History

The Vilna Shul, Boston’s Center for Jewish Culture and the only surviving landmark of Boston’s immigrant Jewish past, touches something deep inside each of us: a profound yearning for connection to our roots. But it is more than nostalgia that calls to us. It is the future. With our 100-year-old building located in one of Boston’s most historic neighborhoods, The Vilna is a compelling destination and welcoming backdrop for urban adult populations to deepen their Jewish identity, foster new relationships, and feel a greater sense of connection and belonging.

 

Over 100 years ago, immigrants from Vilnius Gubernia - the province encompassing the present-day city of Vilnius, Lithuania (“Vilna” in Yiddish) - bravely set sail for America to build a new life for themselves and formed a landsmanschaft (an organization for families from the same area in Eastern Europe) in 1888 on the north slope of Beacon Hill in Boston's West End. They gathered to pray in their apartments, and, by 1906, their numbers swelled. They purchased the former 12th Baptist Church at 45 Phillips Street and used it as synagogue until 1916. When the building was then taken by eminent domain by the city to expand a school, the congregation was given $20,000 to leave 45 Phillips Street.

 

Eager to build their own center for Jewish life, immigrant families used the money to boldly erect a new synagogue. And in 1919, they laid the cornerstone at 18 Phillips Street. Creating a majestic spiritual home in their new land was essential to the fast pace of their ever-changing lives in America. The multi-layer murals on the walls of The Vilna Shul are extremely rare examples of 20th century immigrant folk art. They evoke an age of American history when immigrants came to find a new life while still remembering their old country’s traditions. The community thrived in the 1920’s and 1930’s and came together to welcome Shabbat, celebrate simchas (happy occasions), and pray during the week.

 

In 1985, after 65 years at 18 Phillips Street, after most of the Jewish community had long since left Beacon Hill and the West End had been destroyed in a 1950’s urban renewal project, the last remaining member, Mendel Miller, held a service in the synagogue for the last time. The Vilna sat in disrepair for over 10 years until a small but mighty group of prominent Boston leaders undertook a dogged effort to purchase and restore the building. The roof was replaced, the windows rebuilt, a sprinkler system was installed, the furnace was replaced, and a massive cleanup of the property was conducted to make the building habitable and safe. This process took nearly 10 years to complete. In 1998, the first mural was uncovered and restored, serving as a reminder of those who came before.

 

The Vilna is committed to celebrating and honoring the rich diversity of the city of Boston. The Vilna, as the only immigrant era synagogue remaining in Boston, is a contributing building in the Beacon Hill National Landmark District and a registered museum through the Council of American Jewish Museums. Today, The Vilna boasts universal access to the building and an ADA-compliant lift into the historic sanctuary, a community room for public programming, state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment, an upgraded HVAC system, and a new electrical system with three times the capacity of the original one.

 

Through educational programs, community events, public art exhibits, historic tours, and community collaborations, The Vilna gives voice and meaning to the histories and experiences of Boston’s immigrants and newcomers.