Isaac M. Wise Temple, Cincinnati
The Isaac M. Wise Temple, formerly known as the Plum Street Temple, stands as a remarkable symbol of Jewish heritage and architectural elegance in Cincinnati. Constructed during the Civil War and dedicated on August 24, 1866, the temple is one of the oldest synagogue buildings still standing in the United States. It was erected for the congregation K.K. B鈥檔ai Yeshurun, founded by German Jewish immigrants who had split from K.K. Bene Israel in 1840.
This historic Reform Jewish congregation rose to national prominence under the leadership of Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, a pioneering figure in the development of Reform Judaism in America. With his dynamic vision and the congregation鈥檚 growing influence, Cincinnati became a key center of Jewish life in the U.S.
The temple was designed by noted Cincinnati architect James Keys Wilson, who drew inspiration from the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. The result is a stunning example of Moorish Revival architecture, richly ornamented and distinctively domed, located at 720 Plum Street鈥攄irectly across from the Saint Peter In Chains Cathedral.
Originally founded in a home on Third Street and later in a Gothic Revival synagogue on Lodge Street, the congregation built Plum Street Temple to match its growing vision. In 1972, it made history as the site where Sally Priesand became the first woman rabbi ordained by a U.S. rabbinical seminary.
Honored for its architecture and history, Plum Street Temple became a National Historic Landmark in 1975. A year later, the congregation opened the Isaac M. Wise Center in Amberley Village, but the original temple still stands as a lasting symbol of faith and reform.
This historic Reform Jewish congregation rose to national prominence under the leadership of Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, a pioneering figure in the development of Reform Judaism in America. With his dynamic vision and the congregation鈥檚 growing influence, Cincinnati became a key center of Jewish life in the U.S.
The temple was designed by noted Cincinnati architect James Keys Wilson, who drew inspiration from the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. The result is a stunning example of Moorish Revival architecture, richly ornamented and distinctively domed, located at 720 Plum Street鈥攄irectly across from the Saint Peter In Chains Cathedral.
Originally founded in a home on Third Street and later in a Gothic Revival synagogue on Lodge Street, the congregation built Plum Street Temple to match its growing vision. In 1972, it made history as the site where Sally Priesand became the first woman rabbi ordained by a U.S. rabbinical seminary.
Honored for its architecture and history, Plum Street Temple became a National Historic Landmark in 1975. A year later, the congregation opened the Isaac M. Wise Center in Amberley Village, but the original temple still stands as a lasting symbol of faith and reform.
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Isaac M. Wise Temple on Map
Sight Name: Isaac M. Wise Temple
Sight Location: Cincinnati, USA (See walking tours in Cincinnati)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Cincinnati, USA (See walking tours in Cincinnati)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Cincinnati, Ohio
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The land that became Cincinnati had previously been occupied by Fort Washington. Before that, it was home to the Shawnee and other Native American tribes like the Miami, Ojibwe, and Lenape.
Founded in 1788, the city earned its name from the Society of the Cincinnati, the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
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Travel Distance: 3.8 Km or 2.4 Miles