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Petach Tikvah Hebrew School & Congregation

Petach Tikvah Hebrew School was founded in approximately 1921, in the eponymous shul at 5103 Denmore Avenue in northwest Baltimore’s Pimlico neighborhood, which was seeing a major influx of Jewish families at the time. Petach Tikvah Congregation was founded in 1921. It was located at 5103 Denmore Avenue between 1921-1955 and 5100 Denmore Avenue between…

Petach Tikvah Hebrew School was founded in approximately 1921, in the eponymous shul at 5103 Denmore Avenue in northwest Baltimore’s Pimlico neighborhood, which was seeing a major influx of Jewish families at the time.

Petach Tikvah Congregation was founded in 1921. It was located at 5103 Denmore Avenue between 1921-1955 and 5100 Denmore Avenue between 1955-1971. The school was founded by Meyer Liebenson.

Petach Tikvah Congregation, 5100 Denmore Ave.
Credit: Dr. Kenneth Friedman
Petach Tikvah Hebrew School, circa 1961-62
Courtesy of Ron Brager, who attended 1952-55
Balt. Sun, 11/30/1932
Commencement book, 1961

Petach Tikvah Congregation merged with Har Zion (1918)-Tifereth Israel (1926) of Forest Park in 1970, forming Har Zion-Tifereth Israel-Petach Tikvah Congregation.

“1944-1945 Bialik Chapter of AZA at Petach Tikvah. Individuals identified as: 1. Hillel/Harry Goldberg 2. Albert Blank 3. Cantor Hillel Lipsicus 4. Rabbi Benjamin Axelman 5. Ben Schlossenberg 6. Bobby Solomon 7. Leonard Grebow OR Aaron Grebow 8. Al Polevoy 9. Leonard Niport 10. Joseph Axelman 11. Unidentified 12. Norman Sklar 13. Unidentified 14. Jack Lazarus 15. Dan Buchman 16. Willie Shulman 17. Unidentified 18. Jerry Niport.” Photo from JMM.
Rabbi Benjamin Axelman, c. 1952
“1970 groundbreaking for the Har Zion-Tifereth Israel-Petach Tikvah Synagogue. Featured in the photograph are: Rabbi Bak, Sol Liss, Norman Polovoy, David Goldberg, Hyman Pressman, and Isadore Escann.” Photo from JMM.

In 1972 a celebration was held at their newly constructed building at 6221 Greenspring Avenue. They soon became known as Pickwick Jewish Center. Rabbi Marcel Blitz was installed on 6/5/1974 in a banquet at Schleider’s.

In 1986, Pickwick Jewish Center sold their building to Congregation Shomrei Emunah (6213 Greenspring Avenue).

Pickwick Jewish Center temporarily held services at 6213 Greenspring until 1988, when they set up an office at Suburban Orthodox Congregation (7504 Seven Mile Lane), when they soon dissolved.

All of the memorial boards of Petach Tikvah still hang at the current Shomrei Emunah building.

Rabbis/Cantor:
Rabbi Abraham A. Kellner, August, 1934, installed 3/17/1935, departed for Miami, FLA, November, 1936.

Rabbi Benjamin G. Axelman, Rabbi, 1943-1972

Rabbi Marcel Blitz, 1974-1986

Cantor Hillel Lipsicas

Current Status: The building still stands at 5100 Denmore Ave.

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