Sorry for the short notice on this, but this evening visiting UO architecture professor Thomas C. Hubka will discuss his research on vernacular form and Jewish culture in a lecture titled, "The Art and Architecture of Eighteenth-century Wooden Synagogues" at the UO's new White Stag Block campus. The lecture begins at 6PM.
In 2006 Hubka received the Henry Glassie Award for special achievement in the field of vernacular architecture in honor of his 2003 book, Resplendent Synagogue: Architecture and Worship in Eighteenth Century Polish Community. (By the way: I just love Polish pierogies and stuffed cabbage.)
Hubka, a professor of architecture at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, is serving as a visiting professor for the spring term in Oregon's architecture and historic preservation programs. Previously he taught at UO from 1972-83. He also wrote Big House, Little House, Back House, Barn: The Connected Farm Buildings of New England in 1984. (I particularly appreciated the chapter on the Charles Ingalls House.) His spring studio project is a museum of Ukrainian Jewish history and restoration workshop for historic wooden structures. Hubka was awarded a Fulbright Senior Specialist grant to travel to Lviv, Ukraine, in the fall where he will present proposals for the museum at Lviv University.
Hubka's historic preservation class is conducting a survey of common housing types in Springfield of the past hundred years. His findings were presented to the Springfield Historic Commission on May 10.
The professor's research into synagogues also reminds me: Although it's not often discussed, the Temple Beth Israel at 19th and Flanders is a real treasure. Built in 1927, it was designed by Harry Herzog. According to Bart King's Architectural Guidebook to Portland, its plans were revised 14 times. The Byzantine style synagogue's 100-foot-high dome, topped with its original terra cotta shingles, is one of the top architectural sights (and sites) in Portland.
Even so, one of the top architectural works not in Portland is the original Temple Beth Israel, erected in 1889 but burned by an arsonist in 1923. Before that, it was the largest place of Worship in the city. Damn you anti-semites! What would it have been like to have this wonder in our city? They even sell posters of the church like this one online. How many other Portland churches, even those by Pietro Belluschi, can say that?
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