Temple Ohabei Shalom

Story

Temple Ohabei Shalom is a large, Reform synagogue in Brookline, Massachusetts under the spiritual leadership of Rabbi Sonia Saltzman, Rabbi Audrey Berkman, and Rabbi Emerita, Emily Gopen Lipof.Organized in 1842 with a membership largely of German origin, it is the oldest Jewish congregation in Massachusetts and the third oldest in New England, following congregations in Newport and New Haven. the congregation’s first act was to establish a cemetery, the Temple Ohabei Shalom Cemetery. A registered historic site located in East Boston, Massachusetts. The cemetery will soon be the home of the Jewish Cemetery Association of Massachusetts' museum commemorating the Mystic River Jews (Boston, Chelsea, Revere, Malden, Everett and north).The first synagogue building, erected in 1851 on Warren Street, Boston, was a handsome, two-story wooden structure, with a doorway flanked by a pair of windows on each side, and balanced by three pairs of windows on the second floor. The windows, each set a pair with arched tops, resembled the standard representation of the tablets of the ten commandments. The sanctuary could seat 400 and had space for a Hebrew School, a meeting room, and a mikveh.The congregation’s second building, in use from 1863–86, was a handsome Greek Revival structure at 76 Warrenton Street, Boston. It had been built as a Universalist church and is today the home of the Charles Playhouse.