Chelsea Jewish Tours
Join Ellen Rovner and Chelsea Jewish Tours as we take you back to Chelsea days when corned beef on rye was king, synagogues (shuls) were central to neighborhoods, small family-owned businesses fueled a growing middle class, and the city’s Yiddish theater entertained Jewish immigrants struggling with traditions from the “Old Country”. Our walking tour lasts from one to two hours with stops along the way at existing and former historic Jewish sites.
In addition to public and private tours, Chelsea Jewish Tours will customize your tour to accommodate different age groups and interests. And Chelsea Jewish Tours are always free for Chelsea residents! Interested? Questions? Please inquire by clicking below.
We have done Chelsea Jewish Tours with these orgnzations
Tour Stops May Include:
Affectionately known as “the Shvitz” (Yiddish for “sweat”), Russian Jewish immigrants, Israel & TillieDillon opened Dillon’s Russian Steam Bath in the 1920’s. The longest running Russian Steam Bath in the United States, Dillon’s still boasts wet and dry steam. Dillon’s remains a place to relax, refresh, and catch up with friends.
Dillon’s Russian Steam Bath
The first synagogue founded in Chelsea was Congregation Ohab Shalom on Winnisimmet Street in 1894. Its growing Jewish community became Congregation Agudath Sholom, moving into its grand building in 1909, after earlier construction was destroyed by the Great Chelsea Fire of 1908.
Walnut Street Synagogue
Katz Bagel Bakery opened in 1938 when Harry Katz took over a failing bakery. Harry learned the bakery trade from his uncle, moved his family into the apartment over the bakery, and quickly grew a successful business. His son, Richard Katz, continues to feed Chelsea with Katz’s famous bagels.
Katz’s Bagels
Known as Temple Beth-El when founded in 1927 Temple Emmanuel was established on Tudor Street in 1932 as a “modern” American Conservative synagogue. Making a home in a former Methodist Church in the quieter section of the city at Cary Square, the group spoke to the needs of a younger, American born generation.
Temple Emmanuel
The Olympia, opened in 1910 as Gordon’s Theater Chelsea, MA., offering early movies and “High Class Vaudeville.” With the Chelsea, Broadway and the Strand Theaters, it was one of at least four cinemas in Chelsea’s downtown in the 20th century. Owner Nathan Gordon later partnered with Louis B. Mayer, a young Russian Jewish immigrant peddler in Chelsea, to open theaters across New England.
Olympia Theater
La Colaborativa is a grassroots, immigrant rights organization that focuses on empowering Latinx community of Chelsea today. La Colaborativa works with area youth and adults to provide food, housing, immigration support, job readiness training, ESL classes and advocacy among other services.
La Colaborativa
“The way you weaved personal stories into the larger currents of local and world history’s influence on past Jewish and now Hispanic immigrants was interesting and moving. ”
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Get more information about Ellen and the Chelsea Gateway Project including our walking tours, upcoming documentary, other events and more.