Ryan Wisniewski
Gates of Heaven Synagogue
Gates of Heaven Synagogue
302 E. Gorham St.
Not all early Madisonians were Native Americans, German and Irish Catholics, or Yankee Protestants. By 1856 there were 17 Jewish families here. These German immigrants began meeting as Ahavath Achim ("brother love"), and then as Shaare Shomaim ("gates of heaven"). Dedication of their synagogue building on Sept. 5, 1863, was attended by the mayor, governor and members of the state Supreme Court. It originally stood at 214 W. Washington Ave. It was the first synagogue building in Wisconsin, and remains the fourth oldest still standing in the United States.
In 1865, after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the Wisconsin Legislature met at Gates of Heaven for a public memorial. Over decades the synagogue also made space available for fledgling congregations of Christian Scientists and Unitarians.
It was designed by August Kutzbock, one of the principle architects of Madison's second Capitol. It features ornate battlements and parapets of local sandstone. Its style was long debated, until finally identified by a New York architectural critic as "Rundbogenstil," a 19th-century Germanic form featuring arched windows.
As Shaare Shomaim's congregation waned, the building was used as a funeral parlor and even a veterinary office. Faced with demolition in 1970, it was moved to its present location in James Madison Park. Hundreds lined streets to observe the seven-hour trip, and a champagne bottle secretly stowed by workers beneath the floorboards remained unbroken throughout. A celebratory toast was immediately offered when Gates of Heaven arrived at its new home.
Managed by the Parks Division, Gates of Heaven continues to serve a variety of civic and spiritual purposes, especially weddings.
