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From Yiddish to English: A Synagogue Grows

Shaarey Tphiloh synagogue, Portland, ca. 1911

Shaarey Tphiloh synagogue, Portland, ca. 1911

Item 76 info
Maine Historical Society/MaineToday Media

The congregation built Shaarey Tphiloh in 1904 on Newbury Street, in the area of Portland where most Jewish residents -- and many other immigrant groups -- lived.

Invited to the cornerstone ceremony were civic leaders, including Mayor James P. Baxter, and Christian clergy.

Isaac Marcus, a native of Russia, who probably came to Portland from Utica, New York, was the first rabbi. He stayed in Portland until about 1910.