History of Beth Sholom
and the
Frederick Jewish Community

Jews have lived in Frederick County, Maryland since 1742. The first were business men, two brothers and their uncle.

The first formal religious organization, the Frederick Hebrew Congregation, was founded in Frederick City in about 1840. Services were held in homes, then stores, then the Masonic Temple. The first Bris was held in Frederick in 1842.

In 1858, when there were few ordained rabbis in the United States, Frederick was fortunate to have Rabbi Sussman Goebricher, who served as our first rabbi.

The congregation was very active during the 1840s, 1850s, and through the late 1890s.  In 1910 services were still being held in the Masonic Temple.

David Lowenstein came to Frederick in 1863, his sister the wife of Samuel Weinberg.  David became an industrialist in Frederick and a land developer.

In 1919, Beth Israel Congregation, the first synagogue in Frederick County, was built in the neighboring community of Brunswick, Maryland.  Its doors were open until the late 1950s.

Beth Sholom Congregation, the former Frederick Hebrew Congregation, was chartered on October 6, 1917.  On September 2, 1923, the Synagogue at 20 West Second Street, donated by the Weinberg family, was dedicated.  It was rededicated in 1976, when the building was renovated. 

In 1919, the congregation incorporated as Beth Sholom Congregation. Having a synagogue in the city became a reality thanks to the formation of the Frederick Section, National Council of Jewish Women. The building, which had been the Elks Club, was sold to Leo Weinberg and his wife Rae. They gave the building to the congregation, in perpetuity, as long as the building was used as a synagogue or for the purpose of promoting the teaching of Judaism.  Leo and Rae lived next door.  Leo was the son of Amelia Lowenstein Weinberg and Samuel Weinberg. Amelia's brother was David Lowenstein who became very prosperous and was involved in building the Francis Scott Key Hotel as well as other business enterprises.

When Leo died  in September of 1942, Jeannette became president and taught the boys their Bar Mitzvah lessons. She was the mainstay of the congregation financially for many years.

In 1984, our first Community Center at 1011 North Market Street was completed.  It housed our religious school, nursery school, day camp, youth activities, bingo and other social functions.

Beth Sholom quickly outgrew this building, and on September 26, 1993, a groundbreaking ceremony inaugurated the construction of a new and expanded Beth Sholom Community Center.  We moved into our new building in December of 1994.  Formal dedication ceremonies were held on June 11, 1995.   The Community Center houses our religious, day and nursery schools, library, executive offices and gift shop.  It is also the center of all our social functions.

The Weinberg family in 1905

Seated left to right are Henry, Amelia, Samuel Standing left to right are Clara, David, Isaac, Leo, Jeannette

 

 

 

When Frederick had no rabbi, Jeannette Weinberg taught the young men Hebrew and their Bar Mitzvah passages. She single handedly was the glue of the congregation from 1935-1960.