B'er Chayim is the oldest synagogue building in continuous use as a synagogue in Maryland and the sixth oldest in the United States.[4][5]
Clergy and leadership
Jessica Roskin is the spiritual leader of B’er Chayim since July 2024.A native of North Miami Beach, FL, Cantor Roskin graduated from Indiana University with degrees in music and religious studies and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. She was ordained in 1994. Prior to joining B’er Chayim, Cantor Roskin served as interim cantor at Temple Beth El in Charlotte, NC and at Temple Emanu-El in Birmingham, AL for 20 years.
The first Jewish resident recorded in Cumberland dates to 1816. Twelve Jewish families were living in Cumberland, which then had a population of 6,150, in 1853 when congregation B'er Chayim was chartered by the Maryland state legislature.[4] The congregation was Orthodox when the temple was built,[10] although it is now a Reform congregation.
Between 1865 and 1867, the congregation built a two-story, Greek Revival synagogue building on the corner of South Centre and Union Streets. The building cost $7,427.02 to construct.[4] The facade is ornamented with four pilasters, a handsome pediment, and four very un-Greek Rundbogenstil, or round-arched, windows.[10] The building was constructed by local builder John B. Walton.[5]
Prayers and sermons were originally held in German, rather than Hebrew.[11]
Beth Jacob Synagogue, which was also located in Cumberland, merged with B'er Chayim Temple in 1996.[3]
In 2011, the synagogue underwent renovation.[2] The brickwork's mortar was redone, the wrought iron gates outside the entrance were restored, improved the interior, and made the synagogue wheelchair-accessible.[12][13] The synagogue's building was reopened on August 17, 2014, and the synagogue was rededicated on November 7, 2014.[14] The Cumberland Historic Preservation Board gave an award to B'er Chayim for the synagogue's restoration.[15]
