Temple Beth Zion

Temple Beth Zion -Table of Contents

Temple Beth Zion
Exterior, West Window, and Balcony
Temple Beth Zion - OFFICIAL HOME PAGE

Erected:
1964-1967

Chief architect:
Max Abramovitz, of Harrison and Abramovitz

Windows, Ten Commandment tablets, Menorah artist:
Ben Shahn

Windows artist:
Shahn's painting adapted by Benoit Gilsoul (BEN wah JEEL soul)

Windows fabricator:
Willet Studios

Temple status:
Included in the Linwood Preservation District

Being constructed in the round, the building does not contain a cornerstone. Instead, the original cornerstone from the building at 599 Delaware is placed in the rear wall of the sanctuary ark. To it has been added the phrase "Rebuilt 1966."

The west stained glass window, created by Ben Shahn, represents the 150th (last) Psalm:

Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.
Praise ye the Lord.

Cf., Westminster Presbyterian Church's "Praise" window.- also by Willet Studios

Click on illustrations for larger size -- and for more information


Mr. & Mrs. E. Crosby Willet / Max Abramovitz / Henry Lee Willet in 1967	E. Crosby Willet in 2009

	Curved sheets of Alabama limestone	Looking north	The west stained-glass window

Detail - West window	Detail	Detail	Detail

West window is behind the organ	The pipe organ features trumpets from the Lafayette Theater organ	Some of the 4,000 organ pipes	Some of the 4,000 organ pipes

The concrete walls are bathed in a diffused natural light			Blue reflections from the east window

Blue reflections from the east window

Sources:

"Houses of Worship: A Guide to the Religious Architecture of Buffalo, New York," by James Napora. Master of Architecture thesis. Found at Buffalo Central Library
About Temple Beth Zion From Temple Beth Zion official home page
Temple Beth Zion Painting by Dr. V. Roger Lalli/Narrative by D. Rote
"Buffalo: Lake City in Niagara Land,"by Richard C. Brown and Bob Watson. USA: Windsor Publications, 1981
Buffalo's Houses of Worship: Temple Beth Zion
"Church Tales of the Niagara Frontier : Legends, History & Architecture," by Austin M. Fox, et. al. Pub. by Western New York Wares, 1994
Synagogue Architecture (Lawrence Joffe)

See also:

Jewish-American History in Buffalo

Ben Shahn (1898-1962: Timeline

Ben Shahn (1898-1962: Common Man, Mythic Vision: The Paintings of Ben Shahn

Special thanks to Executive Director Mark Criden for his cooperation
and
Wendee G. Lorbeer for her encouragement
Temple Beth Zion HOME PAGE

Erected:	1964-1967
Chief architect:	Max Abramovitz, of Harrison and Abramovitz
Windows, Ten Commandment tablets, Menorah artist:	Ben Shahn
Windows artist:	Shahn's painting adapted by Benoit Gilsoul (BEN wah JEEL soul)
Windows fabricator:	Willet Studios
Temple status:	Included in the Linwood Preservation District