NC’s first Jewish house of worship, Temple of Israel, marks 147 years since Wilmington dedication

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — It’s been 147 years since North Carolina’s first Jewish synagogue, the Temple of Israel, was dedicated in Wilmington.

The Jews of Wilmington were part of the second wave of immigrants who arrived in the United States from Germany, working primarily as artisans, merchants and storekeepers.

As Wilmington grew in the mid-1800s, the Jews in the area needed a house of worship.

The initial plans for a synagogue were interrupted by the Civil War, but 40 families came together in 1872 to set plans for the long-awaited synagogue.

Samuel Sloan of Philadelphia was chosen as the architect and plans were developed for a distinctive building in the Moorish Revival style.

Construction began in 1875 and was completed the next year.

Rabbi Samuel Mendelsohn presided over the dedication in 1876. He would lead the Temple of Israel congregation until 1922.

The building still stands at the corner of Market Street and South 4th Street.