Temple Emanuel
Streetside view
Temple Emanuel (Denver) is located in Colorado
Temple Emanuel (Denver)
Temple Emanuel (Denver) is located in the United States
Temple Emanuel (Denver)
Location51 Grape St.,
Denver, Colorado
Coordinates39°43′0″N 104°55′30″W / 39.71667°N 104.92500°W / 39.71667; -104.92500
Built1956
Built byN.G. Petry Construction
ArchitectPercival Goodman
Architectural styleModern Movement, Usonian
NRHP reference No.03000403[1]
CSRHP No.5DV.144
Added to NRHPMay 19, 2003

The Temple Emanuel (Hebrew: עִמָנוּאֵל, God is with us) in Denver, Colorado, also known as Congregation Emanuel, is a Reform (progressive) Jewish synagogue. It was the first synagogue established in Colorado.[2] There are historic buildings of the temple on Curtis Street, Grape Street, and Pearl Street, in Denver.

History

Temple Emanuel
Location24 Curtis St.,
Denver, Colorado
Coordinates39°45′16″N 104°59′3″W / 39.75444°N 104.98417°W / 39.75444; -104.98417
Area0.2 acres (0.081 ha)
Built1882
ArchitectFrank E. Edbrooke
Architectural styleLate Victorian, Eclectic Victorian
NRHP reference No.78000853[3]
CSRHP No.5DV.144
Added to NRHPOctober 10, 1978

Founded in 1874 with 22 members, the congregation dedicated its first synagogue building at the corner of 19th and Curtis Streets on September 28, 1875. In 1882, Emanuel built a new facility at 24 Curtis Street. It was "the first major Jewish synagogue in the Denver area" when it was built.[4] which was gutted by fire in 1897.[5] The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.[3]

Temple Emanuel Pearl
Streetside view
Location1595 Pearl St.,
Denver, Colorado
Coordinates39°44′29″N 104°58′47″W / 39.74139°N 104.97972°W / 39.74139; -104.97972
Arealess than one acre
Built1898
ArchitectJohn Humphreys, Thielman R. Wieger
Architectural styleEastern-Islamic
NRHP reference No.87001554[3]
CSRHP No.5DV.715
Added to NRHPNovember 25, 1987

The congregation's third synagogue was built in 1898–1899 and expanded in 1924. John J. Humphreys designed the 1898 building. The 1924 building was designed by Thielman Robert Wieger.[6] In 1957 the synagogue was sold to First Southern Baptist Church and then LovingWay Pentecostal Church in 1977. In 1986 the building was acquired by the city of Denver because of a foreclosure process. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.[3]

Its 1987 NRHP nomination states:

Temple Emanuel is the only synagogue in Denver and Colorado designed in the Eastern-Islamic Style. The use of Eastern-Islamic design for synagogues was brought to America by German Jews who had been affected by the reform movement in Judaism and anti-Semitism prevalent in 19th century Europe. Use of the design reflects the problem of retaining Jewish cultural identity while fitting into the Christian society. As a result, the style was acceptable for a place of worship but did not immediately mark it as a traditional synagogue. The Eastern-Islamic architectural mode particularly suited this purpose in addition to evoking an association with the Jewish origins in the Near East. When Temple Emanuel was built, the congregation was largely made up of German and American Jews. The building is similar to synagogues built in the eastern United States and may have been styled after those built in Cincinnati (Isaac M. Wise Temple, 1866) and in New York (Temple Emanuel, 1868 and Central Synagogue, 1872).[7]

The temple is located in Denver's North Capitol Hill neighborhood. Pathways Church acquired the building from the City of Denver in 2005. Pathways Church held services at the building and also ran it as a separate business, the Temple Events Center, until 2013. In 2013 the building and property was sold to Denver Community Church. In 2022, the church announced its plan to move to a former basketball practice facility at 333 & 375 S. Zuni Street in Denver and to sell the Pearl Street Temple Emanuel building.[8]

Rabbi William S. Friedman, a founder of the United Way, served as Rabbi of Temple Emanuel from 1890 to 1941.[9][10]

Temple Emanuel officially celebrated its 75th anniversary on November 20, 1949, announcing at the time it was the oldest and largest synagogue between Kansas City and the West Coast.[11]

As "Temple Emanuel", the Pearl Street building was designated a Denver Landmark in 1987.[12]

Present day

The congregation's current home, located on Grape Street in Denver's Hilltop neighborhood, was built in 1956 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.[1]

Rabbi Joseph R. Black has served as Senior Rabbi since 2010. He was preceded by Rabbi Steven E. Foster who served as Temple Emanuel's spiritual leader from 1981 to 2010 and as Assistant or Associate Rabbi from 1970 to 1981.

References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. ↑ "The Jewish Community of Denver". Beit Hatfutsot Open Databases Project. The Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  4. ↑ Langdon Morris & Associates (June 1977). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Temple Emanuel". National Park Service. Retrieved September 16, 2018. With accompanying two photos from 1977 and c.1900
  5. ↑ http://www.emanueldenver.org/about-us/our-history
  6. ↑ "Temple Emanuel, Denver, Colorado National Register of Historic Places Registration Form". catalog.archives.gov. 1987. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
  7. ↑ Hal Haney (January 29, 1987). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Temple Emanuel / Temple Center". National Park Service. Retrieved September 21, 2018.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. With accompanying 10 photos from 1984
  8. ↑ milehighcre (2022-11-09). "Denver Community Church Acquires Former Basketball Practice Facility". Mile High CRE. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
  9. ↑ Davidson, Joanne. "Davidson: Mile High United Way turns 125; Checking in at Janet's Elway's charity, Janet's Camp." The Denver Post, Jul 8 2012.
  10. ↑ "Forty-year Ministry of Rabbi William Friedman Celebrated in Denver." Jewish Telegraphic Agency 17 Feb 1930.
  11. ↑ "75th Anniversary of Temple Emanuel in Denver Marked; Synagogue is Now Largest in Area." Jewish Telegraphic Agency 21 Nov 1949.
  12. ↑ "Individual Landmarks in the City and County of Denver" (PDF). City and County of Denver. Retrieved May 22, 2021. (See Denver Community Planning and Development)
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