As provided by the congregation:
Congregation Bais Yisroel was founded by 60 families in January, 1990. This was a truly significant event, as it marked the founding of the first Orthodox Jewish congregation to be established in the Twin Cities in several decades.
Between January and July of 1990, Congregation Bais Yisroel conducted services and held various classes in the chapel of the Torah Academy school. During this time, a search was conducted for a congregational rabbi. Also, land for the synagogue building was purchased and an architect was hired to design the building.
Congregation Bais Yisroel purchased a double trailer and set it up on the Sunset Boulevard edge of the congregation’s property. The congregation moved into the trailer in July 1990. One month later, the Congregation hired Rabbi Moshe Tuvia Lieff, a highly regarded rabbi and teacher from Cleveland, Ohio, to be its spiritual leader . Rabbi Lieff moved to Minneapolis just before Rosh Hashana 1990.
In the two years since then, Congregation Bais Yisroel has experienced significant amount of growth and progress. New families continue to join and today the congregation numbers some 155 families. Congregation Bais Yisroel’s beautiful two story synagogue building was designed and built during these two years. It was substantially completed in late March 1992, and the first services were conducted there during Passover of 1992. [The building was dedicated in September 1992.]
Congregation Bais Yisroel is committed to instilling a love and respect for traditional Jewish life, in the spirit of the Torah and its teachings. The Congregation is also committed to taking an active role in the Twin Cities Jewish community and participating in worthy movements and activities that benefit the Jewish people and the community at large.
“At a time when many Jews are assimilating or are alienated from their religion and especially away from traditional Orthodox Judaism, ” says Rabbi Lieff, “it is significant when some 100 families can successfully organize a new Orthodox congregation and build a new synagogue. This is even more remarkable when you consider that our locale is not in one of the large Jewish population centers along the east or west coasts, or even in Chicago or Cleveland, but rather right here in Minneapolis.”
The congregation’s website is www.baisyisroel.org
