Timeline B’nai Abraham Congregation

by Marilyn Chiat

  • 1900
    Virginia’s population: 7,684. Number of Jewish residents: 119
  • 1900
    Range population: 23,490
  • 1905
    October 21: 18 families form B’nai Abraham Society 1906 Sunday School established with twenty members
  • 1908
    March: Several members travel east to visit synagogues for plans 1908 October: Contractor hired and ground broken for new synagogue 1909 September: synagogue dedicated
  • 1909
    Ladies Aid Society formed with fourteen members. Known as “Sunshine Club” 1909 First full time rabbi hired: S. Siegel
  • 1910
    Virginia’s population: over 10,000. Number of Jewish residents: 121
  • 1910
    Range population: 77,655. Number of Jewish residents: approximately 1,000 1915 Rabbi Siegel departs and Rabbi A. Booth hired
  • 1920
    Range population: 100,385
  • 1920
    Virginia’s Jewish population: 332
  • 1926
    Rabbi Booth departs and Rabbi A. Katz hired 1927 Virginia’s Jewish population: 160
  • 1929
    Rabbi Katz, the congregation’s last full time rabbi departs. Services now led by lay people or visiting rabbis

  • 1930
    Range population: 99,355
  • 1936
    Congregation consists of twenty-two families 1937 Virginia’s Jewish population: 135
  • 1940
    Range population: 96,950
  • 1950s
    Wooden addition on façade; sanctuary and lower level remodeled
  • 1983
    Synagogue placed on the National Register of Historic Places; only synagogue in MN on list. 1985 Congregation numbers less than ten members. Fate of building uncertain.
  • 1995
    Synagogue no longer in use
  • 2000
    Last surviving member donates benches and bimah furniture to Minneapolis synagogue 2004 Friends of B’nai Abraham formed
  • 2005
    Friends receives 501 (c)3 status
  • 2006
    Friends receives grant from State Historic Preservation Office for a reuse study. Study recommends restoring building as a museum and cultural center
  • 2007
    Fundraising and grant applications for restoration begins
  • 2008
    Building is now handicap accessible and occupancy permit obtained. Several rows of benches and bimah furniture returned
  • Ongoing: fundraising and grant applications to complete restoration and to provide the building with an endowment