BJH: Tell Us About Yourself
Rabbi Chaim Schwartz: I am the son of a congregational rabbi whose positions took our family to different communities growing up. I learned at Yeshivas Ner Israel and settled in our home on Strathmore in the Cheswolde neighborhood with my wife Dvora and our children.
BJH: What is the history of Shomrei Mishmeres Hakodesh?
RCS: Today it is a thriving Kehillah in the heart of Cheswolde. It is the continuation of the original congregation established in 1905 downtown at the Lloyd Street Synagogue building. My grandfather, Hyman Schwartz, was the shul president for over 30 years. As a child, I heard stories from my father Rabbi Albert B. Schwartz z’l (who grew up in the shul and was a Talmid in Yeshivas Ner Israel and Musmach of Harav Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman, ZT’L) about my grandfather and the Shul which was the center of frum Yiddishkeit in Baltimore in the early 20th century. It was also the address for Chesed. The Rav and the Kehillah helped many people, especially during the depression years. As people moved out of the neighborhood, membership dwindled and eventually the Shul closed its doors in the late 1950’s.
BJH: How did the Shul find a new home?
RCS: When Dvora and I moved into our house in 2006, we opened the large great room as a Shabbos minyan and reestablished the name of the Shul to continue the tradition of Torah and Chesed. When Covid hit, we purchased a large tent to accommodate more people and began hosting three daily Minyanim, Shiurim, Mishmar, Avos U’Banim, Daf Yomi and other programming. We are a full-time shul with upwards of 200 people walking through our doors on a typical Shabbos or Yom Tov.
BJH: Tell us about the Cheswolde Shul & Mikvah Campaign
RCS: The growth of our Kehilla has created the need for a larger space offering full amenities to our members and guests. And with so many young families moving into the neighborhood, we will also meet the community needs with a Women’s Shabbos & Yom Tov Mikvah attached to the Shul. It will be under the direction of the Baltimore Mikvah.
BJH: How can our readers be part of the campaign?
RCS: We appreciate any contributions that people can make at the campaign website
www.CheswoldeShul.org or www.CheswoldeMikvah.org this coming Sunday/Monday June 23-24.
