Filling the Cistern

Thus far, almost all of my posts have been about investigating the cistern that was found under the SE corner of the LSS. Well, the time finally came to refill it. While I wish we could have left it open for public viewing (though not exploring!), it was a danger to the structural integrity of the building. So, how exactly did we go about filling it? I'm so glad you asked!

First, the general contractors returned to the LSS to remove hay that was placed in the archaeology pit over the cistern to protect it from the cold and to clear away debris from the North and East walls of the synagogue. The next day, the plumbers returned to pump the cistern (again) and removed approximately four feet of standing water from the bottom. The grouting company then filled the cistern with flowable fill* and laid grout injection pipes. Later this week, we hope to have the general contractors back to backfill four of the eight existing archaeology pits with new, clean, compactable fill. Once that has been completed, the grouting company will return to inject grout under the SE corner of the LSS in order to stabilize it and prevent further settlement.

On a somewhat related note, I now have more detailed pictures of the inside of the cistern and will post them shortly. I am waiting for a final archaeology report, and as soon as I receive it, I will post the pictures along with corresponding text.

*more on this in a later post

LSS Fact of the Day

1860 Baltimore American

CITY AFFAIRS

Consecration of Lloyd Street Synagogue -- The interesting ceremony of consecrating a Hebrew Synagogue to the worship of the Most High, was performed yesterday afternoon in the eastern section of the city. – The building dedicated has long been known as the Lloyd Street Synagogue. Until within the last six months the edifice was of contracted proportions, and quite insufficient for the accommodation of the already large and steadily increasing congregation. It was decided to enlarge the building, and improve it to meet the necessittee [sic.] of the worshippers. The new and handsome structure consecrated is the result of that determination.

The Synagogue is not of imposing dimensions. On the contrary its proportions are quite moderate, even with the present addition of some thirty feet to its length, but it is nevertheless one of the prettiest places of worship in the city. Its decoration are in good taste; its pews, furniture, carpeting, stucco work, &c., neat and durable. The main body of the building (as is the case with all Synagogues) is set apart for the men. The galleries, extending along three sides of the house, is appropriated to the women. In both places pews are arranged for the accommodation of worshippers, space for each person in them being numbered and seats let singly for the year. Four rows of pews commence at the entrance, or front of the church, and extend as far as the middle, where a comparatively open space is formed immediately in front of the ark. On each side of this space a row of pews is continued till within a few feet of the extreme end of the building. Within the space left in the centre of the building, the desk, handsomely draped in purple velvet with bullion bordering, is raised. In front of the desk a number of semi-circular benches are placed for the accommodation of the choir, who face the ark and pulpit stand.

The ark itself is built up the extreme end of the synagogue and rests upon a broad, spacious platform, approached by a short flight of steps, commencing a few feet from the choristers’ seats. It is the first thing that catches the eye upon entering the building. In shape it somewhat resembles the Corinthian portico of a large mansion. The columns adorning its front are fluted and touched with gilding. The capitols of each column are elaborately wrought and tastefully gilded, and contribute greatly to the effect of the work. A beautiful purple velvet curtain, on which a single crown is wrought in gold, with olive branches relieving it, hides the interior of the sacred place from view. Upon the top of all is placed a stain glass representation of the two tablets delivered to Moses on Mt. Sinai, with the Hebrew characters of the Ten Commands of God inscribed thereon. At three and a half o’clock in the afternoon the doors of the synagogue were thrown open and the people began to assemble. The galleries were soon filled with ladies and it was not long before they were packed. The men secured seats in the places allotted them. In all, it is estimated that six or eight hundred people were in attendance. A printed programme [sic.] in the German language was circulated and the exercises shortly after commenced. A good band of musicians, with stringed and wind instruments, were present, and together with thirty-five singers, occupied the choir seats, the singers were all males, and among them were a number of boys, with fine alto and tenor voices.

LSS Fact of the Day

The Baltimore Sun, 1853

Handsome Improvement – The Hebrew Synagogue, situated on Lloyd street, is now undergoing very general improvements, which, when completed, will greatly beautify the house, and advance the conveniences of worship. A new roof of slate has been put on by William Bayley, whilst the entire building, inside and out, has been finely painted by Job Wilks. The ceiling has been frescoed in a modest yet very becoming style of work, and the aisles laid with superior Brussells [sic] carpeting. Not the least attractive feature is the redecoration of the Tabernacle, which contains the ten commandments. The upholstery work was done in a superior manner by Messrs. Holland & Bro. whilst the curtain, of rich scarlet velvet, is elaborately embroidered by Mr. John H. Wilson, of the Temperance Temple, in solid gold characters, and is an admirable specimen of work. It presents in Hebrew characters the following words: “Presented by the Hebrew Ladies of the Lloyd Street Synagogue to the Baltimore Hebrew Congregation.” Immediately above the Tabernacle is a superb circular window, filled with stained glass, and executed by Messrs. Jemhardt. The various rosettes form a brilliant star of many colors, which enliven the interior admirably.

LSS Fact of the Day

The changing sanctuary of the Lloyd Street Synagogue.

