The founding members of the Ahavath Israel Congregation were a small group of Jewish families who immigrated to America from Central Europe in the years from 1890 to 1905 and subsequently settled in Trenton, New Jersey. This group of mainly Austrian and Hungarian Jews soon decided to resign their memberships in the Congregation Brothers of Israel, an orthodox synagogue of Eastern European traditions, to embrace their own traditions and leadership. The charter of incorporation was granted to Ahavath Israel Congregation on December 23, 1909, and a permanent home at 439 Centre Street in Trenton, New Jersey was established on May 1, 1911.

The late Harry Gerofsky, Ahavath’s amateur historian relates an interesting account of the motivation for creating Ahavath Israel. Gerofsky shares that it was the alleged discomfort of some of the women attending a Rosh HaShana services at Congregation Brothers of Israel during a very warm September in 1909 that led to the birth of Ahavath Israel. Apparently, the cantor would not allow these women to open a window in the women's balcony to admit some cooler air, for fear that "his delicate vocal chords, and thus his singing," would be affected.

Later in that September of 1909, a group of some 20 men met in the home of Henry Wirtschafter, and later at Samuel Goldmann's Hall on Centre and Federal Streets, to draft guidelines for a new, energetic congregation to be called Ahavath Israel (For the Love of Israel). Ahavath would not change the religious forms and practices followed by the other Trenton orthodox synagogues, but the founding members felt very strongly about creating a congregation in which they could feel comfortable in expressing their identity and shared experience. They wanted their own leadership and a place in the Trenton Jewish Community.

The Ahavath Israel charter of 1909 lists the officers as Samuel Goldmann, president; Leo Eisner, vice-president; Peter Littman, secretary; and Morris Rudner, treasurer. The charter also names the trustees as Armin Banyai, Jacob Blaugrund, Nathan Fuchs, Herman Lefkowitz, Adolph L. Moskowitz, Max Strausfogel, Louis Warady, and Henry Wirtschafter.

During its first eighteen months, Ahavath used temporary quarters to hold organizational meetings and services, including regular minyan at 72 Union Street, the home of the Congregation's first spiritual leader, Reverend Max Gordon. On May 1, 1911 the congregation purchased, for $12,000, the Wesley Methodist Church building at 439 Centre Street as its permanent home. The founding members raised $3,000 as a down payment, with the balance mortgaged at five percent.

At its Centre Street home, Ahavath flourished in the next decades, establishing a Chevrah Kadisha in 1914 and purchasing a burial ground on Pitman Avenue in Hamilton Township in 1917 to which was added two other sites in the 1960s and 1970s. A Sisterhood was formed 1907 as the Austrian and Hungarian Ladies Aid Society. The Society collected funds for Jewish relief in World War I, entertained Jewish soldiers at dinner and endorsed the Jewish Community Center. The Ahavath Sisterhood always exerted a strong force within the Congregation.

A Hebrew school was established to teach Jewish history and traditions as well as the Hebrew language to the children of the Congregation in the early years. The school operated for over twenty years, but was closed during the Great Depression and World War II. Reopened in 1948, it was renamed the Strausfogel Hebrew School to commemorate a gift from one of the Congregation's founding families.

Ahavath Israel has had many inspiring spiritual leaders, including the Reverend Solomon Tashlik who served as both spiritual leader and cantor for twenty years and who was also the community "shochet." Rabbi Solomon Poll served the Congregation for the next fourteen years during which a Hebrew School, Sunday School and Men's Club were organized.

Soon a weekly Bingo program was organized to meet the operational costs of the synagogue and to amortize the mortgage. Many members worked to support the Bingo program over the years. It was due to the effort of these members that Ahavath Israel was able to celebrate the burning of the mortgage on June 24, 1979. The Bingo program continues today as the largest yearly fundraiser.

Many of the families from the original South Trenton neighborhood had followed the synagogue to Ewing, but in the 1980s there was also an influx of new members from the surrounding communities of Hopewell Township and Borough, Hamilton Township, Lawrenceville, Pennington, Titusville and Yardley, Pennsylvania.

Coinciding with the Congregation's 90th Anniversary, the synagogue building has undergone a number of renovations, including major improvements to the building and a new computer system as the Congregation looks ahead to its golden anniversary in December, 2009. This past year was a busy one for Ahavath Israel with the following happenings:  adoption of “Sim Shalom,” the official conservative siddur, introduction of an adult education course called “Tropmeister”; a cantorial concert and launching of an official internet web site.

During 1999, as Ahavath Israel Congregation celebrates its 90th anniversary, the Congregation looks back to its beginnings with a sense of both pride in its accomplishments and gratitude for the many wonderful members who are part of its past, and who will continue to inspire its future.

Adapted from the personal research and written history of Ahavath Israel Congregation by Ahavath Historian Harry Gerofsky and personal interviews conducted by Rabbi Jack Pianko. Grateful acknowledgement is made to Dr. Laurence Shatkin, William Wallen, and the Jewish Historical Society of Trenton. Updated by Marilyn Orland and Leonard Epstein for the 90th anniversary commemorative booklet.