Congregation Ahavath Chesed
Congregation Ahavath Chesed is a Reform Jewish synagogue in Jacksonville, Florida. It is the oldest Jewish congregation in Florida and one of the first formally incorporated.
| Congregation Ahavath Chesed | |
|---|---|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Reform Judaism |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Jacksonville, Florida, United States |
  Location within Florida | |
| Geographic coordinates | 30.221475°N 81.615742°W |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Synagogue |
| Completed | 1979 |
| Website | |
| www | |
History
Although Jews were already living in Florida in the late 18th century, Jacksonville probably was the first Jewish community organized in Florida. The Jacksonville Hebrew Cemetery was established in 1857. It is the oldest Jewish communal institution in Florida of which a record has been found.[1]
In 1867 the “Israelites of Jacksonville” formed a congregation. The congregation was primarily composed of Jews from Prussia and Germany.[2] For a number of years an organization called the Hebrew Benevolent Society also existed.[3] Congregation Ahavath Chesed was organized in 1880.[4] This congregation, led by Jacksonville's Jewish Mayor, Morris A. Dzialynski, received a legal charter in 1882.[3] The congregation hired Rabbi Marx Moses, and dedicated, on September 8, 1882, a synagogue building.[2]
References
- Florida Archived 2011-06-07 at the Wayback Machine, International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies - Cemetery Project website. Accessed March 26, 2009.
- History, Temple Beth Israel website. Accessed March 26, 2009.
- Olitzky, Kerry M.; Raphael, Marc Lee. The American Synagogue: A Historical Dictionary and Sourcebook, Greenwood Press, June 30, 1996, ISBN 0-313-28856-9, p. 99.
- American Jewish Year Book, Jewish Publication Society of America, American Jewish Committee, 1907, p. 150.