow this new building.

On July 7, 1958, Ohev Sholom and Talmud Torah merged, creating a congregation of more than six hundred families.

The synagogue was dedicated on September 20, 1959, just over five months after Wright's death.

The newly built synagogue building on upper Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC, was dedicated on November 27, 1960.

After Rabbi Davis' death in 1975, the Congregation retained Rabbi Joseph Deitcher zt'l.

In the period beginning in the 1980's, due to attrition in the membership caused by demographic and other issues, the Congregation began to decline.

In 1986, the combined Ohev Sholom - Talmud Torah Congregation celebrated its one hundredth anniversary.

After Rabbi Deitcher's passing in 1994, Rabbi Asher Lopatin joined our shul, bringing his energetic leadership, forward thinking, and faithful dedication to our values.

In 2004, the shul had its first bris in almost 30 years, and today there are over 250 children in our community.

The smaller sanctuary of Temple Beth Sholom, the Beit Hannah Chapel, was dedicated in 2007.

Rabbi David Wolkenfeld then became the rabbi of our shul, a position he has had from 2013 to the present.

The Mikvah Chaim Community Mikvah, with separate men's, women's and keylim mikvaot, opened in 2014.