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Congregation B'nai Emunah
Religion
Affiliation	Judaism
Leadership	Rabbi Daniel Shalom Kaiman President Mark Goldman
Location
Location	1719 S Owasso Ave. Tulsa, OK 74120
Shown within Oklahoma
Geographic coordinates	36°08′15″N 95°58′34″W / 36.1375°N 95.9762°W / 36.1375; -95.9762
Architecture
Date established	1916
Website
www.tulsagogue.com

Congregation B'nai Emunah, a progressive synagogue located at 17th and Peoria in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was founded in 1916 as an Orthodox congregation. It originally resided at 919 S Cheyenne Ave.

Currently led by Rabbi Daniel Shalom Kaiman, the synagogue has a rich history of leadership, including notable rabbis like Morris Teller, Harry Epstein, Oscar Fasman, and Norman Shapiro. The congregation outgrew its original facility by the 1930s and built a new synagogue on South Owasso Street, dedicated in 1942. Subsequent expansions and renovations occurred in 1959, 1985, and 1998.

The synagogue houses a NAYEC Accredited Preschool Program, the pro-social Altamont Bakery, the pop-up Seventeenth Street Deli, and a HIAS Affiliated Refugee Resettlement agency.

The congregation has been home to notable individuals such as George Kaiser, Charles Schusterman, Lynn Schusterman, Stacy Schusterman, Tim Blake Nelson, Micah Fitzerman-Blue, Larry Mizel, Henry Kravis, Robert Butkin, Tom Adelson, Janet Levit, and Robert Donaldson.

Early history and founding

Jewish settlers in Tulsa established a minyan by 1903 and grew to 12 families by 1905. They formed Congregation B'nai Emunah in 1915, with Marion Travis as the first president, and built a synagogue on S. Cheyenne Street. Despite its Orthodox origins, the congregation's use of English in its constitution indicated a move towards assimilation. Rabbi Morris Teller, a Conservative rabbi, was hired in 1916.

Significant developments

The congregation grew as Tulsa's Jewish population expanded, reaching 2,850 people by 1937. Leadership saw transitions with rabbis like Harry Epstein, Oscar Fasman, and Norman Shapiro. By 1949, Arthur Kahn's leadership marked significant growth, balancing Orthodox roots with Conservative practices. In 1985, Marc Boone Fitzerman became rabbi, known for his dynamic leadership, interfaith dialogue, and social justice initiatives. His tenure marked the gradual shift from traditionalism to a more inclusive form of Judaism. Musical instrumentation, fully egalitarian worship and liturgy, and experimental religious tradition were embraced by the congregation.

Modern era

Daniel Shalom Kaiman joined in 2013 as Assistant Rabbi, was promoted to Associate Rabbi in 2015, and Rabbi in 2018. He became Principal Rabbi in 2023 after Marc Fitzerman's retirement. The present congregation considers itself "aligned" with Conservative Judaism but is no longer an official affiliate of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

References

1. Gurock, Jeffrey S. (1999). "An Orthodox Conspiracy Theory: The Travis Family, Bernard Revel, and the Jewish Theological Seminary". Modern Judaism. 19 (3): 241–253. doi:10.1093/mj/19.3.241. ISSN 0276-1114. JSTOR 1396676.
2. "Jews | The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture". Oklahoma Historical Society | OHS. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
3. ^ "ISJL - Oklahoma Tulsa Encyclopedia". Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Retrieved 2022-05-06.
4. Allen, Mary Willa (2022-04-11). "40 Under 40 2022 | Oklahoma Magazine". okmag.com. Retrieved 2022-05-06.
5. "Congregation B'nai Emunah – Synagogues360". synagogues-360.anumuseum.org.il. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
6. "Article clipped from The Tulsa Tribune". The Tulsa Tribune. 1917-09-16. p. 7. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
7. "Article clipped from Tulsa World". Tulsa World. 1919-04-11. p. 10. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
8. "Article clipped from Tulsa World". Tulsa World. 1928-08-05. p. 19. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
9. "Article clipped from Tulsa World". Tulsa World. 1930-09-24. p. 20. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
10. "Article clipped from The Ottawa Citizen". The Ottawa Citizen. 1939-11-03. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
11. "Article clipped from Chicago Tribune". Chicago Tribune. 2003-11-26. pp. 2–10. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
12. "Article clipped from Tulsa World". Tulsa World. 2002-05-23. p. 12. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
13. ^ World, Tim Stanley Tulsa (2023-05-05). "Tulsa Rabbi Marc Fitzerman retiring after 38 years: 'It all comes down to doing my part'". Tulsa World. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
14. World, Tim Stanley Tulsa (2023-12-10). "Tulsans of the Year: Rabbi Mark Fitzerman leaves legacy of growth in Jewish community". Tulsa World. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
15. "Daniel Shalom Kaiman". The Synagogue. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
16. "About". The Synagogue. Retrieved 2024-05-17.

• Synagogues in Oklahoma
• 1916 establishments in Oklahoma
• Jews and Judaism in Oklahoma