Seating diagram for K.K. Bene Israel, 6th and Broadway, reflecting a traditional orientation.

Religious Tradition and Change

During the late 1820s and early 1830s the Jewish community continued to grow, both demographically and economically. As the Jewish community shifted its geographic location so did many of the congregation. For example, in 1836 K.K. Bene Israel (founded 12 years earlier) moved into its first permanent building at Sixth and Broadway. It outgrew this building by 1851, necessitating new construction. In 1869 a new building was constructed on Mound Street and by 1908 the congregation had moved out of the downtown area to Rockdale Avenue in Avondale.