The Vilna Shul: Boston's Center for Jewish Culture

I chose to study how the Vilna Shul: Boston’s Center for Jewish Culture uses information because I was interested in the shul’s (Yiddish for synagogue) connection to the Jewish immigrant narrative in Boston. The Vilna Shul, built in 1919 by Lithuanian immigrants living in Boston, has today been revitalized as a historic site and cultural center. When I visited the Vilna Shul in Beacon Hill, despite the age of the building and its artifacts, I did not feel like I was visiting an archaic historic site, unconnected to my twenty-first century life. Instead, I felt like I could see the building through the eyes of its congregants, and experience the sanctuary like a member of their community. I imagined what it was like to sit in the pews in the early twentieth-century, watching the doors of the ark (the cabinet that holds Torah scrolls) being opened. I felt connected to the synagogue’s history, although I was experiencing the shul in the present. My connection to the shul, and my feelings of almost transcending time, is what Franklin D. Vagnone and Deborah E. Ryan refer to as a “poetic experience” in their book Anarchist’s Guide to Historic House Museums (Vagnone and Ryan, p. 35). Vagnone and Ryan (2016) use a quote by Randy Roberts to illuminate the idea of a poetic experience:

There are moments within the museum visit experience that seem to go beyond the cognitive, affective, and physical realms, reaching into a place that involves transcendence, awe, and spirituality. These experiences are often described in terms of being touched by an object…in such a powerful way that the viewer is held in time and place unable to turn away, or experiences a flow state, losing track of time. (p. 35)

To help museums achieve this passionate response from visitors, Vagnone and Ryan (2016) explore the idea of “poetic preservation,” which “[draws] connections between the real-life, quirky, and emotional experiences from the House’s past and the same sorts of feelings in the visitors’ own homes” (p. 35). While Vagnone and Ryan are writing about historic house museums, their theories extend to historic, preserved synagogues like the Vilna Shul. Although the Vilna Shul does not incorporate many standard museum procedures into institutional workflows, the shul is available as a case study of a historic site with services that embody a sense of poetic preservation. This paper will incorporate an analysis of how information is used, displayed, and preserved in the Vilna Shul, as well as an exploration of how the Vilna Shul utilizes poetic preservation.

Just as community was the impetus for the birth of the Vilna Shul, building community is now a large part of the historic synagogue’s current mission. An informational pamphlet, Self Guided Tour & Property History (2016), provided by Vilna Shul explains the history of the synagogue. A group of Jewish immigrants from Vilnius, Lithuania, the Anshei Vilner (people of Vilnius) began their congregation in 1893, in the midst of a period of substantial Jewish immigration from Eastern Europe to the United States. At first, the congregation gathered to pray in the homes of its members. In 1906, the congregation purchased its first synagogue building, originally the Twelfth Baptist Church, and adapted the building to become a shul. In 1916 the city of Boston took this building by eminent domain, and in 1919 the congregation members began building its second synagogue at 18 Phillips Street. The congregation held services in this synagogue until 1985 (The Vilna Shul, 2016). The Vilna Shul was re-opened to serve as a modern cultural center for the Boston Jewish community, as well as a landmark for anyone interested in the history of Boston. The Vilna Shul mission (which is not on the Vilna Shul website) states:

We are dedicated to preserving history by restoring our building and embracing the collective memories of the past, while simultaneously establishing ourselves as a significant community and cultural resource in Boston. By fostering awareness and inspiring historical, cultural, and spiritual connections, we will build community, perpetuate an enduring Jewish identity, and create a vibrant future. (R. Spilecki, personal communication, April 19, 2016).

To achieve its mission, the Vilna Shul puts equal emphasis on being a historic site and a community center. The shul functions as a historic site, preserving the synagogue and the original objects used by congregants. In ways it also functions as a history museum by presenting exhibits about the history of the synagogue and the Jewish immigrant narrative in Boston. To achieve its mission of being a cultural center, staff members put a lot of time into creating programming for community members. The staff members at the Vilna Shul include: Executive Director Barnet Kessel, Director of Development Rosa Kramer Franck, Director of Communications and Community Outreach Lynne Krasker Shultz, and Administrator Rachel Spilecki. A Board of Directors and an Advisory Committee also support the Vilna Shul, and the synagogue is affiliated with the organizations Museums of Boston and Partners in Preservation. With its function as both a historical site and a cultural center, the Vilna Shul at times foregoes traditional museum standards to focus on creating community experiences and acting as a cultural resource.

