Gates of Heaven Synagogue

Gates of Heaven Synagogue
Gates of Heaven Synagogue
	The former synagogue building, in 2012
Religion
Affiliation	Judaism (former)
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Synagogue (1863–1879); Various uses (1879–1970); Event venue (since 1972);
Status	Closed (as a synagogue);; Repurposed (commercial use);
Location
Location	302 East Gorham Street, Madison, Wisconsin
Country	United States
	Location of the former synagogue in Wisconsin
Geographic coordinates	43°4′47.8″N 89°23′5.5″W / 43.079944°N 89.384861°W
Architecture
Architect(s)	August Kutzbock
Style	Romanesque Revival
Date established	1856 (as a congregation)
Completed	1863
	Gates of Heaven Synagogue
	U.S. National Register of Historic Places
NRHP reference No.	70000030
Added to NRHP	December 29, 1970

The Gates of Heaven Synagogue, also known as the Old Synagogue, is a historic synagogue in Madison, Wisconsin, United States, designed by German immigrant architect August Kutzbock and constructed in 1863 for the Gates of Heaven congregation. The congregation that commissioned the synagogue was a group of 17 German-speaking Jewish families that met within the building until financial difficulties obliged them to rent it to numerous tenants from 1879, until finally selling the building in 1916. The synagogue was then sold to a succession of owners, and was at various times a dentist's office, a funeral home, and the office of US Congressman Robert Kastenmeier.

In 1970, the synagogue was set to be demolished, but was spared for concerned members of the community to raise money to move the synagogue to a new site. The synagogue was moved to James Madison Park in July 1971 after a fundraising effort supported by the citizens of Madison, the Taychopera Foundation historical preservation fund, and the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The Gates of Heaven Synagogue is one of the oldest synagogues in the United States. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 29, 1970. It now serves as an event venue, although it continues to host Jewish ceremonies and High Holy Days services.