Popularly known as the Philly Shul, B’nai Abraham was founded in 1874 by Lithuanian Jews fleeing from Czar Alexander II. It was the first Russian chevra (Hebrew for society or association) in South Philadelphia. After meeting in temporary quarters, it relocated to the current site in 1885. The current building, completed in 1910, was designed by Charles Lewis Bolton, a Philadelphia architect.The Byzantine structure was built exclusively by Jewish workmen. The building’s design is eclectic combining Doric columns and the rose, Mogen David pattern windows with Byzantine themes. It is historically significant as the oldest building in Philadelphia that was built as a synagogue and has been in continuous use as such.

During the height of Eastern European Jewish immigration to Philadelphia (1880-1920), B’nai Abraham served as a cornerstone of daily Jewish life, feeding the hungry and housing the homeless.

After World War II, as with so many congregations established by immigrants, many of the Jewish families left the neighborhoods surrounding B’nai Abraham to move to suburban areas. During the 1950s, in a futile effort to stem the membership decline, the synagogue board decided to allow mixed (men and women) seating during the High Holidays. Due to population shift, attendance continued to decline and in 2000 it was decided that there was little to lose by returning to the original practice of separate seating. Since then, attendance has slowly, but steadily increased. In recent years there has been an active preschool program which now has over 25 students. Shabbat dinners with speakers are held as well as singles dinners and an adult education program.