Savannah boasts the only Gothic shul in North America

Savannah boasts the only Gothic shul in North America
Savannah boasts the only Gothic shul in North America

Savannah, Ga., aptly nicknamed the Hostess City of the South, is home to one of the oldest Jewish communities in the United States and a stunning Gothic-style synagogue.

Popular in great churches and cathedrals, Gothic architecture isn’t a fundamental characteristic of synagogues. In fact, Savannah’s Congregation Mickve Israel claims that it is the only Gothic synagogue in North America. The community’s unique history and features brought more than 10,000 visitors through its doors last year to tour the sanctuary and museum.

“Our story starts in 1503,” begins Bill Raffel, my guide for the short tour of the synagogue. “Is that far enough back?” He chuckles.

This is the general spirit in Savannah. It’s a city with a population nearly equal to that of Abbotsford, B.C., but with a cultural and political history that makes it unique even in the United States. It’s the history and southern charm that brought nearly 13.5 million visitors to the city in 2014.

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Savannah was a pivotal site during the American Revolution and the American Civil War – not to mention a pivotal site for the classic American movie, Forrest Gump. It’s no wonder downtown Savannah is called the Historic District.

Officially, Congregation Mickve Israel is recognized as the third-oldest in the United States, behind congregations in New York City and Newport, R.I.2_CREDIT Ethan Rotberg

The full story does begin in the early 1500s, when the major targets of the Portuguese Inquisition were the Crypto-Jews – those who had converted from Judaism to Catholicism but were still secretly practising Judaism. In 1725, a community of Crypto-Jews fled Portugal, joining a Jewish congregation in England. It was there that these members decided to set sail for a new colony being established in Georgia.

After six months aboard the William and Sarah, 41 mostly Sephardi Jews arrived in Savannah in July 1733. Among their belongings, these founding congregants brought with them a Torah and a circumcision box. It was the largest group of Jews to land in North America during the colonial days.

The nod to the past, in this case being one of the country’s oldest congregations, is part of what keeps the community vibrant and growing.

Rabbi Robert Haas, who joined the Reform Congregation Mickve Israel as its spiritual leader in 2012, says the history does play a part in Savannah’s active Jewish community.

“It’s an iconic synagogue,” Rabbi Haas says. “From the very beginning, we were welcomed here. So Savannah Jews have always felt very comfortable.”

While tours have been offered for many years, they also added a museum on the second floor above the sanctuary 13 years ago. There you can see items like the original Torah brought aboard the William and Sarah from England, a letter to the congregation from George Washington following his election as first president of the United States, and even information on some of Mickve Israel’s most-famed congregants like Eugenia Levy Phillips, a Confederate spy during the Civil War.

Rabbi Haas acknowledges that tourism is a big part of life at Mickve Israel. “We have this whole volunteer base of people who love history. All these events help us engage both young and old people in the community.”

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A fascinating aspect of the synagogue is the structure itself. Those interested in architecture will find many of the key characteristics of Gothic style. Beginning with the exterior, the building stands tall the epitome of grandeur. Inside, pointed arches and vaulted ceilings help create a light and airy interior. And of course, the use of the quatrefoil, a decorative symbol resembling a four-leaf clover found mainly in Gothic architecture, can be seen throughout the sanctuary.

“The synagogue is really stunning,” Rabbi Haas says. “People do love coming here. And for the community, there’s a sense of pride that’s really remarkable.”