[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 137 (Wednesday, November 12, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1536]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN RECOGNITION OF THE 175TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TEMPLE COVENANT OF PEACE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 12, 2014

  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 175th anniversary of 
the Temple Covenant of Peace. They are the third oldest Temple in 
Pennsylvania and the tenth oldest in the United States. Committed to a 
mission of cultivating a love and understanding of Jewish heritage and 
to inspiring fellowship in the Jewish Community, they have offered many 
avenues for service to the larger community. Their history is 
intertwined with the history of the City of Easton, Pennsylvania.
  Founded on August 26, 1839, the Congregation Brith Sholom (Covenant 
of Peace) held their services in a rented space on Third and Bank 
Street in Easton. As they grew, they endeavored to build a synagogue on 
Sixth Street between Pine and Ferry. Its facade mirrored that of a 
great synagogue in Florence, Italy. Until 1959, it was the oldest 
synagogue in continuous use, for 117 years, in the United States. In 
1954, the Covenant of Peace purchased property to build a new synagogue 
for their growing congregation. This synagogue was dedicated on 
November 20, 1959. The synagogue was built with no work performed on 
the Sabbath or on Jewish holidays. The Temple Covenant of Peace has 
what is believed to be one of the first free-standing monuments to the 
victims of the Holocaust.
  Through the years, members of the Temple Covenant of Peace have 
served the Easton community well. The Rabbis and members have served on 
the boards of community non-profits and similar organizations. They 
have organized food drives and participated in community dialogues on 
faith and the ethical issues of our day. They have stood with members 
of the community to help them grieve times of loss and to offer courage 
in times of change.
  It is my honor to commend the Temple Covenant of Peace and their 
commitment to cultivating a love and understanding of the Jewish 
heritage and to inspiring fellowship in the Jewish Community as well as 
service in the broader community in the Easton area.

                          ____________________