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4 days ago · Sherith Israel is a Reform congregation in San Francisco balancing tradition and innovation, celebrating the diversity of our Judaism.
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Sherith Israel was founded in the California Gold Rush and...
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Sherith Israel was founded in the California Gold Rush and has been part of San Francisco every step of the way, marrying the newest innovations to thousands of years of Jewish history. The leaders and staff are constantly working to create a relevant community for meaningful Jewish exploration.
- Take A Tour!
- Sherith Israel by The Numbers
- Withstanding San Francisco’s Great Quakes
- An Interior That Glows with Superb Craftsmanship
- Judaic Frescoes
- Stained Glass Gems
- Murray Harris Organ
- Architect and Artists
Tours take place each Wednesday at 2 pm and last about an hour. Click hereto book a tour by appointment.
The building cost $250,000 to build in 1904-1905. It stands 120 feet above California Street. The majestic dome is more than 60-feet wide at its outside diameter. The interior contains 20,000 square feet of space, 3,500 organ pipes, 1,100 seats, 1,109 decorative light bulbs, more than 89 ornamental leaded glass windows and 32 arched clear-glass win...
During the 1906 earthquake, the building sustained modest damage which was quickly repaired. The October 1989 Loma Prieta quake did notdamage Sherith Israel. Nonetheless, the City of San Francisco mandated that buildings like ours meet stringent seismic standards. The first phase of our seismic work was completed in 2011. The second phase was compl...
The sanctuary is a sampler of exquisite early 20th-century craftsmanship. It includes carved Honduran mahogany on the bimah, ark and pews; bronze light fixtures; polished marble floors; and stained oak doors and trim. The vibrant, warm colors and intricate frescoes on the sanctuary walls and dome display a strong Sephardic or Spanish revival influe...
Classic Judaic symbols line the ring of the dome. They include the Ten Commandments, a Shabbat menorah, shofar, Torah, lulav, eternal light, Megillah scroll, Chanukah menorah, a column representing the first Temple, washing of hands, and a priestly breastplate noting the 12 tribes of Israel, Two essential benedictions—gold-leafed in Hebrew—flank th...
East window: Morning light shining through the great half-circle window to the east reminds us of the mitzvah of tikkun olam, repairing the world. The window depicts a biblical community embracing its needy and includes the inspiring words of the prophet Isaiah: "Feed the hungry, clothe the naked and shelter the homeless." West window:This dramatic...
Organs became part of the Reform musical tradition in 19th-century Germany, leading to a flowering of Jewish musical composition. The sanctuary with its choir loft and organ showcased this rich musical heritage. In 1904 Sherith Israel purchased the organ for $18,000 from the Murray M. Harris Co. of Los Angeles. Long considered one of the treasures ...
Albert Pissis, FAIA (1852-1914):One of the more renowned architects of his time, Pissis trained at L’École de Beaux Arts in Paris. His San Francisco work includes the Emporium, now the site of the Westfield San Francisco Shopping Center on Market Street; the Flood Building; Hibernia Bank; the Humboldt Bank Building and the Mechanics’ Institute. Emi...
Temple Sherith Israel, a fusion of Byzantine and Romanesque forms, cost $250,000 to build in 1904–1905. The structure stands 140 feet (43 m) above California Street. Its signature dome – which can be seen from many vantage points throughout San Francisco – is 60 feet (18 m) wide at its outside diameter.
Congregation Sherith Israel laid their cornerstone on August 6, 1854, on the east side of Stockton Street between Vallejo and Broadway. Congregation Emanu-El had preceded it by two weeks with its cornerstone rites.
The main chapel is a beautiful, cavernous room with handmade stained glass windows, a hand painted ceiling, and more lightbulbs than you can count during a Rosh Hashanah silent prayer. Religious beliefs aside, a visit is worthwhile just to see this gem of San Francisco architecture.
- 2266 California St San Francisco, CA 94115
People also ask
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San Francisco’s Congregation Sherith Israel has its roots in the Gold Rush era immigration and migration of Jews from Prussia, Bavaria, England, France and the East Coast of the United States.
