Kahal Kadosh Mikveh Israel (“Holy Community of the Hope of Israel”) of Philadelphia, the home congregation of Rebecca Gratz. This Portuguese congregation began around 1740. In 1761 they met in a house on Sterling Alley with a newly obtained Torah Scroll, then starting in 1771 they rented a building on Cherry Street. Finally on 1782 they built their first synagogue on Cherry and Third. It could seat 200 people. A second larger synagogue was built in 1822, and in 1829 Isaac Leeser became the congregation’s rabbi. You can still visit this important congregation at 44 North Fourth Street, in the Old City Historic District in Philadelphia.
