Page:History of Cumberland, Maryland 2.djvu/508

478 and Union streets, was erected. The building is a neat brick structure, with a seating capacity for about one hundred and fifty persons. Attached to the synagogue, and situated in the basement of the building, is a school room, where the children of the congregation are taught, by the minister or reader, who contracts with the church for this duty when he enters upon his pastoral charge. The school dates its organization from the time of the establish- ment of the congregation. On the 2d day of March, 1867, the synagogue on Centre street was dedicated with religious obser- vances, on which occasion Rev. B. Szold, and H. Hockheimer, of Baltimore, and Rev. Baum, of Cumberland, officiated. In 1869, Rev. A. Openheimer succeeded Mr. Baum as reader, and held the position until the 24th day of April, 1871, when he died, suddenly, of heart disease, and was buried in the Hebrew cemetery, in this city. Rev. Openheimer was succeeded in 1871, by Rev. A. Bonheim, who remained until 1873, and was followed by Rev. G. Levi, who officiated until 1875, when Rev. M. Wurzel was called to the charge. Mr. Wurzel continued here two years, and was succeeded in 1877 by Rev. L. Eiseman, the present incumbent. In the year 1853 the congregation pur- chased a piece of ground on the Baltimore pike, east of, and contiguous to, the city, for burial purposes. They have since greatly enlarged and improved the same. The congregation numbers at present twenty mem- bers, and the number of pew holders is about eighty.