B'er Chayim Temple
B'er Chayim Temple, May 2008
B'er Chayim Temple is located in Maryland
B'er Chayim Temple
LocationUnion and South Centre Streets, Cumberland, Maryland, United States
Coordinates39°39′2″N 78°45′38″W / 39.65056°N 78.76056°W / 39.65056; -78.76056
AreaLess than one acre
Built1866 (1866)
Built byJohn B. Walton
Architectural styleGreek Revival
NRHP reference No.79001106[1]
Added to NRHPNovember 15, 1979 (1979-11-15)

B'er Chayim Temple (Hebrew for Well of Life,[2] a metaphor in which Torah is likened to water) is a synagogue in Cumberland, Maryland that is currently affiliated with the Reform movement. B'er Chayim counts approximately 72 families as members.[3]

B'er Chayim is the oldest synagogue building in continuous use as a synagogue in Maryland and the sixth oldest in the United States.[4][5]

Clergy and leadership

Mark J. Perman has served as the rabbi of B'er Chayim since July 2016.[6] A native of New York City,[7] Perman graduated from the High School of Performing Arts, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, and New York University.[6] Perman was ordained a cantor in 1997,[6] and he was ordained a rabbi by Mesifta Program in Queens, New York, in 2013.[6] Prior to joining B'er Chayim, Perman served as the interim cantor at Congregation Emanu El in Houston.[7]

Lee Schwartz serves as president of B'er Chayim.[8]

Religious services and programs

Shabbat services are held Friday evening.[9] Services and celebrations of Jewish holidays, such as Rosh Hashanah,[10][11] Yom Kippur,[2] and Chanukah,[12] are held throughout the year.[9]

Torah study sessions are held twice a month.[9]

History

The first Jewish resident recorded in Cumberland dates to 1816. Twelve Jewish families were living in Cumberland, which then had a population of 6,150, in 1853 when congregation B'er Chayim was chartered by the Maryland state legislature.[4] The congregation was Orthodox when the temple was built,[13] although it is now a Reform congregation.

Between 1865 and 1867, the congregation built a two-story, Greek Revival synagogue building on the corner of South Centre and Union Streets. The building cost $7,427.02 to construct.[4] The facade is ornamented with four pilasters, a handsome pediment, and four very un-Greek Rundbogenstil, or round-arched, windows.[13] The building was constructed by local builder John B. Walton.[14]

Prayers and sermons were originally held in German, rather than Hebrew.[15]

Beth Jacob Synagogue, which was also located in Cumberland, merged with B'er Chayim Temple in 1996.[3]

In 2011, the synagogue underwent renovation.[2] The brickwork's mortar was redone, the wrought iron gates outside the entrance were restored, improved the interior, and made the synagogue wheelchair-accessible.[16][17] The synagogue's building was reopened on August 17, 2014, and the synagogue was rededicated on November 7, 2014.[18] The Cumberland Historic Preservation Board gave an award to B'er Chayim for the synagogue's restoration.[19]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 Barkley, Kristin Harty."B'er Chayim temple will undergo major renovation: Built in 1864, brick building recognized as longest continuously operating synagogue in Maryland". The Cumberland Times-News (Cumberland, Maryland). September 18, 2011.
  3. 1 2 Pash, Barbara. "'We Don't Give Up': Cumberland's sole synagogue helps maintain Western Maryland's Jewish presence". Jewish Times (Baltimore, Maryland). October 31, 2008.
  4. 1 2 3 "Jewish community celebrating restoration of historic city temple". The Cumberland Times-News (Cumberland, Maryland). November 2, 2014.
  5. ↑ Gordon, Mark W. "Rediscovering Jewish Infrastructure: Update on United States Nineteenth Century Synagogues". American Jewish History. 84.1. p. 11–27. 2019 article update.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Meet Our Rabbi". B'er Chayim Temple. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
  7. 1 2 Blaisdell, Elaine. "New rabbi has plans for theater at B'er Chayim". The Cumberland Times-News (Cumberland, Maryland). October 3, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Board Members, Committee Chairs and Contacts". B'er Chayim Temple. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 "Services". B'er Chayim Temple. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
  10. ↑ Shapiro, David. "Jewish New Year starts Sept. 8". Mineral Daily News-Tribune (Mineral, West Virginia). August 28, 2010.
  11. ↑ "Celebrations offer hope for new birth, new ways". The Cumberland Times-News (Cumberland, Maryland). September 1, 2010.
  12. ↑ "How area residents celebrate Chanukah". Mineral Daily News-Tribune (Mineral, West Virginia). November 22, 2009.
  13. 1 2 Staff (undated). "B'er Chayim Temple". National Park Service. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
  14. ↑ Gordon, Mark W. (1996). "Rediscovering Jewish Infrastructure: Update on United States Nineteenth Century Synagogues". American Jewish History. 84.1. pp. 11–27.(registration required). 2019 article update.
  15. ↑ William Pratt and Dave Dorsey (December 1977). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: B'er Chayim Temple" (PDF). Maryland Historical Trust. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  16. ↑ Bieniek, Matthew"Cardin visits city temple". The Cumberland Times-News (Cumberland, Maryland). January 13, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Temple renovations". The Cumberland Times-News. (Cumberland, Maryland). November 17, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Congregation announces move back to temple". The Cumberland Times-News (Cumberland, Maryland). July 24, 2014.
  19. ↑ Barkley, Kristin Harty. "Commission recognizes B'er Chayim temple - Greene Street property also receives preservation commission award". The Cumberland Times-News (Cumberland, Maryland). August 30, 2012.
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