In the Beginning

It wasn't Atevka, it was Pushelot, a shtetl in Lithuania, but other than that.the story could have come from "Fiddler On The Roof.'' Just after the turn of the century, the first of our founders came to Lexington and encouraged their relatives and friends to join them here. The Orthodox Jewish community then consisted of just 8 or 10 families. They gathered in downtown stores for Minyans. This practice of Davening in the stores still lingered 50 years later with Minyans in Abie Grossman's store on Water Street until it closed in the late 60's. Traditionally, the Odd Fellows hall on West Short Street was rented for the High Holy Days.