The KINSMAN JEWISH CENTER, established in 1930 as B'nai Jacob Kol Israel Congregation, was one of the most important Orthodox Jewish congregations in Cleveland between 1930-60, and was also one of the city's first Orthodox congregations to be organized along non-national lines. Its founders had been members of the Anshe Marmoresher B'nai Jacob Congregation, Kinsman branch (est. 1928). A group of men led by Dan Weiss and Pincus Newman determined to enlarge the congregation beyond its Hungarian character and to create a community center for the Orthodox Jews of Kinsman and SHAKER HTS. The center held services in a rented house at E. 149th and Kinsman for 3 years. In 1932 a building was dedicated at E. 147th and Kinsman that was to be the community center. It also served as the synagogue when plans for a place of worship were abandoned due to the Depression. Although never the focus of Jewish life in Kinsman, the Kinsman Jewish Center congregation grew quickly in both importance and size, from fewer than 30 original families to almost 400 families by 1940. Dan Weiss, the center's first president, served for 20 years; Rabbi DAVID GENUTH was the congregation's first spiritual leader (1933-48).
The center established a daily afternoon Hebrew school (1933), formed a sisterhood (1934), and created one of the first synagogue-sponsored Jewish nursery schools in the city (1950). During the 1950s, it formed a Young Women's League, which provided a recreational program for girls and boys. In 1958, following the Jewish population to the SUBURBS, the center sold its property and moved to temporary quarters on Lee Rd. in Shaker Hts. Due to the high cost of rebuilding, the center merged with TETIEVER AHAVATH ACHIM ANSHE SFARD Congregation and Congregation Neveh Zedek to form WARRENSVILLE CENTER SYNAGOGUE. Rabbi Jacob Muskin, rabbi of Kinsman Jewish Center since 1948, became rabbi for the new synagogue.
See also RELIGION, JEWS AND JUDAISM.