Our Rich History
Our Rich History
Beth El Hebrew Congregation has a long and storied past. From its inception during the middle of the 19th century in the port city of Alexandria, Virginia, just across the Potomac River from the nation’s capital, to its present 21st century vibrancy, it has borne witness to the events of town, country, and world, as well as changes in religious observances.
At the edge of the sidewalk, in front of 206 North Washington Street, in Alexandria, Virginia, is a Virginia Historic Landmark Commission marker bearing the inscription: “SITE OF FIRST SYNAGOGUE OF BETH EL HEBREW CONGREGATION.” Built in 1871, Beth El Hebrew Congregation’s synagogue was the first structure erected as a Jewish house of worship in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area.
Yet our congregation began even earlier. Beth El Hebrew Congregation was established in the port city of Alexandria, Virginia on September 4, 1859, making it the earliest established Reform Jewish congregation and the oldest continuously active synagogue in the Northern Virginia region. Beth El is a founding member of the Union for Reform Judaism.
Beth El’s founders were German immigrants who came to the United States as a result of the European political upheaval of 1848. During the Civil War, America’s Jewish population grew, and by the 1880s, Beth El had rented space for worship and religious instruction in Stewart's Hall at the corner of King and Pitt Streets in Alexandria. By 1867, Beth El had its first permanent rabbi, Dr. Leopold Lowensohn.
After the Civil War, the congregation focused its fundraising on acquiring land for their own synagogue. In April 1871, the congregation purchased a small plot of land, and in September 1871, Beth El dedicated its new synagogue. Shortly before the dedication, Rabbi Lowensohn started delivering some sermons in English. In 1882, German was eliminated from the services.
After the war, depressed economic conditions led many Jewish residents to leave Alexandria. In 1883, it was determined that Beth El could no longer afford a full-time rabbi. Instead, rabbinical students were hired to lead High Holiday services.
As Alexandria’s Jewish population continued to decline, a new group of Jewish immigrants began arriving from Eastern Europe. These immigrants were more Orthodox than the German Jews had been. Some joined Beth El, but most thought Beth El’s Reform practices were too foreign. In 1914, 14 families left Beth El and established their own Conservative congregation, Agudas Achim Congregation, just a few miles away. The two congregations remained on good terms, and they share some activities and co-sponsor events to this day.
rIn 1939, Beth El’s use of holiday rabbis ceased. In that year, Beth El’s president Benedict Weil proposed bringing Rabbi Hugo B. Schiff of Karlsruhe, Germany to Beth El as its first permanent rabbi in more than 50 years. Schiff had been the leader of a 1,000-member congregation in Karlsruhe before being imprisoned at the Dachau Concentration Camp. Beth El members eagerly agreed. On April 18, 1939, Schiff became Beth El’s rabbi, bringing with him a Torah that had been rescued from his destroyed synagogue. Schiff revitalized Beth El’s congregational life, expanding Shabbat services, reintroducing Bar Mitzvah and Confirmation ceremonies, hosting congregational Passover seders, organizing an adult study group, and giving lectures about the history of Jewish people. Under Schiff's leadership, Beth El's membership quadrupled within nine years.
On July 1, 1948, Rabbi Schiff resigned, and Beth El was without a rabbi for more than a year. On Rosh Hashanah 1949, C. Melvyn Helfgott was installed as Beth El’s next rabbi. By the time he resigned in 1953, Beth El had increased its membership to 180 families. In April 1954, Rabbi Emmet A. Frank arrived at Beth El. Between 1954 and 1960, Beth El’s membership jumped from 180 to 400 families and religious school enrollment surged from 200 to 500 students. Lacking space for the growing congregation, in 1955 the congregation bought a 5.5-acre tract on Seminary Road in Alexandria. The new synagogue was completed in 1957, expanded in 1968, and remains Beth El’s home to this day.
While Beth El constructed its new synagogue, the congregation held Friday night services at Fairlington United Methodist Church on King Street in Alexandria. It also held some religious school classes there. To show appreciation for this support, Beth El presented a gift to Fairlington United Methodist Church in 1957. In February 1958, the two congregations began celebrating an Interfaith dinner celebrating their friendship. This dinner has become an annual event, and the two congregations alternate as hosts.