The Vilna Shul displays historic artifacts associated with the synagogue and its former congregation. While the Vilna Shul does not officially consider these objects a collection, the objects, like the collections in house museums, provide evidence of the Vilner Congregation, and the time and culture within which they used the synagogue building. Rachel Spilecki, Adminisrator at the Vilna Shul, notes that the most important artifact is the synagogue building (R. Spilecki, personal communication, April 15, 2016). By preserving the building, the labor and craftsmanship of the Anshei Vilner are preserved, including their painted murals. The shul is currently restoring the murals that the congregants painted on the sanctuary walls. The murals had been painted over, but are now being restored after being discovered during a paint investigation. Painting murals on sanctuary walls was a pre-World War II Eastern European tradition, but many painted synagogues were destroyed during the war, and there are now few examples of the tradition of synagogue murals (Berkovich, 2010). The conservation of the murals in the Vilna Shul gives visitors the opportunity to learn about the traditions of Eastern European Jews, as well as the traditions of the Vilner Congregation after immigrating to America. The congregation’s Jewish and American cultural affiliations are reflected in the murals, such as one mural that shows ancient Jerusalem and another painted in the Colonial Revival style. The synagogue building and the murals are significant holdings for the Vilna Shul, and the other objects in the collection also hold value as evidence of the congregation’s culture and experiences.

The other objects in the Vilna Shul are religious and utilitarian objects preserved from the original congregation, including the congregation’s ark (a holy cabinet for storing Torah scrolls), pickle barrels that were used as Torah stands, and the synagogue’s original pews, which were also the original pews of the Twelfth Baptist Church. The objects in the sanctuary of the synagogue hold significant information value because they illustrate the traditions the Anshei Vilner brought with them from Lithuania, as well as evidence of the community’s assimilation to America. For instance, the Self Guided Tour & Property History (2016) explains that in front of the ark the congregants placed a yartzite rail, where people stood to recite yartzite prayers on the anniversary of a loved ones’ death. While in American synagogues, the yartzite prayers are typically said while seated, standing at a yartzite rail is a Lithuanian tradition (The Vilna Shul, 2016). The shul’s ark is decorated in a Baroque style that was popular in New England at the time; it is curiously decorated with scallop shells and oak trees, despite the fact that scallops are not kosher foods and cannot be eaten by Jewish people, and oak tree are symbols associated with paganism (The Vilna Shul, 2016). Rachel Spilecki explained that the congregants specifically chose these decorations for their ark because these designs were popular in New England, and the congregation wanted to demonstrate their pride for their new home (personal communication, March 18, 2016). The pews in the synagogue represent the history of different cultures in Boston, specifically the Eastern European Jewish immigrant community and the African American community of the Twelfth Baptist Church. The objects in the Vilna Shul are culturally significant for multiple Boston communities, as well as visitors to Boston with or without connections to these communities. 

Accessibility to the objects in the Vilna Shul is dependent on historical context. Discussing the display of utilitarian objects like bowls in preserved death camps from the Holocaust, Elaine Heumann Gurian (1999) notes that cultural value “depends not upon the object itself, but on an associated story that may render [an object] unique or important” (p. 171). The Vilna Shul provides the historical context necessary to make the synagogue artifacts accessible and important to visitors by providing guests with the informational pamphlet Self Guided Tour & Property History. This pamphlet has sections on the history of the shul, the property history of 18 Phillips Street, and the significance of objects in the sanctuary like the ark, murals, and yartzite rail. The synagogue also creates access to information by presenting exhibits on its first floor. The current exhibit, “Reconnect Tapestry,” provides the viewer with information about the nineteenth- and twentieth-century Eastern European Jewish immigrant community in Boston, a community that inhabited different neighborhoods within Boston before moving to the suburbs. This exhibit provides even more context for the Vilna Shul and its artifacts, as the visitor can learn about the community of Jewish immigrants within which the Vilna Shul and its congregants existed. The Vilna Shul’s website provides more contextual information about the synagogue, with web pages on the history of the shul and its congregation. Visitors to the Vilna Shul will “[bring] with them their background, experiences, cognition, culture, education, aptitudes, feelings, and moods” (Latham, 2012, p. 64), but contextual information is essential to the experience of visiting the synagogue and viewing its objects. While some visitors may have experiences and knowledge that allow them to understand the religious objects or Eastern European traditions presented in the synagogue, Rachel Spilecki explained that many of the visitors to the Vilna Shul are not Jewish, and many of them are not American (personal communication, March 18, 2016). The Vilna Shul provides essential contextual information that makes the objects accessible to all visitors. In the future, the Vilna Shul could utilize its web presence to bolster this context, using web pages to expand on details like the history of Jewish Eastern European immigrants in Boston, the history of the Beacon Hill area, and explanations of Jewish traditions and objects that could not be included in the small pamphlet currently being given to visitors.  

