Zoom presentation to explore Woonsocket’s stunning temple

George M. Goodwin will give a free, illustrated Zoom talk, “Woonsocket’s Gorgeous but Little-Known Synagogue,” for members and guests of the Rhode Island Historical Society on Sunday, Feb. 19, at 1:30 p.m.   

Even compared to Providence’s glorious Temple Beth-El, built in 1954, B’nai Israel, constructed eight years later, is one of New England’s outstanding examples of postwar synagogue architecture, Goodwin said. 

The shul’s 30 stained glass windows, designed by the Israeli painter Avigdor Arikha, are among the very best in this country, he said, and there are many other notable features, including metalwork by Ludwig Wolpert that adorns both the sanctuary and the chapel.

Goodwin, a past president of the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association, has edited its annual journal for 19 years.  He is also a former trustee of the Rhode Island Historical Society. 

The free Zoom talk is open to the public. To register, go to www.rihs.org. Goodwin’s detailed article about B’nai Israel, published in the February 2000 issue of the society’s journal, Rhode Island History, can also be found on the society’s website.

The program is part of a series initiated by the Rhode Island Historical Society’s satellite facility, the Museum of Work and Culture, in Woonsocket.