Temple Beth-El (Corsicana, Texas)

Temple Beth-El is an historic Moorish Revival synagogue located at 208 South 15th Street in Corsicana, Navarro County, Texas.

For similarly named synagogues, see Beth-El.
Temple Beth-El
Temple Beth-El
TempleBeth-El is located in Texas
TempleBeth-El
Temple
Beth-El
TempleBeth-El is located in the United States
TempleBeth-El
Temple
Beth-El
Location208 S. Fifteenth St.,
Corsicana, Texas
Coordinates32°5′22″N 96°28′6″W
Arealess than one acre
Built1898 (1898)
Architectural styleExotic Revival, Moorish Revival
NRHP reference No.86003687[1]
TSAL No.8200000741
RTHL No.11642
Significant dates
Added to NRHPFebruary 3, 1987
Designated TSALJanuary 1, 2000
Designated RTHL1981

Landmark status

Temple Beth-El became a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1981. On February 3, 1987, Temple Beth-El was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Temple Beth-El is one of two State Antiquities Landmarks in Navarro County.

History

The Jewish community of Corsicana established a congregation in 1871.[2][3] The congregation worshiped at each other's homes until it could raise the funding to build a synagogue.[4]

Julius Magil served as rabbi in the early days of its new building. He was born December 29, 1870, at Mitau, Courland, which was then in the Russian Empire but is now part of Latvia. He received a secular education at Realgymnasium and University of Zürich, Switzerland. Rabbi Magil's religious training took place at the Talmudical College of Grobin, Courland. Rabbi Magil then studied medicine at Fort Wayne Medical College, and he received a Ph.D. from Rogers College in 1898.[5]

The synagogue was built by a Reform Jewish congregation in 1898. It is a wood-frame building, with clapboard siding, keyhole windows in the front doors, and a pair of octagonal towers topped by onion domes. In 1900, 66% of the congregants were immigrants and over half were from Poland, Russia, or Hungary. 19% of the membership was from Germany and another 19% was from France. While Eastern European Jews tended towards Orthodox Judaism and German Jews tended towards Reform Judaism, Temple Beth-El was notable as a Reform synagogue with a predominantly Eastern European and heavily Polish membership.[6]

Rabbi Ernest Joseph served as the spiritual leader of Temple Beth-El from 1968 to 1980.[7]

In 1980, Temple Beth-El closed as a congregation, although a local rabbi still leads a Jewish service on a monthly basis.[8] The property was donated to the City of Corsicana around 1990.[8] The City uses it as a community center.[9]

In 2010, the synagogue's stained glass windows were renovated.[4] The synagogue's facade and domes were restored in 2013.[8]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. "Temple Beth-El, History". The USGenWeb Project. 2009.
  3. "Temple Beth-El, Historical Marker, Corsicana, Navarro County, Texas". The USGenWeb Project. 2009.
  4. Jacob, Janet. "History restored: Temple gets its colors back with renovations". Corsicana Daily Sun (Corsicana, Texas). June 1, 2010.
  5. Machol-Medvidovsky (23 May 2012). "Biographical Sketches of Rabbis and Cantors in the U.S. 1903". Retrieved 2 September 2013. Rabbi (since 1900) of Temple Beth El, Corsicana, Texas. Born December 29, 1870, at Mitau, Courland, Russia. Son of Mendel Magil. Educated at Realgymnasium and University of Zürich, Switzerland; and Talmudical College of Grobin, Courland (Rabbi). Studied medicine at Fort Wayne Medical College. Ph. D., Rogers College, 1898. Rabbi at Allentown, Pa., 1892-1894; Reading, Pa., 1894-1896; and Ligonier, Ind., 1896-1900. Editor of the Jewish Home Journal, 1896-1900. Publications: "From Pulpit and Platform;" "Biblical History;" "Medicine in Bible, Talmud, and Ancient History;" " Führer der Rathlosen." Address: Corsicana, Texas.
  6. "Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities - Corsicana, Texas". Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Retrieved 2019-10-31.
  7. "Corsicana Rabbi Ernest Joseph dies at 69". The Dallas Morning News. November 12, 1999. p. 45A.
  8. Jacobs, Janet. "Temple Beth-El ready for some facade work". Corsicana Daily Sun (Corsicana, Texas). May 15, 2013.
  9. MacLaggan, Corrie. "Keeping the Lights Aglow". Austin American-Statesman. December 4, 2007.
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