Temple Emanu-El, Jewish temple in Helena, Montana, United States.
Temple Emanu-El is a former synagogue in Helena, Montana, completed in 1891 in Romanesque Revival style with keyhole windows and stained glass. Architects Heinlein and Mathias built it of granite, porphyry and sandstone for a congregation of up to 500. The sanctuary had a 30-foot ceiling, and two onion domes once capped the towers flanking the entrance.
Constructed in 1891, this was the first Jewish synagogue established between St. Paul, Minnesota, and Portland, Oregon, with Governor J.K. Toole laying the cornerstone. After serving its religious purpose, the building passed through various uses before returning to Jewish ownership in 2022.
The building's name, Emanu-El, means "God is with us." Its stained glass windows survived the 1935–1936 state remodeling that removed the onion domes and most exterior religious symbols. The Montana Jewish Project, which repurchased the building in 2022, intends it as a statewide Jewish cultural and community center.
The building sits in downtown Helena and is easy to spot from the street with its distinctive architectural features visible. The best way to explore this landmark is on foot through the neighborhood, where additional historic sites and local history resources are nearby.
The Hebrew date 5651 remains carved into the cornerstone, preserving the dedication date according to the Jewish calendar. The original structure also featured two distinctive onion-shaped domes atop towers flanking the entrance, which were removed over time.
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