United Hebrews of Ocala

Historic former Reform Jewish synagogue in Ocala, Florida, US

29°11′19″N 82°7′50″W / 29.18861°N 82.13056°W / 29.18861; -82.13056ArchitectureTypeSynagogueStyleCarpenter GothicDate established1873 (as a congregation)Completed1888

U.S. Historic district
Contributing property

Part ofTuscawilla Park Historic District (ID87002015)Designated CPMarch 30, 1988 ^[1]^[2]

The United Hebrews of Ocala is an historic former Reform Jewish synagogue building located at 729 N.E. 2nd Street, in the Tuscawilla Park Historic District of Ocala, Marion County, Florida, in the United States.

The building was used as a synagogue from 1888 until 1976. It has subsequently been used as a Christian place of worship.

Jewish history

The historic Carpenter Gothic building was completed in 1888 and was one of the first synagogues in Florida.^[3]^[4] The building is a contributing property to the Tuscawilla Park Historic Distric. It is among the oldest synagogue buildings in the United States.^[5]

The congregation was founded in 1873 and, since 1963, has been known as Temple B'nai Darom. In 1975 a new congregation, Temple Beth Shalom, split from the original congregation, around the time that Temple B’nai Darom began to worship at 49 Banyan Course in Silver Springs Shores. In 2016, it was proposed that the two congregations amalgamate. However, it stalled. Since 2018, Temple B'nai Darom have worshiped at 7465 SW 38th Street.^[6]^[7]^[8] Since 2022, Temple Beth Shalom worship at 6140 SW 78th Avenue Road, having previously worshiped at 8th Avenue in Ocala.^[9] Their building, called the Ocala Tree of Life Sanctuary, is an interfaith place of worship for Temple Beth Shalom and the First Congregational United Church of Christ.^[10]

Building adaptation

In 1978, the congregation sold the historic building on 2nd Street and it was initially used by the Ocala Bible Chapel, a non-denominational Christian congregation.^[11] The congregation used the historic building until 2011, and have since worshiped in a building located at 2810 NE 14th Street in Ocala.^[12] In 2011, the historic building was sold to the Good News Baptist Church of Ocala, a Pentecostal Christian congregation of the Baptists, that is part of the Good New Baptist Network. As of January 2024^[update], this congregation worshiped at 5600 SE 24th Street, in Ocala.^[13]

Gallery

References

^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
^ Shiver, W. Carl (March 30, 1988). "Nomination Form: Tuscawilla Park Historic District". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
^ "Florida Jewish History". Archived from the original on November 5, 2007.
^ "Marion County". A Guide to Florida's Historic Architecture. Gainesville: University of Florida Press. 1989.
^ Gordon, Mark W. (1996). "Rediscovering Jewish Infrastructure: Update on United States Nineteenth Century Synagogues". American Jewish History. 84 (1) (2019 update ed.): 11–27.
^ "Home page". Temple B'nai Darom. 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
^ Gorny, Nicki (October 5, 2016). "Pending move". Ocala Star Banner. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
^ Rizzo, Marian (November 30, 2018). "Temple B'nai Darom to dedicate SW Ocala building Dec. 9". Ocala Star Banner. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
^ "History". Temple Beth Shalom. 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
^ Dowell, Rosemarie (March 11, 2022). "Two different faiths, one roof". Ocala Gazette. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
^ Engle, Doug (October 11, 2020). "Florida history". BrethernPedia. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
^ "Home page". Ocala Bible Chapel. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
^ "Home page". Good News Baptist Church of Ocala. Retrieved January 12, 2024.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to United Hebrews of Ocala (Florida).

Official website of Temple B'nai Darom
Official website of Ocala Bible Chapel
Zerivitz, Marcia (January 2007). "Florida Jewish History Month". Floria Jewish Museum. Archived from the original on November 5, 2007.
"Tuscawilla Park Historic District" (Map). Growth Management. City of Ocala, Florida. 2024 – via OneMap.