Historic Landmarks of San Francisco

The Gold Rush attracted men and women of all religions and nationalities to California, among them members of the Jewish faith. It has been estimated that there were around 100 Jews in the state by the fall of 1849. On Yom Kippur, September 26, of that year, a group of between 40 and 50 Jews gathered in San Francisco to celebrate the holiday. Leon Dyer acted as reader at the improvised services. Also present were Joel Noah, S. Flyshhacker, and Israel Solomon, a founder of the Congregation Sherith Israel. Mrs. Barnett Keening was the only woman known to have attended. This first meeting helped weld together the Jewish community of the City, and led to the formation of more permanent groups, the first of these being the Congregation Emanu-El, founded July, 1850.

The first meeting was held in a room over a store which stood on the west side of Montgomery Street between Jackson and Washington Streets, near the middle of the block. The site became the Transamerica Building (not to be confused with the Transamerica Pyramid one-half block away) and is now occupied by the Church of Scientology. The official bronze marker was placed by the California Centennial Commission and the Society of California Pioneers September 9, 1950. It is mounted on the back wall of the Transamerica Building.