HONESDALE, Pa. — Congregation Beth Israel on Court Street in Honesdale has been a long-standing presence in the community. The congregation was formed in 1849, and the synagogue was built in 1856. The current congregation has about 100 families. Some can trace their membership back to the original congregation.
"The opportunity to step into history every time I enter that building is an extraordinary gift," Rabbi Elliott Kleinman said.
Rabbi Kleinman says the synagogue in Honesdale is the second-oldest in the United States, still occupied by its original congregation. For more than a century, the building was the smallest synagogue in the U.S. When the synagogue was constructed, the builders had only worked on churches. That's why the synagogue has features usually seen in churches.
"If you look at the very top of our steeple, you'll see a Jewish star at the very top of the steeple, so we are the only congregation I know of, with an actual steeple. It has a Jewish star at the top," Rabbi Kleinman said.
Despite being built in the 1800s, the congregation was brought into the 21st century a few years ago, and it helped just as COVID-19 hit.
"We have folks who join us from San Francisco and in southern California, in Arizona and Florida."
This was the second time the congregation had celebrated Passover virtually.
To make it more special this year, some congregation members prepared Seder meals for others.
"Some of the people who would have a tougher time cooking a large Seder meal, especially when you're cooking for one or two people, so we made arrangements to have meals delivered to those who needed them," said Robert Schwartz, a member of Congregation Beth Israel.
"Despite the fact that we couldn't continue in our historic building, the history of my congregation continues on Zoom, like this," the rabbi added.
Rabbi Kleinman says he hopes to resume services in the synagogue as soon as it is safe.