Loop Synagogue

Chicago Loop Synagogue
Chicago Loop Synagogue
Religion
Affiliation	or Orthodox
Status	Active
Location
Location	16 S. Clark Street,; Chicago, Illinois, United States
Geographic coordinates	41°52′54″N 87°37′53″W / 41.88167°N 87.63139°WCoordinates: 41°52′54″N 87°37′53″W / 41.88167°N 87.63139°W
Architecture
Architect(s)	Loebl, Schlossman & Bennett
Completed	1958
Website
	chiloopsyn.org

Loop Synagogue is a synagogue in the Chicago Loop, built in 1957–1958.^[3] It is renowned for a stained glass artwork by Abraham Rattner.^[4]

The architects were the firm Loebl, Schlossman & Bennett, who also designed the Richard J. Daley Center.^[5]^[6]

Artwork[]

A sculpture Hands of Peace by Nehemia Azaz is situated over the entrance doors.^[7] The work depicts "priestly hands raised in benediction" (the Priestly Blessing).^[8]

Let There Be Light[]

Abraham Rattner's 30 ft × 40 ft (9.1 m × 12.2 m) Let There Be Light ^[a] occupies the entire eastern wall of the second-floor sanctuary. It stands in juxtaposition to the "reserved minimalism" of the rest of the interior.^[2] The art depicts images from Genesis 1:3 and Jewish religious symbols including a menorah, a shofar and an etrog. Additional influences include kabbalistic symbolism of "the force and the spirit of the ineffable and unknowable power".^[11]

It was described as "[p]erhaps the most beautiful synagogue interior in the United States".^[10] Another critic said the glass "bathes the sanctuary in a shower of color, artistically consecrating the space as a place apart from the grey concrete scene on the other side of the glass".^[12]

Notes[]

^ Also listed as And God Said, Let There Be Light^[9] and The Journey of a Mystic^[10]

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Chiat 2004, p. 104.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "Chicago Loop Synagogue". Open House Chicago. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
^ Eileen Lavine (January 13, 2016), "Jewish Routes: Chicago", Moment
^ Chiat 2004, p. 72.
^ Cutler 1996, p. 175.
^ Daley Center, Chicago Architecture Foundation
^ Chiat 2004, p. 105.
^ "Hands of Peace by Henri Azaz", Chicago Loop: A New Walking Tour, WTTW
^ Baigell, pp. 112.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b de Breffny 1978, pp. 199–200.
^ Baigell, pp. 114–115.
^ "Let There be Light by Abraham Rattner", Chicago Loop: A New Walking Tour, WTTW, retrieved 2018-05-26

Sources[]

Chiat, Marilyn Joyce (2004), The Spiritual Traveler—Chicago and Illinois: A Guide to Sacred Sites and Peaceful Places, Hidden Spring, ISBN 978-1-58768-010-6
Cutler, Irving (1996), The Jews of Chicago: From Shtetl to Suburb, University of Illinois Press, ISBN 0252021851
Baigell, Matthew (2007), Jewish Art in America: An Introduction, Rowman & Littlefield, ISBN 0742546411
de Breffny, Brian (1978), The Synagogue (First American ed.), Macmillan, pp. 199–200, OCLC 1031770403

External links[]

Official website
Buildings: Chicago Loop Synagogue PBS (video clip)

[11] Also listed as And God Said, Let There Be Light^[9] and The Journey of a Mystic^[10]

[FOOTNOTEChiat2004104-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Chiat 2004, p. 104.

[Open_House_Chicago-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b "Chicago Loop Synagogue". Open House Chicago. Retrieved 2018-05-26.

[3] Eileen Lavine (January 13, 2016), "Jewish Routes: Chicago", Moment

[FOOTNOTEChiat200472-4] Chiat 2004, p. 72.

[FOOTNOTECutler1996175-5] Cutler 1996, p. 175.

[6] Daley Center, Chicago Architecture Foundation

[FOOTNOTEChiat2004105-7] Chiat 2004, p. 105.

[8] "Hands of Peace by Henri Azaz", Chicago Loop: A New Walking Tour, WTTW

[FOOTNOTEBaigell112-9] Baigell, pp. 112.

[FOOTNOTEde_Breffny1978199–200-10] Jump up to: ^a ^b de Breffny 1978, pp. 199–200.

[FOOTNOTEBaigell114–115-12] Baigell, pp. 114–115.

[13] "Let There be Light by Abraham Rattner", Chicago Loop: A New Walking Tour, WTTW, retrieved 2018-05-26

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