Printer Friendly Version - From Farmers to Fascinating: New Book Details Jewish History in Connecticut

Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek celebrated the launch of the book House of Peace and Justice, The First 100 Years of Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek with a gathering on Oct. 29. Photo by Michelle Naranjo/The Courier

Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek (CBSRZ) celebrated 100 years in 2015 and with that comes a rich history that has been documented in a new book, House of Peace and Justice, The First 100 Years of Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek by author Ellen Nodelman. To honor the launch of the book, a free event was held at CBSRZ in Chester on Oct. 29.

Nodelman said that the book was initially meant to be just a pamphlet. But when she started researching the history of the synagogue and began learning about the origins, the pamphlet grew into a full-sized book.

“I wasn’t aware of the origins of the synagogue being started by Jewish farmers in Moodus,” she said. “There were Jewish farmers on both sides of the Connecticut River and it was enthralling to see how the two synagogues came together over time to form the beautiful modern synagogue that is now in Chester.

“We have the usual doctors, lawyers, and other professionals in the congregation,” she said, “but we are interesting and diverse and have many artists, musicians, and writers and so it is perfect that we have the synagogue designed by artist Sol LeWitt.”

The roots of the synagogue started with Rodfe Zedek (“pursuers of justice”) Temple, founded in 1915 in Moodus by Jewish chicken farmers. Another small group in Deep River and Chester started the Jewish Community Center, later Congregation Beth Shalom (“house of peace”) in Deep River on Union Street in the 1930s. The two merged to become CBSRZ in 1998, and moved to their current home in Chester in 2001.

The book is full of wonderful historical photographs and illustrations. Nodelman details the first 100 years in stories about noteworthy individuals and fascinating timelines that juxtapose the synagogue’s significant moments with moments in the broader history of the world.

House of Peace and Justice is an interesting look at the history of the shoreline, the Connecticut River Valley, and the Jewish families who have helped build the synagogue and the community at large.

The book is available for purchase at Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek, at 55 East Kings Highway, Chester for $36. For more information, contact the office at CBSRZ: 860-526-8920.