Congregation Brith Sholem: Ogden's Jewish History

Congregation Brith Sholem of Ogden, Utah, built in the Fall of 1921, is the oldest, continuously active synagogue in the state, today drawing congregants from Northern Utah to Southern Idaho. The congregation maintains its vibrant community through weekly worship services and various educational courses, including Religious School, which prepares children for their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, Tot Shabbat, which incorporates both children and parents in learning about Judaism, and comprehensive adult education.

Before the synagogue's construction, Ogden Jews practiced their religion in homes, businesses, and community centers (as shown in the image to the right). The history of Ogden's Jewish community dates back to 1890 with the formation of Congregation Ohab Sholem (Love of Peace). By 1911, the community's growth was evident: over 150 Jews attended a Purim event where members of Congregation Ohab Sholem announced plans to construct a synagogue. The congregation's name was officially changed to Congregation Brith Sholem in 1917, although some sources place its beginning in 1916.

Ogden’s Jewish history predates the synagogue's opening in 1921, tracing its roots to the mid-1800s with the arrival of the Kuhn brothers, who established furniture businesses in Salt Lake City, Corrine, and Ogden. Early community development was furthered by figures like Ben Oppman, known as the pioneer of Congregation Brith Sholem. Oppman arrived in Ogden in 1891 with his wife, Rose, and established a clothing store with fellow Jew, Samuel Rosenbluth. Other early members included Joseph Kraines, Isaak Kuchler, Abraham Siner, and the Benowitz and Rubin families. Their community centered around Twenty-Fifth Street, which was known as Ogden’s "rowdiest road" due to its numerous bars and saloons. Twenty-Fifth Street was also home to many immigrant families, including Italian and Jewish families, who started businesses, raised families, and formed their cultural and religious community between Wall Avenue and Washington Avenue.

When Congregation Ohab Sholem formed in 1890, communication about services was primarily through word of mouth, effective since most members lived and worked near Twenty-Fifth Street. Local newspapers like The Ogden Standard also shared news. However, membership began to decline as the children of early members moved away due to marriage, work, or WWII. New Jewish families settling in Northern Utah for career opportunities became new members, often driving long distances to the synagogue on Grant Avenue. This distance likely prompted the need for broader communication. The congregation issued its first monthly bulletin in August 1968, mailed to members to inform the Jewish Community of Ogden, Roy, Brigham City, and nearby localities about activities and special events.

Congregation Brith Sholem celebrated its 75th anniversary on August 24, 1996, at Herman Rubin Memorial Park, a small park behind the synagogue dedicated to early member Herman Rubin.  The large celebration was organized and hosted by Cindy Tachman along with many other congregation members, including Leslie Amsel, Jeff and Pam Schneider, Dawn and Jacques Bedhar, Alice Salita, Sam and Linda Zeveloff, Bob Brodstein, Ralph Benowitz, Lillian Rubin, and Terri Kaufman. Event activities included music by member Mark Salita and the Ogden Woodwind Quintet, Israeli folk dancing, a history booth, a tree planting and time capsule ceremony, and various sorts of activities for children.

Large numbers of Jewish immigrants came to the United States during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, fleeing anti-Semitic pogroms in czarist Russia. Most families landed on Ellis Island, creating new homes and communities on the East Coast. However, other Jewish immigrants headed West, disembarking at the port of Galveston, Texas. Between 1907 and 1914, the Galveston Movement (also known as the Galveston Plan) helped over 10,000 Jews immigrate through this port. This program sought to divert new arrivals to the West to prevent a rise in anti-Semitism in the already large Jewish community on the East Coast.

Exciting promises of wealth, land, and money, along with the impact of the Galveston Movement, spurred over 300,000 Jewish immigrants to relocate to the West by the 1920s. This region represented limitless potential for Jewish people, who eagerly seized these opportunities to establish new homes and religious communities across the Western landscape. Rose Shineberg, pictured above, was one of these immigrants, though she had no idea she would move to Rock Springs, Wyoming. Her daughter, Janice Ward, a member and president of Congregation Brith Sholem, recounts her mother being “very much a Bostonian, Jewish snob. [But] here she is in the wilds of Wyoming, riding a horse.” Rose and her husband George initially moved from Boston to Los Angeles during the Great Depression to find work. George’s sister owned a dry goods store in Rock Springs at the time, leading George and Rose to move there, where they purchased a laundromat and dry cleaning business.

Judi and Eric Asmel, Congregation Brith Sholem members since 1992, moved to Ogden, Utah, from New York after Eric accepted a professorship at Weber State University. They both became active members of the congregation, with Judi notably helping to redevelop and coordinate the synagogue’s religious school. Although Judi is Jewish, she was not raised practicing the religion. In a 2025 oral history interview with the Utah Historical Society, Judi recalled: "I didn't speak Hebrew, I didn't observe all the holidays. I didn't know what a lot of the prayers … were about, or what the traditions were, or the customs in various holidays. So this was my opportunity to take it to the next level. And now I teach kids who are learning for their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. And that is one of my greatest pleasures in being part of this synagogue is that I get to teach these kids and then watch them become the Jewish adults that I hope they will be.”

Religious education is a highly valued and essential part of the experience at Congregation Brith Sholem, helping both youth and adults gain a deep understanding of their Jewish heritage and strengthen their Jewish identity. The comprehensive curriculum covers subjects such as Hebrew, lessons from the Torah, religious songs and prayers, the significance of Jewish holidays, and preparation for b'nai mitzvah. Sarah Ward, pictured above, recalled her 2005 Bat Mitzvah in a May 2025 oral history interview with the Utah Historical Society, noting: "Going through with my bat mitzvah was really helpful, because I learned about every part of the service, what it means, how to do it.” She also spoke about the physical and spiritual weight of carrying the Torah: "The Torah itself as a physical object is pretty intimidating...You hold the Torah and you walk with it around the room [of the synagogue], and as a newly 13 year old, that was a lot. It's heavy, both physically and spiritually.”

From 2023 to 2025, the Utah Historical Society (UHS) hosted over thirty Scan-and-Share events across Utah. During these events, community members were invited to digitize their personal photos and share their stories, effectively preserving their individual histories.

To view more digital items from this project, please visit the Peoples of Utah Revisited online collection. You can also click on any image on this page for more information.