Congregation Beth Hamidrash

Beth Hamedrash was founded in 1866, and combined with another new congregation, B’nai Jacob, the following year. The first synagogue was at 134 Pacific Ave. According to Meites' History of the Jews of Chicago, it purchased a temple from B’nai Sholom at Michigan and 14th in 1886. After meeting at that location for several years, it moved back to 134 Pacific until 1902. At that time, the congregation decided to split into two, with a congregation on the South Side and another on the West Side.

The South Side congregation built a temple at Wabash and 35th. The West Side congregation established a temple at Douglas and St. Louis.

In the years 1881 through 1893, another congregation called Beth Hamedrash Hachodosch is listed at Clark and Harrison. This seems to be independent of the congregation established at 134 Pacific. The Chicago Blue Book of 1894 (available in full text from the Internet Archive) lists the two congregations with different presidents and rabbis.

Variant names:

Beth Hamedrash Hagodol

Beth Hamedrash Hagodol Ub'Nai Jacob