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HomeNewsArchivesST. THOMAS SYNAGOGUE BEING RESTORED

ST. THOMAS SYNAGOGUE BEING RESTORED

The historic St. Thomas synagogue has been through two fires, two rebuildings and numerous hurricanes. But the spirit of the congregation cannot be defeated by fire, storm or old age. In that spirit, the temple is undergoing extensive restoration.
Planning for the project started a couple of years ago, and the actual work began in July, restoration architect William Taylor says.
"The entire building and premises are being reconstructed," he says, "but the main focus is on the plaster."
During the early 1970s, much of downtown Charlotte Amalie went through what Taylor describes as a "rustication" phase, as building walls were stripped down to what was believed to be the original open brickwork. The synagogue was among the buildings affected.
"The bricks, of course, look attractive, but they are not what was originally intended," Taylor says. "What happened was that, after stripping the plaster off, a sealant was then put on the bricks, which held in moisture, causing the bricks to disintegrate." The bricks had originally been sealed with a lime plaster which preserved the walls.
"The bricks were never intended to be exposed," Taylor says. "I've had to send samples of the sealant to the states, to find a solvent to dissolve it."
Charles Ellick, restoration committee chair and an engineer for the Water and Power Authority, knows the building like his own child. Walking on the soft sand covering the floor (a tradition dating back to the Spanish Inquisition, when the Jews were forced to hold their services in secret and used sand to muffle the sounds), Ellick pointed out other aspects of the project.
The interior pillars, handmade in Denmark from rounded bricks, have deteriorated.
"You can see what has happened, between the termites and the plywood used to cover them," Ellick says sadly. It's another example of work done "in good faith, but incorrectly, in the '70s renovation," he says, and the result is that the pillars are rotting away at their foundation.
The interior walls will all be covered in white plaster, which Ellick sees as serving a spiritual as well as an architectural need. "During services, sometimes your mind wanders to explore all those bricks," he muses, and the white interior will be more conducive to prayer.
Another aspect of the project is restoration of the treasured French brass chandeliers, which have Baccarat crystal chimneys. "We have metal conservators coming from New York to make bids on the project," Taylor says.
The Crystal Gade building is badly in need of shoring up. Walking up the stairs to the entry, one sees greenery wistfully peeping out of the top of one of the porch columns, a dead giveaway to the structure's immediate need of attention.
The synagogue was originally built in 1796, when the Jews of St. Thomas founded their first congregation, Bracha V'Shalom, meaning Blessing and Peace. It's commonly known today as the Hebrew Congregation of St. Thomas.
The structure, a popular tourist stop, is the oldest under the American flag to have never missed Sabbath services. It is the third-oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere and is included in the National Historic Trust.
The historical significance of the building and its contents cannot be underestimated.
The menorah, a seven-branched candle holder, behind the bimah, or pulpit, is Spanish and dates from the 11th century. The arc, which contains six Torah scrolls (three Sephardic and three Ashkenazic, from different ethnic origins within Judaism), is now constructed of a faux finish of wood and marble. This will be replaced with real marble and mahogany.
Taylor has traveled to England to have a new set of tablets containing the Ten Commandments fabricated.
"The old ones were made from cast plaster, and we want these to be accurate," he says. The new ones will be made of stone with gilded lettering. They are being crafted by the same artisan who created the memorial over Princess Diana's grave.
More than $350,000 is being spent to restore the synagogue to its original integrity, "a significant undertaking," Taylor says, reflecting the feelings of the small but loyal congregation from whom the money is being raised.
While the restoration work is under way, services are being conducted across the street at Lilienfeld House, the congregation's social and educational facility.
Viewing the construction debris all around him at the synagogue, Ellick says with a determined smile, "It will be ready in December."
That will make the congregation proud and happy, and also please the almost constant stream of tourists who currently have to be turned away at the gate.

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