There are records of Jewish citizens living in Athens at the time of the Civil War. The Jewish community grew slowly, but by 1872, it had grown to the point where a group of it's leaders felt that they could conduct organized religious activities. They petitioned the Superior Court of Clarke County that a charter of incorporation be granted them as "officials and trustees of a Synagogue, or House of Worship for the Children of Israel under the name and style of "Kol Kadush Beni Yisroile and Congregation Children of Israel.'" In August of that year the petition for incorporation was signed.

One of the first business transactions for the newly organized board of trustees of 1873 was purchase of a parcel of land at the corner of Hancock and Jackson Streets. Then in 1878, a second portion fronting 60 feet on Hancock and running through to Dougherty Street, was obtained. It was in 1884 that the congregation constructed the house of worship it would occupy for the next 84 years.

Meanwhile, in 1873, the first of three parcels of land adjoining the Oconee Hills Cemetery along the Oconee River was purchased for use as a congregational cemetery. Other parcels were obtained in 1913 and in 1947.

The congregation continued to grow, with 21 member families in 1900 to 38 member families in 1917. A large increase in membership in the late 50's and early 60's was largely due to expansion at the University of Georgia and government research facilities, bringing many Jews into the area. By 1970, these members made up half of the active congregation.

In 1965, a major decision was before the congregation. The old structure would need extensive repairs if it was to continue as the congregation's home and the city was planning urban renewal for the area. Negotiations for an acceptable price for the old Temple property were carried out, and the congregation was able to purchase approximately 2.7 acres of land on Dudley Drive from the Athens Board of Education. Now the building committee and the fundraising committee would begin to bear fruit. A beautiful structure which blended into the surrounding wooded area arose. On Sunday, October 13, 1968, it was dedicated.

The congregation continued to grow, increasing to 83 member families in 1983 to over 140 member families today. In the 1990s, it became apparent that the Temple, in particular the religious school, would need to be expand in order to accommodate the ever increasing number of students. A new education center was added to the current temple in 1996, dedicated as the ''Carol Bush Education Center'' in memory of member Steven Bush's late wife. The religious school now has classes for children as young as 3 and up to 16 years of age, increasing enrollment from approximately 50 to 75 because of the new facility. 

Since its beginnings in 1872, the Congregation Children of Israel has been the only synagogue in Athens. As current rabbi, Rabbi Ronald D. Gerson is fond of saying, "It's very important for people to know we are the center of Jewish life in all of Northeast Georgia. To find another temple, you would have to go east all the way to Augusta, west to Gwinnett County, south to Macon, or north to Tennessee or North Carolina.''



The author would like to acknowledge and thank Dr. Herbert S. Siegel, Prof. Emeritus, Pennsylvania State University for his permission in allowing information from his essay "A View Of the Past" to be used on this page. The complete essay is available for viewing at the Temple office. In addition, some material was used with permission, from the AThens Banner-Herald.