Beth Israel Synagogue (Norwalk, Connecticut)

Beth Israel Synagogue was an historic Orthodox synagogue building located at 31 Concord Street[2] in the South Norwalk section of the city of Norwalk, Connecticut. Built in 1906,[1] the Moorish Revival style building is the only known synagogue building in Connecticut displaying Moorish onion domes, and is an unusual example of an urban wood-frame synagogue.[3] Since 1972,[4] the building has been owned and occupied by the Canaan Institutional Baptist Church. (Beth Israel's original Orthodox congregation is now known as Beth Israel Chabad of Norwalk/Westport and worships in a new building in East Norwalk.[5])

Beth Israel Synagogue
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Front entrance, May 18, 2012
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Location	31 Concord St., Norwalk, Connecticut
Coordinates	41°5′35″N 73°25′9″W
Built	1906
Architectural style	Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, Moorish Revival
NRHP reference No.	91001684[1]
Added to NRHP	November 29, 1991

The building's design was influenced by that of the 1872 Central Synagogue in New York City, which also has onion domes. While the onion domes are an unusual detail, the architecture is otherwise within usual standards for synagogues in Connecticut. Beth Israel is further the only frame-construction, rather than wood-frame, synagogue in Connecticut of its era.[6]

The building was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1991 (reference number 91001684).