Rodef Shalom traces its origin to the 1847 formation of the Bes Almon burial society. A year later the group rented a room in downtown Pittsburgh and formed a congregation called Shaare Shemayim (Gate of Heaven). Through a series of splits and re-amalgamations of the congregation the Rodef Shalom organization formed. The congregation’s 1856 charter gave its primary objectives as “the furtherance of the cause of Religion” and “the establishment of a good school in which the young shall be instructed in the principles of the Hebrew Religion as well as general branches of knowledge.” By 1860 there were thirty-five member families, with fifty pupils enrolled in the school. The first Jewish confirmation in Pittsburgh was held in 1862 for six girls and one boy.Although Rodef Shalom was originally an Orthodox congregation, in 1863 a transformation began when Rabbi Isaac M. Wise, founder of Reform Judaism visited Pittsburgh. The remainder of the 19th century was a period of tremendous growth for the congregation. President William Howard Taft visited Rodef Shalom on Saturday, May 29, 1909. This was the first time that a sitting United States president spoke from the bimah of a Jewish congregation during regular Sabbath services.

Due to changing immigration patterns and the growth of Pittsburgh, a new, larger temple was dedicated in 1901. However, by 1904 the congregation had already outgrown the space. An architectural competition was held to select a designer for the new synagogue building. Henry Hornbostel – the architect Andrew Carnegie selected to create Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie-Mellon University) – emerged the winner. Hornbostel’s Beaux Arts style merged the traditional with the modern resembling the architecture of the 1900 Paris Exposition. The design incorporated four representational stained glass windows by William Willet. Subsequently the congregation installed a 1907 Kimball organ, the largest of its kind still in use. The Temple sanctuary holds more than 900 people on the first floor and 300 in the gallery. The building was finished in time for High Holy Day services in 1907.

During the 20th century Rodef Shalom’s growth continued, reaching a peak membership of approximately 2300 families in the early 1960s. In 1989-1990 a major capital campaign restored the sanctuary. In 2000-2003, other areas of the building were updated for contemporary usage and handicap accessibility and a new porte-cochere entrance from the parking lot was added. As we forge ahead in the 21st century,