David Herman, Rabbi
Arnold Cummins, President

Shaarei Tfiloh Congregation is located at the corner of Archentoroly Terrace and Liberty Heights Avenue in Baltimore, MD. We are the only Orthodox Jewish congregation that remains in this part of the city. Services are held only on Rosh Hashannah, Yom Kippur, and Tisha B'Av. We are trying to restart a Sunday morning minyan after 6 years of inactivity. Updates will be posted here.

For more information, please call the synagogue at (410) 523-4375.

The Synagogue Building

The Shaarei Tfiloh Synagogue was built over a seven year period from 1921 to 1927 at a cost of approximately $285,000 US Dollars. To build the same structure today would cost more than $15 million. It's located along the Western border of Druid Park, right across the street from the Baltimore Zoo.
The building was state-of-the-art for its time, touted as being the most comfortable synagogue in the city. Nearly every window, including the large Mogen Dovid (shield of David) "rose" windows opens up to allow ventilation. Time, lack of funds, and weather have taken their toll however, and today only few of the windows open.
While the main sanctuary can seat 700 men and 300 women (the Orthodox Jewish law requires men and women sit seperately), the area has not had a supporting Jewish population of that magnitude for about 50 years. The Jewish law also requires that congregants not drive to the synagogue on the Sabbath and holy days; as Jews moved from the neighborhood, the attendance dwindled. Today, congregants walk from other neighborhoods miles away or stay over at the synagogue for high holiday services.

In 1996, Shaarei Tfiloh was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The synagogue was used in the 1999 movie Liberty Heights by Barry Levinson.

Organization News

Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur services are coming up! Tickets are $75 per adult, $30 per student. Membership is $75 per family per year. Call the synagogue at (410) 523-4375 to reserve your seat! We never turn anyone away, call if you need a price reduction.