The New Israelite Temple Association Landmarks of Jewish History

Hamburg was an early center of a Jewish reform movement that gave rise to liberal Judaism. It was influenced by the Jewish Enlightenment and supported by a bourgeois elite. Their goal was to change Jewish education and religion. The Napoleonic occupation had previously brought a brief period of emancipation for Hamburg’s Jews. From 1811 to 1814, they enjoyed full civic rights.

In 1817, a small group of parishioners initially joined forces to provide an institutionalized framework for the desired changes. The Association reformed the Ashkenazi Jewish tradition by organizing religious services with German-language sermons and choral singing. While membership in the German-Israelite Congregation was mandatory, the Temple Association was a voluntary union under the umbrella of the Congregation.

1811/5571. Dissolution of the Triple Congregation

In 1811, Hamburg became part of the French Empire. The legal reorganization also led to the dissolution of the Triple Congregation. In 1812, the German-Israelite Congregation was founded in the city. With 6,300 members, it was the largest Jewish congregation in Germany at the time. The disappearance of “conservative” influence from Altona is considered a prerequisite for the development of Reform Judaism in Hamburg.

1841/5601. Dispute over a Prayer Book

In 1841, congregation rabbi Isaak Bernays publicly prohibited the use of a prayer book published by the Temple Association. The ensuing dispute illustrates the religious differentiation in the nineteenth century: A power struggle ensued between reformers and representatives of “law-abiding” Judaism. Even among the supporters of reform, there were disputes about the extent of liturgical changes, such as the abridgement of traditional prayer texts.

1844/5604. The Temple on Poolstrasse

In 1818, the Temple Association rented premises in Hamburg-Neustadt and set up the first “temple” – in contrast to the term “synagogue.” The Association gained more and more members, causing a shortage of seating. In 1844, a new building was dedicated on Poolstrasse. The reformist approach was also evident in the building’s design, featuring a common entrance for women and men and a built-in organ – the first in a German synagogue.