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way, the use of oil and simple candlelight is a
mainstay of Jewish tradition. The chandelier was
originally lit with oil, then candles, and then
gas. Since 1904, the chandelier has been lit by
electricity, but the Judenstern, or Sabbath lamp,
used by Jews throughout the Middle Ages, was
originally lit by oil and now, only by candles.
The Temple of Israel’s Judenstern rests in its
foyer and dates back to the mid-19th century.
The pews are original to the building and
similarly reflect the Moorish style, as do the
wooden columns bolstering the upper balcony
anchored by the pipe organ. Reform Jews,
unlike most sectors of Judaism, use organs
during their worship services. Installed in
1906 and funded by the Ladies Concordia
Society, the majestic wood and brass Pilcher-
Tracker organ was restored in 1990. It’s the
only one of three such organs that remains in
use in the United States and is still considered
Wilmington’s oldest church organ.
While the ancient Jews faced the heat of the
deserts, Wilmington’s Reform Jews have the
humidity. A key part of the restoration focused
on combating the weathering effects of the
surrounding climate—and air-conditioning.
“The ceilings had black mold on the inside,”
Pancoe says, “because the top would heat up,
and the cold affects the bottom; we blew in
about 20 inches of insulation, which keeps
the temperature the same on both sides of the
wood.”
There was a time, however, when congregants
tried to worship at the Temple without air-
conditioning — as in, before it was available —
even the Rabbi needed faith.
“Does the Jewish God take summers off in
Wilmington?” asked Rabbi Samuel Mendelsohn,
the temple’s first rabbi, who presided over the
congregation for 46 years.
Pancoe and crew have restored Wilmington’s
Temple of Israel in master fashion, ensuring
year-round comfort, renewed inspiration and
a solid infrastructure for future generations of
Reform Jews.
“We created a whole book as to how to take
care of the place,” says Pancoe, with a laugh.
“Remodeling takes an unbelievable number of
tools.”
In 2012, the Temple of Israel received
Historic Wilmington Foundation’s David
Brinkley Preservationist of the Year for out-standing
rehabilitation and restoration of North
www.wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com WBM
Carolina’s oldest Jewish Synagogue.
Top: The Temple of Israel owns three Torah scrolls; the oldest one was used at the 1876
inaugural service. The Torah crowns and coverings are traditional ways of honoring the
sacred texts. A yad or a pointer is used to avoid touching the Torah while reading it.
Hebrew is written from right to left and Torah texts have no vowels. Bottom: A crescent
moon and star appears above the Moorish arch doorway of the temple. The fortified
doors, with reinforced wooden panels, are authentic to the structure.