Throughout the 1950s, Beth El leadership supported school desegregation. In 1958, Beth El attracted nationwide attention when Rabbi Frank delivered a powerful sermon attacking Virginia’s policy of “massive resistance.” Some congregants did not support all of Beth El leadership’s positions, however. In 1962, a group of families left to form a new Reform congregation, Temple Rodef Shalom, in Falls Church, Virginia. Today, the two congregations are quite friendly and often take part in joint activities.
Rabbi Frank left Beth El in 1969, and his successor, Rabbi Arnold Fink, served Beth El from 1969 to 2002. An 11th-generation rabbi, Rabbi Fink continued Rabbi Frank’s legacy of Jewish-inspired activism. He was known for lobbying and protesting on behalf of the rights of Jews in the Soviet Union and for civil rights for blacks in the United States.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Beth El’s enjoyed strong growth in membership, programs, and attendance at religious services. Also, the congregation became more open to having interfaith families woven into their community’s fabric. Non-Jewish parents began to be active participants in the child’s B’nai Mitzvah services; in some cases, the rabbi or cantor officiated at weddings in which one partner was not Jewish.
By the 1990s, Beth El had also launched intentional efforts to welcome people across the spectrum of abilities. The Religious School began including students with disabilities in classes and working with them on life cycle events. By 2008, Beth El had established an Inclusion Committee aimed at improving accessibility in its building and grounds and fostering disability awareness and inclusion. Ramps, handrails, and automatic door openers make our building entrances more accessible. Large-print prayer books, a Wi-Fi-based assistive listening system in the sanctuary, and a ramp to the Bima have enhanced access to the sanctuary and worship service for members and guests. The Religious School has a Special Needs/Inclusion Coordinator who assists students who have disabilities or other challenges.
Rabbi Fink first conceived of an outdoor chapel in the wooded area beyond the synagogue’s parking lot. When the rabbi announced his retirement, Beth El Brotherhood honored him by constructing the “Chapel in the Woods,” keeping the natural setting, and creating an intimate, secluded area for contemplation, small services, and small classes. Many congregants joined the effort, donating funds and helping to clear the brush and build trails, benches, a small bridge, and even an ark. The original project was completed on June 22, 2002. Many congregants continue to volunteer, keeping the area a beautiful place to connect with nature.
After 33 years of service, Rabbi Fink retired in 2002 and was named Rabbi Emeritus. On July 1, 2002, he was succeeded by Rabbi Brett Isserow, who was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. In 2009, Beth El initiated a year-long series of events and programs celebrating its 150 years of continuous service to the Reform Jewish community and the civic goals of the metropolitan region. As part of this celebration, Beth El housed exhibitions from the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington detailing Jewish Life in Mr. Lincoln’s City. The year’s festivities culminated in a 150th anniversary Erev Shabbat service on April 17, 2009, which was attended by Rabbi Daniel Freelander, then senior vice president of the Union for Reform Judaism.
In 2017, Rabbi Isserow retired and was named Rabbi Emeritus. Rabbi David Spinrad was selected as his replacement. Before joining Beth El, Rabbi Spinrad had also served as an Associate Rabbi at The Temple in Atlanta. There, he oversaw congregational social justice initiatives as the director of the Rothschild Social Justice Institute.
When COVID-19 hit in March of 2020, Beth El made a large effort to ensure that members of the congregation stayed connected, even if they could not physically be together. This included the Rabbi, Cantor, and the lay leaders of the congregation livestreaming services and B’nai Mitzvah events, and transitioning to virtual platforms for meetings, classes and social events. Our congregation was thrilled when the building reopened and we were able to be together in person again.
Our congregation’s history is rich, filled with a community deeply connected to our Jewish values and to each other. We can look back with pride at where we began, where we are now, and where we are going.
Wed, August 13 2025
19 Av 5785
Beth El Hebrew Congregation is a not for profit that is exempt from income taxation under IRS Code Section 501(c)
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