Baltimore Heritage Series Examines Shaarei Tfiloh Synagogue’s Legacy

June 5, 2026 JMORE Staff

Known to generations of Baltimore Jews as the "Shul in the Park,” Shaarei Tfiloh operated as an Orthodox congregation from 1921 until September of 2023. (Provided photo)

One-hundred-and-five years ago next month, the cornerstone was laid for Baltimore’s Shaarei Tfiloh Synagogue at 2001 Liberty Heights Avenue, across the street from Druid Hill Park.

Designed by noted architect Stanislaus Russell, the “Shul in the Park” — and its iconic turquoise dome — became a common and beloved sight among Baltimoreans, and the Orthodox congregation there flourished for generations.

But in September of 2023, the shul discontinued congregational operations. Today, the synagogue building – which in 1996 was placed on the National Register of Historic Places – operates as Third Space at Shaarei Tfiloh, which bills itself as an “innovative new center for Jewish life and learning, as well as for greater Baltimore City community involvement.”

As part of its popular “Five Minute Histories” series hosted by Johns Hopkins, the Baltimore Heritage preservation group recently devoted a segment to the history of Shaarei Tfiloh, as well as a look at its current role in the local Jewish community.