B’NAI ABRAHAM/B’NAI EMET SYNAGOGUE

Work was begun on this first synagogue in the suburbs in July 1958. The $300,000 building at 3115 Ottawa Avenue was designed by Ackerman and Cooperman. It was completed in March 1959 and dedicated on June 19-21, 1959. 700 people came to the dedication, including Mayor Herbert Lefler, who welcomed the congregation to the Park. The congregation consisted of 373 families and was first known as B’nai Abraham, started in 1889 in south Minneapolis. In 1960 it was advertised as “Your NEW conservative congregation serving St. Louis Park and Hopkins.”  In 1971 B'nai Abraham merged with Congregation Mikro-Tifereth to become B'nai Emet.

B'nai Emet was used by the Coen Brothers as a setting for their 2009 film "A Serious Man," which also used the names of their St. Louis Park classmates and businesses.

Because of the cost of maintaining the aging building and declining membership, in 2010 the congregation voted to merge with another local conservative synagogue.  The first synagogue approached was Beth El, but that did not work out.  On June 2, 2011, the congregation voted to merge with Adath Jeshurun Congregation, located at 10500 Hillside Lane W. in Minnetonka.  Adath Jeshurun started in 1884 and was one of the first Conservative Synagogues in the country. 

The final weekend at B'nai Emet was June 24-16, 2011.  Plans are to sell the building. 

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.