The Second Synagogue: Jewish Congregation Ahavath Achim

    The second Johnstown synagogue building was built by Jewish Congregation Ahavath Achim, formed in 1920. This primarily Orthodox congregation had been formed by approximately 40 families who had previously been members of the Iron Street Synagogue. They built their synagogue at 404 Cedar Street [the corner of Cedar and Oak Streets] in the Hornerstown section of the city. Their first services were held during the High Holidays in 1921.

    By the 1920s, the number of Jews who were living in the 7th ward had grown to the point where they needed to be served by a synagogue closer to their homes. It was a hardship for them to walk all the way from Hornerstown to the Iron Street Synagogue {Rodef Sholom Congregation].  Ahavath Achim's membership grew until it reached a high of 55-60 families before declining to only two members by the early 1970s. Similar to Jewish settlement patterns in other sections of the city, most of the Jewish families had moved to the West Hills suburbs by the early 1970s. The Ahavath Achim building served the congregation for 52 years, until 1973 when the last service was held in the building.  The building was sold to the 7th Ward Civic Association Ambulance Service.  The ambulance service used the building as a base of operations. Visitors and passers-by could still see from the architecture of the building that it had once been a synagogue. In 1995, the Association demolished the building to make way for a modern emergency services building, and all traces of Ahavath Achim have disappeared from that location.

JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA. AHAVATH ACHIM CONGREGATION
                 Records, 1947-1960. 0.4 linear ft.
                 Collection includes copies of minutes, correspondence and financial records.

Resources on Ahavath Achim Congregation (Johnstown, Pa.)

Ahavath Achim Congregation Temple photographs (4) before demolition. More

Ahavath Achim Congregation collection, 1950-1997, includes photographs. More

Ahavath Achim Congregation (Carnegieu Pa.)
Ahavath Achim Congregation photograph 1949-50 photographs More