Congregation Agudas Achim

Congregation Agudas Achim Anshe Sfard was founded in 1887 to provide the members, primarily immigrants from Romania, with the "minhag Sefard." It was also known as the Romanische Shul. A group of Russian members broke off in 1906 to form Tifereth Israel Anshe Russian (eventually known as Teferes Israel).

Agudas Achim's earliest rabbi was Isaac Hurewitz who served from the time of his arrival in Hartford in 1893 until his death in 1935. (Rabbi Hurewitz concurrently served other congregations as well.)

During the early years, the majority of the congregation was living on very small incomes and met in the homes of members. In 1900, however, with increased prosperity the congregation was able to acquire a lot with a house on it at 296 Market Street. In 1902 or 1903, it built a synagogue at the rear of the house.

In 1928, responding to the population shift to the north, the congregation moved into its newly constructed synagogue at 221 Greenfield Street. A major addition for a school and auditorium was completed in 1956. Then in response to the population shift to the west, Agudas Achim moved into its current synagogue in West Hartford in 1969 (ground was broken in October of 1967).

Another important figure in the history of Agudas Achim is Rabbi Abraham AvRutick who led there for 36 years, beginning in 1946, and was given life tenure. Among his achievements was his election to the presidency of the Rabbinical Council of America in 1962. Along with the move to the suburbs, the appointment of Rabbi AvRutick represents the continuing evolution of the congregation from a very traditional East European group to an American orthodox community.

During the 1990s, Agudas Achim, like many synagogues, experienced a decline in membership. As the congregation dwindled and aged, its future was in question. Since the arrival of Rabbi Schlomo Yaffe in 2001 membership increased especially among young families, and Agudas Achim began to experiment with innovations in tradition, ritual, and education.

Box 1: A-Board of Directors/Minutes, Oct. 1928-Oct. 1929

Anniversaries/Greenfield St. Building 25th Anniversary (1954)

Anniversaries/Congregation's 75th Anniversary (1962)

Anniversaries/Congregation’s/100,th 1987

Anniversaries/Rabbi AvRutick's 25th Anniversary with Congregation (1971)

Anniversaries/N. Main St. Building 10th Anniversary (1979)

Anniversaries/Rabbi AvRutick's 35th Anniversary with Congregation (1981)

Anniversaries/Rabbi AvRutick's 35th Anniversary with Congregation (1981)

Anniversaries/Congregation's 100th Anniversary (1987)

Anniversaries/Congregation's 100th Anniversary (1987)

Anniversaries/N. Main St. Building 25th Anniversary (1994)

Board of Directors/Discipline of Congregants

Board of Directors/Members

Board of Directors/Minutes, Oct.1928 - Oct. 1929

Box 2: Board of Directors/Minutes (?) ca. 1938 - 1943 (in Yiddish)- Buildings/1244 N. Main Street - Dedication, 1969

Board of Directors/Members/Brener, Jerry

Board of Directors/Minutes (?) ca. 1938 - 1943 (in Yiddish)

Board of Directors/Weinberg - Pessin - Wachtel Dispute, 1939 - 1940

Brotherhood

Buildings/296 Market Street

Buildings/221 Greenfield Street (1928)

Buildings/225 Greenfield Street (1956) - School and Auditorium

Buildings/219 Ridgefield Street - Rabbi's House (owned by congregation)

Buildings/1244 N. Main Street - Butler House

Buildings/1244 N. Main Street - Dedication, 1969

Buildings/1244 N. Main Street - Dedication, 1969

Box 3: Buildings/1244 N. Main Street/Fund Raising Campaign-N

Buildings/1244 N. Main Street - Fund Raising Campaign

Buildings/1244 N. Main Street - Ground Breaking & Construction

Buildings/1244 N. Main Street - Planning

Cemetery and Burial

Charitable Activities

Conferences

Constitution and By-Laws

Education/Adult Education

Education/AvRutick Memorial Lecture Series

Education/Chevra Mishnayos

Education/Miscellaneous

Education/School Activities

Education/School Activities/Graduation and Confirmation

Education/Zachs Memorial Lecture Series

Education/See also the Hartford Institute for Jewish Studies Collection

Financial Information

Fundraising (Including Perpetual Endowment Fund)

Historical Highlights

Holidays

Holidays/High Holiday ticket, 1930s-1940s

Interfaith Activities

Members and Membership

Merger Proposals

Miscellaneous

Music, Choir, Cantorial Programs

Newsletters

Newspaper clippings, 1960s-1970s

Newspaper clippings, 1980s

Newspaper clippings, 1990s

Newspaper clippings, 2000s

Newspaper clippings, 2010s

Box 4: P-Z

Publicity

Rabbis/AvRutick, Abraham and Frances

Rabbis/Berkowitz, Joshua

Rabbis/Hurewitz, Isaac: see People files

Rabbis/Kaye, Eric N.

Rabbis/Miscellaneous

Rabbis/Spolter, Reuven

Rabbis/Yaffe, Schlomo

Ritual Matters and Shabbat Events

Sisterhood

Sisterhood/Minutes, Jan. 1937 - May, 1940

Social Club (Double A and Mr. and Mrs. Club)/Dances

Social Club (Double A and Mr. and Mrs. Club)/Fund Raising

Social Club (Double A and Mr. and Mrs. Club)/Membership List 1946 - 49

Social Club (Double A and Mr. and Mrs. Club)/Minutes, 1950 - 1952

Social Club (Double A and Mr. and Mrs. Club)/Miscellaneous

Social Club (Double A and Mr. and Mrs. Club)/Musical Revues and Shows

Soviet Jewry/New Americans

Staff Members/Miscellaneous

Yikzor/Memorial booklets

Youth Groups

Box 5: Chameides donation (2010.14)

Commencement Programs (2 folders)

Sisterhood

Newsletter – The Announcer

Photographs

Newspaper Clippings

Box 6: Chameides donation (2010.14)

Generation Unto Generation

Invitations

Programs

Membership

Social Club

Anniversaries

Congregation Agudas Achim Dedication Book (2 copies)

Photographs: See "Photographs/Synagogues/Agudas Achim"

Oversized Materials:

Oversized documents have been photocopied and stored in the Oversize Documents/Synagogues box; the copies have been incorporated into the main document collection.

1 scrapbook was part of the Chameides donation in 2010

Collection Size: One box

Anniversaries/Greenfield St. building/25th, 1954

Board of Directors

Brotherhood

Buildings/221 Greenfield Street

Buildings/221 Greenfield Street/School and Auditorium

Buildings/1244 North Main Street

Buildings/1244 North Main Street/Butler House

Buildings/1244 North Main Street/Dedication, 1969

Buildings/1244 North Main Street/fundraising Campaign

Buildings/1244 North Main Street/groundbreaking and Construction,

Buildings/1244 North Main Street/temporary Headquarters

Education/Chevra Mishnayos

Fundraising

Education/School Activities

Habonem Club

Members and Membership/empty folder, 8/9/2005

Music, Choir, and Cantorial

Rabbis

Rabbis/Avrutick, Abraham/35th anniversary with congregation, 1981

Ritual Matters and Shabbat events

Social Club

Staff/ ritual Director, Rev. e. Rubenstien, Shamos

Youth Groups

Oversized Materials: OVERSIZE/Synagogues