By CJ Gossage
Assistant Editor
2025 marks the 175th anniversary of Adath Israel Congregation. Founded in 1850, Adath was originally located at Lodge Alley in downtown Cincinnati and moved to various locations before settling in Amberley Village in 1967. During its illustrious history, Adath has become a fixture in the Cincinnati community.
For its 175th anniversary celebration, Adath is hosting a gala fundraiser on June 8th — the largest since the COVID pandemic.
Their roster of rabbis reads like a Who’s Who list of Cincinnati’s Jewish leaders — Feinberg (1917), Goldfeder (1949), Zimmelman (1982), Wise (1991) and Smolkin (2019). In fact, this very year, Scott Shafrin will be installed as Adath’s newest head rabbi. Considering Adath’s 175th year, the timing of Shafrin’s installation could not be any better. Smolkin will be honored and Shafrin will be welcomed as part of the anniversary celebrations.
Natalie Wolf, Adath board member and Hamilton Lempert, Adath President, consider Adath “a sacred community that supports its members through significant life events and empowers them on their journey toward greater spiritual growth.”
Given its storied history, consider some fun and significant events from Adath’s past pulled from The American Israelite’s archives.
50th Anniversary — 1900: According to “The American Israelite” archives, Adath Israel became a member of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations its 50th anniversary in the middle of December, 1900. This meeting was held at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion’s historic Cincinnati campus.
100th Anniversary — 1950: On February 12, 1950 at 2 p.m. a monument was erected in memory of Rabbi Louis Feinberg, who passed in 1949.
On February 26 at 3 p.m. of that same year, another monument was erected, this time for Mae Mendelsohn Wise.
125th Anniversary — 1975: In January, Adath consecrated its Jarson Education Center. In September, Yavneh Day School moved its operations to Adath’s Jarson Education Center.
On March 12, Adath Israel Sisterhood and Men’s Club hosted Cantor Moshe Taube, “the most outstanding cantor in the country.” He graduated from Juliard and served in Israel’s military during the War of Independence and later in the Sinai campaign.
On August 1, Abraham M. Mizrahi was appointed to the Adath Israel staff, overseeing the Bar Mitzvah program and religious school’s musical activities.
On December 20 at 9 a.m., longtime JCC CEO, Marc Fisher, had his Bar Mitzvah.
150th Anniversary — 2000: On January 22, Adath hosted a fine-art auction, hosting paintings by Picasso and carvings from Salvador Dali.
Adath Israel established the Mose Marcus Scholarship Fund to support college-age students to study in Israel.
Rabbi Irvin M. Wise selected to hold the Roslyn W. Gildenblatt Chari of Jewish Studies at Melton School for the academic year of 2000-2001.
Former education director of Adath’s religious school, Rabbi Max Newman, passed away on September 20.
