Our Building
We are committed to passing our Jewish tradition “l’dor va dor,” from generation to generation. Tifereth Israel offers many opportunities for our young people to develop their Jewish knowledge and Jewish identity through education.
1 Congregation Tifereth Israel, located at 32nd and Sheridan, is the only synagogue in Lincoln serving the Conservative denomination of Judaism. “The early Jewish settlers met for worship in private homes,” writes Harry Allen in A History of Tifereth Israel,“but at a meeting on October 19, 1903 a congregation to be known as Tifereth Israel (meaning “Israel’s Glory”) was founded. Twenty-eight members subscribed at the time to a Building Fund which would eventuate in a House of Worship for the congregation.” When Congregation Tifereth Israel merged with Congregation Talmud Torah, they were able to realize their hopes for the construction of a synagogue building. A brick structure built at the corner of 18th and L Streets served the congregation well for over 40 years. At that time, it became apparent that a new, larger synagogue would be needed. Leo Hill was president of Tifereth Israel during this period and, under his guidance, the Congregation erected its new building at 32nd Street and Sheridan Boulevard.
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on April 19, 1953 (on the anniversary of the burning of the Warsaw Ghetto) and the cornerstone was laid on June 6, 1954. Although the building itself is a fairly typical example of 1950s brick ranch architecture, several interior features are worthy of note. A fresco in the entry entitled “Megillat Lincoln” was commissioned by the Max Neiden family and created by local artists Dean and Jay Tschetter. The cast stone sculpture depicts an unwinding scroll showing the ancestral roots of Jews in Lincoln.
Stained glass windows in the sanctuary are of late ‘50s Prairie School style. They are comprised of brightly colored abstract shapes and are in keeping with the Jewish nonrepresentational tradition which forbids depictions of human figures.
Another striking feature of the sanctuary (which traditionally points toward Jerusalem) is the ark, the cabinet which holds the Torah Scrolls. The carved mahogany doors of the ark have eight panels which each depict a major Jewish holiday. It took artist Albert Wood and his five sons six months to craft the carvings prior to the synagogue’s dedication in 1954.
1Information from Country Club Chronicle