Rodef Shalom, the oldest Jewish Congregation in Western Pennsylvania and the largest Reform congregation in the area, was chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1856, though its origins go back to the late 1840s. Originally comprised mainly of German Jews, the Congregation grew as Eastern European Jewish immigration to the area increased. Members of Rodef Shalom have been instrumental in the development of Pittsburgh's cultural, civic and Jewish institutions. Through their writings and organizational leadership, our rabbis, including J. Leonard Levy (1901-1917), Samuel H. Goldenson (1918-1934), Solomon B. Freehof (1934-1966), Rabbi Emeritus Walter Jacob (1966-1996), and Mark N. Staitman (1997-2003), have contributed to the national and international development of Reform Judaism.
For more information about Rodef Shalom's history, click here.
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The mission of the Rodef Shalom Archives, formally organized in 2000, is to collect, preserve, and make available the records of Rodef Shalom Congregation. The Archives collects a wide range of media, including books, manuscripts, photographs, audiotapes, videotapes, and three-dimensional and multimedia materials. Through its activities, the Archives serves as a bridge from our Jewish past to our Jewish future.
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Rodef Shalom Congregational History:
minutes of Board and Annual Meetings from c1880;
administrative records and correspondence from c1904; activities of Religious School, Sisterhood, Brotherhood, and Junior Congregation.
Burial Records:
Troy Hill (Bes Almon) Cemetery, beginning in 1847, and West View Cemetery, 1875-the present.
Other Life Cycle Records:
membership, confirmation, and marriage records.
Publications:
sermons, articles, and books, some in manuscript form, by Rodef Shalom rabbis.
Audiovisual:
photographs, slides, and videotapes of Rodef Shalom activities.
Jewish Criterion:
weekly newspaper (1902-1962) with reports of cultural, political, and social events, and notices of births, marriages and deaths.
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First Eighth Street Temple 1900 sketch of the first Temple building on Eighth Street (formerly Hancock St.), dedicated May 20, 1862. The building was designed by Charles Bartberger.
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Second Eighth Street Temple The second Eighth Street Temple building, designed by Charles Bickel and dedicated in 1901, was remodeled and expanded in 1904.
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Rodef Shalom Temple, 1908 Exterior view of Fifth Avenue Temple, 1908. Architect Henry Hornbostel used local brick, handmade tiles and terra cotta in a design that symbolized the congregation's love of tradition and its modern approach to Judaism. The building was completed in 1907.
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Fifth Avenue Temple 1908 Interior of Fifth Avenue Temple, soon after completion (c1908), showing the 90-foot dome and Willet stained glass windows.
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Penny post card of Fifth Avenue Temple interior (1909)
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| Visitors to Rodef Shalom often notice the many beautiful artworks displayed in the hallways and meeting rooms. Many of these pieces have been donated over the years by member families and constituent organizations in memory of loved ones or in honor of a special event. The collection contains works in a variety of media, such as oil paintings, lithographs, works on fabric, and sculptures. Here is a small sample of images from Rodef Shalom's art collection.
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