Beth El Synagogue, Byzantine Revival synagogue in Waterbury, United States

Beth El Synagogue stands on the west side of Cooke Street at Sterling Street in Waterbury, a domed Byzantine Revival building of 1929. Broad steps lead to a triple entrance on the front facade, which is topped by a carved representation of the Decalogue. The gold-finished dome carries a ring of acanthus cresting and a finial; inside, the sanctuary opens to the dome, with wooden pews divided by three aisles and a front section framed by a proscenium arch and angled walls.

The building was constructed in 1929 as the first Byzantine Revival synagogue built in Connecticut for a Jewish congregation. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995, recognizing its architectural importance.

The bimah paneling and other sanctuary finishes were completed in the 1950s to designs by Waterbury architect Joseph Stein, decades after the main construction. The front section of the hall works as a small stage framed by a proscenium arch and angled walls.

The building is located on Cooke Street and currently houses a Yeshiva, functioning as an active religious institution. Visitors should approach with respect for its current use and any community guidelines that may be in place.

The 1995 listing came from a multiple submission that nominated nineteen Connecticut synagogues at once; fifteen were added in 1995 and 1996. Beth El was cited specifically for its architecture, and the building passed to Yeshiva Ateres Shmuel in 2001.