Congregation B'nai Abraham

B’nai Abraham was an early synagogue of the west side. Irving Cutler’s Jews of Chicago and The Ghetto by Louis Wirth both give 1870 as the year of the congregation’s founding, but it is not listed in the city directory until 1876. An article published in the Chicago Tribune of Dec. 3, 1877 lists 1874 as founding year.

From 1876-1879, the city directory lists the congregation at Halsted near 18th (as B’nei Avrohoon). In contrast, an article in the Tribune on Dec. 3, 1877 records the congregation as meeting at Klein’s Hall, 555 S. Halsted, which would have been near Halsted and 14th.

In 1879, the congregation moved to Johnson and Wright (now Peoria and 14th Place.)

This congregation merged with Zion Congregation 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.