Foundation Brick from Sons of Zion
Dublin Core
Title
Foundation Brick from Sons of Zion
Subject
Historic Synagogue
Description
“In 1875 a group of immigrant Jews in the North End of Providence banded together as the Chevrah Bnai Zion (Brotherhood of the Sons of Zion) and applied for a State charter in the name of the Sons of Zion which was granted in the same year. The purpose of the Chevrah was for worshiping God in the Hebraic Faith."
From this beginning, with a building on Canal Street (actual address unknown) the group grew until at some point they moved to 98 Charles Street on the corner of Charles and Orms Streets. Nothing is known about this building, either.
Finally, in 1888, money was raised to purchase land at 48 Orms Street. A new building was constructed and the Congregation became a focal point of study for both children and adults in the North End.
An interesting story about its construction: The city of Providence needed large quantities of sand, for reasons not stated. The congregation had plenty of sand (due to the land they had purchased) and a shortage of money. A mutually agreed upon arrangement allowed the city to take all the sand and also level the land. This meant considerable savings when construction actually began.
The architecture, motifs and interior space of the new synagogue were designed after a careful study of several old synagogues. The synagogue opened for services in Elul 1892, with great rejoicing and due ceremony. However by 1961, faced with dwindling membership and declining funding, Sons of Zion merged with another Orthodox congregation, Anshe Kovno.
A decade later, Sons of Zion and Anshe Kovno had gone their separate ways and Anshe Kovno merged with the Conservative Congregation Beth David. In 1978, Sons of Zion became part of Congregation Beth-Sholom-Ahavath-Sholom-Sons of Zion. Today, that congregation is Beth Sholom, formerly on Camp Street. “However, in the 70s, with the construction of the Marriott Hotel, the synagogue was demolished. It is hard to research the why, or what I mean is the how, but redevelopments in this area were made to construct I-95. A suit was issued in 1971 by the congregation against the Providence Redevelopment Agency. A sad loss.” This epitaph was written by Chester Smolski of Rhode Island College. The following photographs, taken by him, show its demolition.
From this beginning, with a building on Canal Street (actual address unknown) the group grew until at some point they moved to 98 Charles Street on the corner of Charles and Orms Streets. Nothing is known about this building, either.
Finally, in 1888, money was raised to purchase land at 48 Orms Street. A new building was constructed and the Congregation became a focal point of study for both children and adults in the North End.
An interesting story about its construction: The city of Providence needed large quantities of sand, for reasons not stated. The congregation had plenty of sand (due to the land they had purchased) and a shortage of money. A mutually agreed upon arrangement allowed the city to take all the sand and also level the land. This meant considerable savings when construction actually began.
The architecture, motifs and interior space of the new synagogue were designed after a careful study of several old synagogues. The synagogue opened for services in Elul 1892, with great rejoicing and due ceremony. However by 1961, faced with dwindling membership and declining funding, Sons of Zion merged with another Orthodox congregation, Anshe Kovno.
A decade later, Sons of Zion and Anshe Kovno had gone their separate ways and Anshe Kovno merged with the Conservative Congregation Beth David. In 1978, Sons of Zion became part of Congregation Beth-Sholom-Ahavath-Sholom-Sons of Zion. Today, that congregation is Beth Sholom, formerly on Camp Street. “However, in the 70s, with the construction of the Marriott Hotel, the synagogue was demolished. It is hard to research the why, or what I mean is the how, but redevelopments in this area were made to construct I-95. A suit was issued in 1971 by the congregation against the Providence Redevelopment Agency. A sad loss.” This epitaph was written by Chester Smolski of Rhode Island College. The following photographs, taken by him, show its demolition.
Creator
Sons of Zion
Source
Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association, Synagogue Collection
Publisher
Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association
Date
1892
Contributor
Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association
Rights
Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association
Format
Foundation brick, clay.
Files
Collection
Citation
Sons of Zion, “Foundation Brick from Sons of Zion,” Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association, accessed May 3, 2024, https://rijha.omeka.net/items/show/3.