LOGAN - LOGAN COUNTY - WEST VIRGINIA
"Former" B'nai El Congregation
Photo 1: Former synagogue building now serves as a day care center
Photo 2: Photo of exterior of Synagogue from the "1952 Logan Centennial Program"
Photo 3: Building where religious services were held before synagogue was built
Photos courtesy of Randy Wasserstrom & Family
The Jewish Community of Logan was established prior to December 11, 1922 when the Logan [Jewish] Sisterhood affiliated with the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods (Reform). The B'nai El Congregation affiliated with the Union of American Hebrew Congregation (Reform) on October 26, 1926 and most recollections lead to its formation as a congregation in the year 1924. B'nai El Congregation worshipped for many years in a rented facility on Stratton Street. In 1947 they dedicated the first and only permanent synagogue building in the city of Logan at 651 Stratton Street. The congregation closed in 1992 because of the declining Jewish population in the town. The synagogue building was sold and is now (2005) used as a day-care facility
Jewish famillies in Logan over the years included: Bloom, Eiland, Fine, Fish, Glick, Greenfield, Gruner, Johnson, Kantor, King, Kohn, Kruger, Levinson, Lewin, Melman, Michaelson, Miller, Moss, Rosen, Samson, Sherman, Silverman, Solomon, Stern, Thalheimer, Tobin, Tucker & Weiner. For a number of years there was a Logan B'nai Brith Lodge No. 1236. Many businesses in town were Jewish-owned. There were also number of Jewish physicians, lawyers and teachers. Among the Jewish businesses were the Tobin Hotel & Restaurant; W. L. Robinson Company; Bell Department Store; Samson's Furniture; Collin's Women's Clothing, (Bloom Family); Logan People's Store; The Kopy Kat Dress Shop (Kohn Family); Weiner's Army & Navy Store; Eiland's Cut-Rate Clothing; Manning's Department Store; Embee's Clothing; Silver Brand Clothes (Sherman Family); Southern Auto Store; Lewis Furniture Company (Glick Family); Well's Clothing; Jack & Jill Store; Midelburg, Logan & Capitol Theatres (Thalheimer Family); Joan Apartments (Thalheimer Family); S.W. Cohen, Tailor; a jewelry store operated by the Miller family and one owned by Lou Levinson; and a chiropodist office operated by Dr. Bernard E. Silverman. One of the remaining Jews in Logan today is Mr. Edward Eiland who is the City Attorney. His family was one of the founders of the B'nai El congregation and his father served as its President for a very many years.
