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Temple of Aaron; A Synagogue History
The Beginnings: 1910–1923
It was Rosh Hashanah afternoon, a crisp October day in 1910, and a handful of Orthodox St. Paul Jews had come together to express their common concern for the future of Judaism in the New World. They spoke of the fact that their children and grandchildren, unlike themselves, were being raised and educated in the United States, and they expressed a fear that these young people would lose interest in their religion. They affirmed their conviction that St. Paul Jewry should have a Conservative movement to preserve the basic traditions of their faith while adapting that faith to the demands of twentieth century America.

Three days later, they held a formal meeting at Bowlby Hall in the Hill district with the avowed purpose of insuring “that Judaism should live forevermore.” To accomplish this purpose, they pledged themselves to establish a Conservative synagogue in St. Paul. Their task was a difficult one, for the Conservative movement was so young that there was not yet a Conservative synagogue association to guide them.