The museum could improve on its efforts to care for its collections by introducing cataloging into its workflow and creating a preservation plan for objects. The shul does not currently catalog its objects. Rachel Spilecki notes that there have been efforts to incorporate museum practices such as cataloging into the workflow at the Vilna Shul, but these efforts have been limited by not having the staff or volunteers with time to take on more projects (personal communication, April 15, 2016). Ultimately, a catalog with digital surrogates of the synagogue’s objects would be useful for the Vilna Shul staff members, as well as researchers. Cataloging is also a means of preservation: Corinne Jörgensen, Paul F. Marty, and Kathy Braun (2012) write that “[w]ithout a proper catalog detailing the institution’s holdings and their condition, unique items capable of increasing our knowledge risk being left to decay or are simply overlooked and forgotten” (p. 468). While historical preservation is part of the Vilna Shul’s mission, the synagogue does not currently have a preservation plan (R. Spilecki, personal communication, April 15, 2016). The Vilna Shul previously housed documents and records related to the synagogue’s history, but when the shul was first re-opening as a cultural center, well-meaning, un-trained volunteers destroyed many of the Vilna Shul’s records without recognizing their informational value. American Jewish Historical Society is currently processing the Vilna Shul’s remaining archives: AJHS will ensure that the records are preserved correctly and accessible to users, fulfilling the Vilna Shul’s mission to preserve the synagogue’s history (R. Spilecki, personal communication, April 15, 2016). The synagogue building also does not currently have any environmental controls. To combat environmental concerns, Rachel Spilecki (who is not the expert on these efforts, but is knowledgeable about synagogue history and operations) writes that the Vilna Shul has taken the following steps: placing modern fabric in the pickle barrel Torah stands, to protect the original velvet; keeping objects away from flaking walls; and keeping some objects in archive grade boxes in Rachel’s office, which is a more stable environment (personal communication, April 27, 2016). Fragile objects such as textiles and old books are currently kept in off-site storage, as a means of preservation (R. Spilecki, personal communication, April 15, 2016). The Vilna Shul formerly had a staff member with training in Museum Studies and Archaeology, but as this staff member had to prioritize her duties as Program Manager, she was limited in the preservation actions she could take in the building. Rachel Spilecki notes that because the Vilna Shul puts effort into functioning as a cultural center, it has been difficult to integrate practices like preservation planning (personal communication, April 27, 2016). Most of the collection is currently in good condition, but a preservation plan and investment in environmental controls would help Vilna Shul staff members ensure that the objects continue to stay in good condition for longevity. Although the Vilna Shul is aware of the preservation management needed for objects, staff members are currently balancing several priorities to achieve its mission. It may take time for the shul to develop the workflows, obtain the donations and volunteers, or hire the staff members to ultimately reach a place where it can completely carry out all the branches of its mission.

The Vilna Shul is an example of a center exercising the concept of poetic preservation. As poetic preservation is based on a connection between museum visitors and history, the Vilna Shul achieves this by putting as much emphasis on community engagement as on preserving and displaying objects. Just as the Anshei Vilner came together as a congregation in the late nineteenth-century, modern Jews and Bostonians can today come together as a community in the same space. To cultivate an active Jewish community in Boston, Vilna Shul hosts religious events such as Havurah on the Hill Young Adult Kabbalat Shabbat. A havurah is a group of Jews, and at Havurah on the Hill, young adults come together monthly to meet, eat, celebrate the weekly holiday of Shabbat with a religious service, and listen to a guest speaker from the community. Vagnone and Ryan (2016) write about the visitors to historic sites: “Visitors are looking for entertaining experiences, interactive learning, and opportunities for active participation with other people” (p. 12). Community events like Havurah on the Hill bring community members to the Vilna Shul, but allow people to actively participate in the synagogue by celebrating culture and religious traditions. Vagnone and Ryan (2016) also note that “a great many House Museums place visitor and community concerns at the bottom of the barrel” (p. 19). Those who revitalized the Vilna Shul knew the historical importance of the synagogue, but also recognized the needs of the community by using the shul as a place for community events and religious celebrations, including Shabbat, weddings, and bar and bat mitzvahs. The synagogue’s preservation is more certain because there is now a place for the Vilna Shul in the community, and people frequently attend the synagogue’s events. The Vilna Shul embodies the concept of poetic preservation by creating a use of the synagogue in the community, and holding events to welcome community members into this historic site.

