Congregation Beth Israel
We maintain an architecturally commanding building with its Byzantine dome and truly magnificent sanctuary.
In 2006, we rededicated our sanctuary. You can read about our building in the attached handout. The handout contains two parts: A description of synagogue features which was first printed in 1936 by Rabbi Abraham J. Feldman, and descriptive essays on the spiritual message from the sanctuary’s stained glass windows and the distinctive roundels.
National Register of Historic Places
Our building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Our cemeteries are located in Avon and Hartford.
Energy Efficient/Green Committee
We are committed to a building that is energy efficient as possible.
We have also recently formed a Green Committee to encourage CBI congregants to reduce, reuse, and recycle both at Beth Israel and at home.The committee will educate our congregants on how to become more “green”. Laura Stordy organized this committee, with President Jeffrey Winnick’s support. Laura is passionate about the need to reduce, reuse, and recycle, and so she followed through on a commitment she made when she recently became a Bat Mitzvah: to speak up for something you believe in. If you would like to join the Green Committee, contact Laura through the office, gro.tcibcnull@learsihteb, 860-233-8215 x230.
Left to right: Rabbi Stephen Fuchs, Senior Rabbi; Rob Berman, Campaign Director; Howard Pierce, President; Scott Slifka, Mayor; and Eric Lessne, Restoration Committee Director
Congregation Beth Israel received a First Place Award in West Hartford’s Ninth Annual Historic Preservation Awards Program on May 11, 2006. The award was given in recognition of the meticulous restoration of the synagogue exterior managed by Alan Reisner and Eric Lessne and implemented by Hoffman Architects and Weiss, Janney and Elsner Consulting Engineers. The jurors commented that it looks as if nothing had ever changed – a mark of true restoration. They were also impressed by the use of original materials, especially the dome tiles that had been stored in a closet since the 1936 construction!