Venue Information

In 1887, a small group of Jewish families founded a Hebrew Benevolent Society in Santa Cruz. In that year, Moses Meder (a non-Jew) gifted land to the society for a Jewish cemetery on the condition that his family plot be located within. The first Jewish families in Santa Cruz were merchants. The first known synagogue was acquired in the early 1930s and was located in an old house on Chestnut Street where families congregated for religious services as well as to socialize.

Construction started in 1988 and was completed in 1989, highlighted by the traditional walking of the Torahs from Bay Street to Aptos. The first High Holy Day services were held at our Aptos home in 1990. Many members gave countless hours of their time as well as their money to turn a "dream into reality," which was the slogan of the major building campaign. One member worthy of being singled out is Don Van Den Berg, who supervised the entire construction project.      

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