page_title: Congregation Mikveh Israel
section_title: Third and Cherry Streets, 1825–1860
hierarchical_section_title: Congregation Mikveh Israel / Third and Cherry Streets, 1825–1860
caption_attribution_description: English: Woodcut illustration of the interior of Kehillah Kadosh Mikveh Israel at the dedication of the new building on Cherry Street in 1825.
context_page_description: Congregation Mikveh Israel, "Holy Community of the Hope of Israel", is a synagogue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that traces its history to 1740. Mikveh Israel is a Spanish and Portuguese synagogue that follows the rite of the Amsterdam esnoga. It is the oldest synagogue in Philadelphia, and among the oldest in the United States.
  The congregation moved to its current building at 44 North Fourth Street in 1976. The synagogue is located within Philadelphia's Old City Historic District and adjacent to Independence Mall. Mikveh Israel is an active community synagogue with services on the Sabbath, holy days, and special occasions, and offers adult education and cultural programming with a focus on the Spanish and Portuguese tradition and history. It is active within the Center City Jewish community and its kitchen is under the kosher supervision of the Community Kashrus of Greater Philadelphia The Keystone K. Rabbi Albert Gabbai has led the congregation since 1988.
context_section_description: The congregation laid the cornerstone for its second building on September 26, 1822 at the same Cherry Street location. William Strickland designed the Egyptian Revival synagogue, the first of its kind in the United States. A contemporary account reads that "the galleries are semi-circular, extending around the north and south of the building, and are supported by the columns which extend to the dome." The new building was dedicated on January 21, 1825.
  In 1829, Isaac Leeser (1806–1868) became the synagogue's leader and held that position until 1850. Leeser was one of a small number of rabbis who defended orthodox practices against the growth of Reform Judaism in the mid-nineteenth century United States.
  Mikveh Israel established its second cemetery in 1849 in South Philadelphia in what was then outside the city's southern limits. The second Mikveh Israel Cemetery (11th and Federal) is located at 1114 Federal Street and now known as the Federal Street Burial Grounds and Mikveh Israel Cemetery #2. A Pennsylvania Historic marker was added in March 2009.
  Sabato Morais (1823–1897) succeeded Leeser as Mikveh Israel's minister in 1851.
caption: Cherry Street building sanctuary (1825)
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