Elmira of 1861 was a richly diverse city - with Protestants, Catholics, Irish, Scots, Welsh, Germans, Dutch, and Scandinavians -and about 100 Jewish citizens!  By 1861, several informal K’hilot, or groups, were meeting at various private homes.  In 1862, one k’hilah decided to become a formal organization and on October 12, 1862, Congregation B’nai Israel held its first meeting.  CBI congregation consisted of 29 families when CBI acquired the white-frame building on High Street in east Elmira as the synagogue in February 1863.  Initially B’nai Israel was an orthodox congregation -- complete with a gallery for women and a mikveh.  By 1875 the congregation had grown so much that the gallery had been enlarged and there was talk of obtaining a larger, more appropriate building.  It was not until 1885, though, that the congregation decided to build a new Temple on the High Street property.  The white-frame High Street building was sold to Congregation Shomray Hadath and moved to Orchard Street. The cornerstone of the new “High Street Temple” was laid in September 1886 and by 1887 our congregation had embraced Reform Judaism, although not without much heated discussion and, unfortunately, many resignations. 

     The “High Street Temple” was sold to the Volunteers of America and the cornerstone of our current Temple building was laid in November 1951.  We moved to 908 West Water where the new building was dedicated on September 7, 1952, with the dedication of the sanctuary following in May 1954.

 

• List of former Presidents of Congregation B’nei Israel [link]

• To find out more about the Jewish communities of the region