Lisbon Historical Society members and other people driving on Route 138, have long been fascinated with an unused, one-room synagogue surrounded by trees and bushes just off the road.
The tiny white building, call the Anshel Israel Synagogue, is a rare sight in this region. Other than Norwich and New London, Lisbon is the only town in eastern Connecticut that can boast of a historic synagogue.
The historical society, hoping to preserve the curious-looking building for future generation, recently made a proposal to the synagogue’s former members to take care of the structure.
The historical society, which has 30 members, operates the John Bishop House, a 185-year-old post-Colonial farmhouse on Route 169.
"My concern is that this is deteriorating," Selectman Albert Gosselin Sr., president of the historical society, said of the synagogue. "We’d like to preserve it for its historic value in Lisbon." The synagogue was one of 15 synagogues added to the National Register of Historic Place ///id either the town,///meeting, could buy and lease it to the historical society which would simply volunteer to maintain the structure. Gosselin made the proposal to Jerome Zuckerbraun, one of six remaining members of the synagogue. Zuckerbraun, who owns a small department store in Jewett City, plans to call the other members together for a meeting on the request.
"I’m not against it." Zuckerbraun, "/////taking care of it."
Zuckerbraun said little maintenance has been done to the Colonial Revival-style building.
Zuckerbraun is the son of Isaac Auckerbraun, a member of one of the 15 founding families of the synagogue, which was built in 1936. The families come from Poland and Russia and lived in Plainfield, The congregation was kept alive by new refugees. The last of the founding members died in 1990. Many of the congregation attended services at a synagogue in Danielson. Gosselin said the building needs to be painted and, if it doesn’t already, will soon need repairs. Future plans would include adding the synagogue to the ///.
Albert Gosselin, president of the Lisbon Historical Society, is hoping to be able to preserve the synagogue, one of 15 buildings put on the National Register of Historic Places last year.