Congregation Ah-Goodies Ah-Chem Support Fund

Sign reading "Site of Synagogue and Hebrew School"
Sign in West Blocton, AL. Photo credit: REL students Caity Bell and Elli Cochran

In Spring 2015, Janet Ellis Beerman and William Bryan Ellis —representing the successors of William (Wolf) Israel, John Krentzman, and Samuel Baer — donated to the proceeds from the sale of land, located in West Blocton, AL, where the onetime Ah-Goodies Ah-Chem Synagogue stood (from 1905-1936). The name derived from the Hebrew for “League of Brothers” (Hebrew: אֲגוּדַת אַחִים, or commonly transliterated into English as: Agudas Achim).

The earnings from this very kind gift, which established a support fund endowment, go toward addressing the financial needs of the department’s Judaic studies minors.