The use of the sanctuary and its objects for religious events improves the experience for visitors touring the synagogue. Vagnone and Ryan (2016) determine that “visitors crave a more realistically presented habitation space and some illustration of the variety of occupation that occurred in it over time” (p. 137). As the sanctuary and some of the objects within it are used for religious services, the synagogue does illustrate how the congregants would have used it in the nineteenth and twentieth century. When I visited the Vilna Shul, in the sanctuary I saw a yad (a pointer used to read the Torah) on the bimah (central, raised podium), as well as objects that were possibly being prepared for the Havdalah service, the service marking the end of the Shabbat holiday. While visitors without the context of Jewish traditions might not have recognized these objects, the “visual complexity” of seeing religious or utilitarian objects inside of the sanctuary gives visitors the sense of how the sanctuary was used by the original congregants (Vagnone & Ryan, 2016, p. 137). While fragile or holy objects, like textiles or Torah scrolls, could not be left out in the open for visitors to see for preservation reasons, objects left out by Vilna Shul staff members contribute to an authentic environment for visitors: the synagogue feels used, because it is being used. The experience of viewing religious objects that are actually used in the sanctuary sustains the poetic preservation of the synagogue by creating an authentic experience for visitors. 

For its future, the Vilna Shul has the opportunity to make the synagogue more accessible, and broaden its audience in the Boston community. While many of the events at the Vilna Shul are focused around the Jewish community, people not affiliated with this community can attend events like discussions and film screenings. On April 10^th, 2016, the Vilna Shul hosted a panel on the 1936 Munich Olympics, and on May 10^th, 2016, the shul will host a screening of the film Etched in Glass: the Legacy of Steve Ross, as well as a discussion session with the film’s director. This film is a about the life of Stephan B. Ross, a Holocaust survivor who founded the New England Holocaust Memorial near Faneuil Hall. The Vilna Shul’s use of social media is also a way to broaden its audience: the synagogue is active on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The synagogue could better utilize best practices in social media to engage Bostonians, such as posting not just about events at the Vilna Shul but also about events and news from the broader community. In order to achieve its mission of building community and its institutional priority of community engagement, the synagogue could improve the physical accessibility of the building. The sanctuary is currently only accessible by stairs that lead from the entrance of the synagogue to the sanctuary on the second floor, and there is currently no wheelchair ramp leading up to the building. Rachel Spilecki reports that there are currently plans to make the building more physically accessible, including the addition of a wheelchair ramp to a new front entrance and potentially elevators in the building. The Vilna Shul seems to be continually improving and expanding its events and public services. By acting as a cultural resource for the Boston Jewish community, visitors to Boston, and Boston locals, the Vilna Shul will achieve its mission of community building as well as the poetic preservation of the synagogue as a historic site.

Thank you to Rachel Spilecki for answering all of my questions about the Vilna Shul!

Berkovich, Sarah (Director, Producer, Editor). (2010, June 10). Le’dor vador: The restoration of the Vilna Shul. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRhIKIMmCMk

Heumann Gurian, E. (1999). What is the object of this exercise? A meandering exploration of the many meanings of objects in museums. Daedalus, 128(3), 163-183. Retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20027571

Jörgensen, C., Marty, P. F., & Braun, K. (2012). Connecting to collections in Florida: Current conditions and critical needs in libraries, archives, and museums. The Library Quarterly, 82(4), 453-476. Retrieved from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/667437

Latham, K. F. (2012). Museum object as document. Journal of Documentation, 68(1), 45-71. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00220411211200329

Vagnone, F.D., & Ryan, D.E. (2016). Anarchist’s guide to historic house museums. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press, Inc.

The Vilna Shul: Boston’s Center for Jewish Culture. (2016). Self guided tour & property history. Boston: The Vilna Shul.