On November 9, 1856, Rodef Shalom Congregation was chartered, to fill the need for a German religious society to facilitate Jewish worship and establish a school for the instruction of the young in “the Hebrew religion as well as general branches of knowledge.” Today, it is the oldest Jewish congregation in Pennsylvania west of the Allegheny Mountains and is noted for the instrumental role it played in shaping Reform Judaism.
In 1907 the congregation moved from downtown to its current home in Shadyside, to a Beaux Arts masterpiece designed by nationally-renowned architect Henry Hornbostel. Hornbostel’s design for Rodef Shalom is significant for directly reflecting the principles of the Pittsburgh Platform, which articulated “a view of the Hebrew Bible that is distinctly inflected by Enlightenment philosophy in an effort to reconcile ancient texts and practices with the views of a Progressive age.”
Temple Rodef Shalom is historically significant because of its unique Beaux Arts design, its association with prominent architects like Henry Hornbostel, Ingram & Boyd, and Sharove & Lefkovitz, its role in Jewish history, and because it is a familiar visual feature within the neighborhood and the city.