We have no pictures of the sanctuary of the Lloyd Street Synagogue until 1958, but the building changed many times in the 113 years before that. The congregations responded to changing fashion by decorating and redecorating, and they responded to changing needs by expanding and rearranging. At the dedication in 1845 a reporter for the Baltimore American and Commercial Advertiser, described the building in this way:

“The main floor of the church it fitted up with pews, and has a gallery extending on three sides of the church appropriated entirely to the female portion of the congregation. The eastern wall has a round window filled with stained glass directly over the ark [cabinet containing the Torah]. The ark… is a semi-circular temple with Corinthian pillars and ribs, and carved ornaments on the roof and the tables of the law in front. The doors are enriched with carvings and slide on rollers around the curve of the sides. On each side of the ark is an elevated platform with rich finished arm chairs for the President and Vice President of the congregation. In front is the reading desk and seats for the readers, of solid walnut. The window over the ark bears [sic.] the shape of a double star, of the most beautiful variegated colors, illustrating the shield of David, in the centre of which is a representation of a Greecian [sic.] Corinthian Acanthus. The spaces between the points of the star are filled with Grecian leaves, the whole surrounded by a circle to correspond….The windows are tinted of a golden color and diffuse a warm glow of light in the interior. The interior wood work is painted of a warm drab color, and the walls and ceilings when dry are going to be finished in fresco.” (Baltimore American and Commercial Advertiser, September, 1845)

The Occident also described the new synagogue in detail, admiring its beauty and only finding fault with the fact that the smallness of the space didn’t allow for a central bimah (raised platform from which the service is conducted).

LSS Fact of the Day

1845 - After fifteen years of moving between rented rooms, the Baltimore Hebrew Congregation decided to build its own synagogue. The structure became the first synagogue in the state of Maryland. The congregation hired Robert Cary Long, Jr., a prominent Baltimore architect, who created a Greek revival style building. In September, the new synagogue was consecrated.

From the Baltimore Sun, September 27, 1845

“Agreeably to announcement, the new synagogue erected by the Hebrew congregation of Baltimore, was yesterday afternoon dedicated to the service of the Most High. The building was crowded in all its parts, and among the audience we noticed the Rev. Dr. Johns, Rev. Wm. Hamilton, Rev. Mr. Purvance, and other ministers of Christian churches. There were present, the Rev. Mr. Rice, Chief Rabbi in the U. States, the Rev. Mr. Isaacs, of New York, the Rev. Mr. Leeser, of Philadelphia, and the Rev. Mr. Ansell, of this city. About 4 o’clock the lamps in the church were lit, and the ceremonies of consecration commenced by the opening of the Ark, from which the five books of Moses were taken, and carried by five persons through the centre aisle to the front door and back again to the reader’s desk or altar, prayers in Hebrew being chaunted in the meantime by the congregation, led by Mr. Ansell. They then moved round the desk a number of times, still chaunting [sic], when the sacred archives were deposited in the Ark. Mr. Ansell then read a prayer in English, in which the blessing of Heaven was invoked upon the President of the U. states, the Executives of the State and city, &c. &c.

“The Rev. Mr. Leeser then rose and delivered a lengthy address from a portion of Scripture commencing with, 'And not to you alone do I make this covenant,' &c. We cannot pretend to follow the Reverend gentleman in his discourse. He spoke of the covenant given by God to the fathers in Israel, which had been handed down; the law, although called the law of Moses, was the law of God, and Moses but the means used to deliver the law to mankind – in it God speaks, not Moses. He gave a history of the Jews, their persecutions, &c., and exalted that the law was still preserved, and alluded to the preservation of the law as one evidence of their being peculiarly under the keeping of God; Israel has been ever true, will be ever true, to follow their God – the one God. The brethren present, by raising this structure, had entered into the covenant anew. They had no new mode pointed out to them, but faith in the law and obedience were still the means to be used for propitiating the mercy of God. The address, of which the above is the merest sketch, was an eloquent one, and was listened to with the most profound attention.

“The Rev. Mr. Isaacs next followed in an able discourse from the text, 'How awful is this place; this is no other than the house of God; the gate of Heaven.' The general object of this discourse was to demonstrate that the church just erected was God’s house – a miniature temple erected to his service. The address was quite a lengthy one, and at the conclusion, he made an appropriate prayer. Prayers were then chaunted [sic], in Hebrew, led by the Rev. Mr. Ansell, and the congregation was dismissed. And thus has been dedicated, the first synagogue ever built in Maryland. We are requested to state that the services will be continued as usual this morning; and at ten o’clock a lecture in English, will be delivered by the Rev. Mr. Isaacs. Tickets of admission will not be required.”

*Please note that "Rev." does not indictae that a person was of Christian faith but a title for someone who was deemed to deserve respect. In this case, "awful" is something full of awe, not something horrible. Additionally, spelling and grammar have not been edited.

Elsewhere in the Museum...

Since, as Lacy mentioned, the synagogue renovations are hibernating, I thought I'd include some of the other recent activities at the JMM, including some of our Chanukah activities.

Check out this video of Esther Weiner, JMM's Museum Shop Manager, performing a latke (potato pancake) cooking demonstration for students from Mount Washington Elementary!

See the Latke Demo here!

Students enjoying latkes and singing Chanukah songs from Mount Washington Elementary.



We also had Daniel Barash lead a Jewish Shadow Puppet workshop with children from across the region. Watch this clip of the students using their puppets during the performance of In the Month of Kislev.

Watch a clip of the show here!

Kids making shadow puppets for In the Month of Kislev.




We had over 80 people at the JMM on December 25th enjoying a number of great programs, including the BONIM (builders in Hebrew) project. Based on the photograph, Aufsicht (yellow) by Wolfgang Tillmans in the exhibit, Dateline: Israel, families created their own Israeli city!



The final result!



The photograph that provided inspiration:



Thanks to National Lumber for providing materials!

Once Upon a Time Photos: Pre-2009

All of our older identified and waiting-to-be identified Once Upon a Time Photographs can be found here:

http://www.jewishmuseummd.org/html/jt_imagesII.html

Thank you.