Although technically not in Old Rondo, the synagogue located just south of Marshall, the neighborhood’s southern border, was in the midst of a Jewish community that began to develop in the Rondo and the Selby-Dale area as Jewish people began to move out of the River Flats and Lower Town. A group of Orthodox Jewish men living in the neighborhood met in October 1910 in Bowlby Hall in the Hill District to discuss the future of Judaism. Rather than relocate an Orthodox congregation originally on the West River Flats, a decision was made to organize a new congregation and elect aboard, but it took another two years before incorporation procedures were begun. The newly formed congregation chose the name Congregation (later changed to Temple) Aaron in memory of Aaron Mark, a pious Jewish man whose widow supported the founders’ efforts. Although established by Orthodox Jewish men, it rapidly became apparent that the congregation was moving toward the more liberal Conservative Movement, although the transition at times proved to be less than smooth. Its first High Holy Days services were held in Ramaley Hall led by a student rabbi from the Conservative Movement’s Jewish Theological Seminary, the first Conservative service held in St. Paul. The land was purchased at Ashland and Grotto and in 1913 construction began on a synagogue; its superstructure was completed and its consecration was held on September 17, 1916. That same year the congregation began its own Hebrew school to teach its young people Hebrew and to prepare boys for entry into the congregation at the time of their Bar Mitzvah at the age of 13. (Girls’ bat mitzvah ceremonies were introduced at Temple of Aaron in 1929, although they did attend Hebrew school before that date and along with boys were confirmed.) The school was also the focus of the students’ social lives as well. As the number of children attending increased, including those of non-members, a decision was made to merge the city’s three Hebrew Schools, Capital City Hebrew School, the West Side Hebrew School, and the Temple of Aaron Hebrew School into one Talmud Torah. Temple of Aaron donated a lot it had purchased on Holly and Grotto for a new building that opened in 1930. In 1923, further construction was begun on the synagogue as the congregation had expanded to 250 members. The synagogue was destroyed by fire on April 8, 1952, and land was purchased in Highland Park for a new building that was dedicated in 1956.
Current Location: 616 Mississippi River Boulevard
Timeline:
1910: Met in Bowlby Hall [location?] to organize a new Jewish congregation
1913: First High Holy Days service held in Ramaley Hall [location?]
1913: Land was purchased at Ashland and Grotto and construction began on the synagogue
1916: Building consecrated
1930: Three Hebrew schools merged: Captial City Hebrew School, West Side Hebrew School, and Temple of Aaron Hebrew School, and a school building was erected on land at Holly and Grotto donated by Temple of Aaron.
1952: Construction began on a new synagogue in Highland Park, at 616 South Mississippi River Blvd.
Clergy: Student rabbi Reuben Kaufman, 1913; Arthur Ginzler 1914-16; Alfred Kahn 1915-1917; Phillip Kleinman 1917-1926.