Congregation B’nai Amoona

Genealogical Data

The following index and/or records from this congregation are available:

B’nai Amoona Death Records

B’nai Amoona Marriage Records from Rabbi Halpern

B’nai Amoona Marriage Records from Synagogue Index Card File

StLGS is following state guidelines for privacy wherever possible. Births/baptisms online must be at least one hundred years old; confirmations eighty-six years old; marriages forty-five years old; and deaths fifty years old. Additional indexed data from these records may be available; please come to the StLGS office to view it. As privacy limits permit, society volunteers will post additional data online.

History

Established in 1882; still open in 2017

Shortly after the Civil War, St. Louis had a fairly sizable number of German Jewish residents who formed an Orthodox congregation called Sheerith Israel (“Remnant of Israel”). Holding to very traditional Jewish values, this congregation eventually became the largest of its kind in St. Louis. They met in rented space in downtown St. Louis, first, in 1873, at 6th Street between Franklin and Wash Avenues; then, in 1877 at 626 N. 6th Street; in 1879 at 926 N. 6th Street, in 1883 at 927 N. 6th Street; in 1884 at 9th Street and Franklin Avenue, and in 1886 at 11th Street at Franklin.

By the early 1880s, a number of members were dissatisfied with the strictness of Orthodoxy and left to worship with a more Conservative leaning rabbi. They called themselves “B’nai Amoona,” which means “Children of Faith,” and most of these new congregants were immigrants from Kracow, Poland.

By 1900, Sheerith Israel had disbanded. B’nai Amoona absorbed most of its members and its cemetery and continued to grow and prosper. Today, it is one of the largest Jewish Conservative congregations in the Midwest.

As with many other Jewish congregations, the members of its community moved westward as they accumulated more wealth and prestige. Their first locations, in the City of St. Louis, were rented properties. In 1885, they were located at 824 Washington Avenue and in 1889, 13th at Carr. Not until 1906 did they own property, and they continued following their congregants into St. Louis County in the following years.

Address: 324 Mason Road, Creve Coeur, Missouri 63141

Telephone: 314-567-9990

Website: www.bnaiamoona.com

Sheerith Israel

Location 1873–1877: 6th Street between Franklin and Washington Avenues, St. Louis, MO 63102

GPS (Latitude, Longitude): 38.631337, -90.191161 View Map

Location 1877–1879: 626 North 6th Street, St. Louis, MO 63101

GPS (Latitude, Longitude): 38.6307506, -90.1909521 View Map

Location 1879–1883: 926 North 6th Street, St. Louis, MO 63101

GPS (Latitude, Longitude): 38.633971, -90.1902642 View Map

Location 1883–1884: 927 North 6th Street, St. Louis, MO 63101

GPS (Latitude, Longitude): 38.633971, -90.1902642 View Map

Location 1884–1886: 9th Street and Franklin Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63106

GPS (Latitude, Longitude): 38.633435, -90.194018 View Map

Location 1886-1900: 11th Street at Franklin Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63101

GPS (Latitude, Longitude): 38.6338812, -90.1946881 View Map

B’nai Amoona

Location 1885–1888: 824 Washington Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63101

GPS (Latitude, Longitude): 38.6307285 -90.1947682 Map View

Location 1889–1906: 13th at Carr Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63106

GPS (Latitude, Longitude): 38.6366326,-90.1982254 Map View

Location 1906–1916: Lucas (now Samuel Shepard Dr.) and Garrison Streets, St. Louis, Missouri 63103

GPS (Latitude, Longitude): 38.6375945,-90.2232787 Map View

Location 1916–1948: 1212 Academy Ave., St. Louis, Missouri 63113

GPS (Latitude, Longitude): 38.6584899,-90.2678799 Map View

Location 1949–1985 : 524 Trinity Ave., University City, Missouri 63130

GPS (Latitude, Longitude): 38.6548587,-90.3131083 Map View

Location 1986–: 324 S. Mason Rd., Creve Coeur, Missouri 63141

GPS (Latitude, Longitude): 38.650717,-90.4804317 Map View

B’nai Amoona on Mason Rd.
Photo © 2011 Karl Bloomberg
(Used with permission)

B’nai Amoona on Trinity Ave.
Photo © 2011 Karl Bloomberg
(Used with permission)

B’nai Amoona on Academy Ave.
Photo © 2011 LandMarks Association
(Used with permission)