Zion Congregation

This congregation was founded in 1864, and was the first congregation on the west side of the river. The first Rabbi was Bernard Felsenthal.

The first permanent location of this congregation was on Desplaines between Washington and Madison. The Tribune reported the founding of the congregation in an article published on July 27,1864, noting that the new congregtion had purchased "the Baptist Church" on Desplaines Street. The Chicago Tribune covered the dedication of the temple on Oct. 1, 1864.

In 1869, the congregation moved to Jackson and Sangamon. On May 21, 1870, the Chicago Tribune reported on the destruction of the Desplaines street building by fire. It had become a theater and meeting hall.

There is a brief history of this congregation in the online version of the Jewish Encyclopedia of 1906.

This congregation merged with congregation B'nai Abraham in 1918, and the merged congregation subsequently moved to Oak Park, and is now Oak Park Temple B'nai Abraham Zion. Their website has a brief history of this congregation.