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Within Four Walls

A forgotten synagogue in a defunct prison is brought to light

by
Joel Rose
June 23, 2008

Few visitors to Eastern State Penitentiary—a dungeon-like prison abandoned in the 1970s and now operating as a history museum—come in search of a religious experience. More often, they are looking to get spooked. The Philadelphia penitentiary was built one hundred and eighty years ago to embody the Quaker idea that solitary reflection leads to penitence, and the grim cellblocks call to mind the suffering of men in extreme isolation.

Recently, though, a more uplifting structure was unveiled on the premises: a synagogue, built in the 1920s and forgotten since the prison’s closing. How did it come to be, and whom did it serve? Joel Rose speaks with historical preservationist Laura Mass and Eastern State program director Sean Kelley about the shul’s past and future.

Photos: Bottom left, Greg Brooks, 1995. Bottom right, courtesy of Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site.

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