Dedication Services of Temple Beth Emeth, Albany, N.Y. May 24th and 25th, 1889.

A Jewish community emerged in the 1830s as immigrants from Bavaria and Posen arrived in Albany. German-speaking Jews organized Congregation Beth El in 1838. Divisions over language and ritual led to the founding of Beth El Jacob in 1841 by Jews of Polish origin. Isaac Mayer Wise arrived in the United States from Bohemia and became Albany’s first rabbi when he took over leadership of Beth El in 1846. However Wise’s advocacy of radical change in ritual split the congregation and by 1850, Wise and his supporters organized Anshe Emeth, the fourth Reform congregation in the United States. Wise moved on to Cincinnati and in 1885 a merger of Beth El and Anshe Emeth was proposed, the result being Beth Emeth. Now president of Hebrew Union College, Rabbi Wise returned to Albany in 1889 to dedicate the synagogue for the newly joined congregation.