Adas Israel Congregation was a Modern Orthodox Jewishsynagogue located in Duluth, Minnesota established in the late 19th century. Until its destruction by arson on September 9, 2019, it was the oldest surviving Orthodox synagogue in Duluth having outlived and incorporated several Orthodox synagogues in the Twin Ports area. By 1973, it was the only Orthodox synagogue in Duluth. It could also be described as a Jewish "traditionalist" congregation because in official communal guidelines it is officially described as "an Orthodox/high Conservative congregation" meaning that its members are composed of some Orthodox Jews as well as those who practice an older form of traditional Judaism. It is described as having a membership of 75. Services are lay-led with daily minyans, Saturday morning and holiday services. While the congregation maintains a synagogue on Duluth's East 3rd Street, they share a building with Temple Israel, a Reform Judaism congregation, for their youth programs. On September 9, 2019, the 3rd Street synagogue was destroyed by a fire that was caused by arson.
Geography and membership
Duluth is a seaportcity in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of St. Louis County. It forms a metropolitan area with Superior, Wisconsin, Called the Twin Ports, these two cities share the Duluth-Superior Harbor and together are one of the most important ports on the Great Lakes, shipping coal, iron ore, and grain. This unique location attracted Jewish settlers who set up a number of synagogues that still serve Jews from the surrounding areas:
Community and synagogue history
The origins of this synagogue are tied in with the earliest settlement of Minnesota by Jews fleeing persecutions in Eastern Europe including Russia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Hungary in the 19th century. In one published family history, the synagogue's establishment is described as part of the development of Jewish, indeed European, communal life: Other histories record that: Female members of the congregation were active with social, humanitarian and charitable causes. "The Adas Israel Ladies' Aid of Duluth are... examples of Orthodox synagogue' women's groups that helped the poor, the sick and the needy as well as their own synagogues." In 1930, Adas Israel absorbed the B'nai Israel Synagogue of Duluth. Adas Israel is the oldest surviving original synagogue being a continuation of earlier synagogues and a living symbol of a surviving active Jewish community in northeast Minnesota. It was the only surviving Orthodox synagogue, until the establishment of a short-lived ChabadHasidic synagogue in 2001.
A fire which began just before 2.30am on September 9, 2019, totally destroyed the building. It was thought that eight of the 14Torah scrolls were able to be saved from the debris. A man was arrested on September 13 and will be charged with first-degree arson. No one was in the building at the time of the fire. The arrested individual has no permanent address.
