Beth Hamedrash Hagodol (Garden Street Synagogue)

Beth Hamedrash Hagadol (the house of great study) was built in 1923. The synagogue’s architects were Berenson & Moses of Hartford. Isaac Hurwitz was the congregation’s first spiritual leader. In 1926 the congregation merged with Ohave Zedeck. The congregation remained in the building until the mid 1960s. A church now uses the building.

Folder includes an original building contract with architect firm, Bereson & Moses.

Folder includes initial deposit receipt for building specifications by Bereson & Moses architects, issued to the Sharo Torah Society. Also included is building inspection report (photocopy).

Topics discussed include: Various shops in Hartford which were around in his childhood, Growing up in Hartford, family’s dairy business and later Bacon Bottling (soda business), growing up in the South End of Hartford, early death of his father, South End Talmud Torah, Jewish Religious education, his life as an adult, father, and grandfather.

Herman Holtz discusses his involvement in Ados Israel, detailing the history of that as well as various other shuls in Hartford. Some anecdotes are the dedication of the synogogue (as well as the death of the Rabbi Kram two days later), the floods of 1936 and 1938, and the schnudder book made my Herman's uncle Louis Price.

These interviews cover much of the same material, focusing on Hartford's Jewish community in the early 1900s.