B'nai Yeshurun

Toward the end of the thirties, there were in and about Cincinnati a number of young, energetic Germans, who, although religiously inclined, were not in sympathy with the English congregation (B'nai Israel). Some time in 1840 they met and organized an independent congregation, which they named K. K. Bene Yeshurun. They elected S. E. Levy president, Mr. Elsasser temporary minister, and adopted the Polish Minhag. The congregation worshiped in a rear room of Mr. Vorkum's house, on Third Street, between Sycamore and Broadway.

On February 28, 1842, the congregation was incorporated by an act of the General Assembly under the name, " The

K'hilah Ko'desh B'nai Yeshurun (Holy Congregation of Children of Yeshurun) of the City of Cincinnati." At

this time the synagogue was located on Fourth Street, between Main and Sycamore. Mr. Simon Bamberger was

the reader, or chazan, at a salary of seventy -five dollars a year. Mr. Bamberger officiated as reader until 1844,

when Mr. Marschitz was elected. The first Board organized under the charter was as follows : President, Mordecai Levy ;

Vice-President, Bernhard Barbe ; Warden, S. Bernheimer ; Secretary, A. A. Cohn ; Treasurer, Henry Sachs ; Trustees,

Julius Goodheart, Joseph Simon, Abraham Wolf, Jr., and Lewis Goldsmith. -- "The history of the K. K. Bene Yeshurun, of Cincinnati, Ohio, from the date of its organization" 1892

View of 4th Street between Main and Sycamore today:

The corner-stone of the new Lodge Street Synagogue was laid on October 14, 1846. The ceremonies attending

this solemn occasion were simple. Mr. Mordecai Levy as the marshal of the day. -- "The history of the

K. K. Bene Yeshurun, of Cincinnati, Ohio, from the date of its organization" 1892

Today, Lodge Street is an alley called Ruth Lyons Lane, bounded by 6th, 7th, Vine and Walnut.

The congregation moved in 1866 to the Plum Street Temple, later renamed the Isaac M Wise Temple.