B'Nai Zion Temple

The unoccupied Beaux-Arts temple at 802 Common Street was the second historic home of the B’Nai Zion Congregation, a Reform Jewish congregation active in Shreveport since 1861. Dedicated on October 22, 1915, B’Nai Zion Temple served as the congregation’s spiritual home for forty years. In 1994, the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places as one of only ten grand Beaux-Arts buildings still standing in Louisiana. With its monumental front steps and two-story stained glass windows, the building is considered one of the finest examples of the Beaux-Arts architecture style in the state. Currently, a grassroots effort is underway to restore the historic structure.

For information on the history of the B’Nai Zion Temple, visit www.bnaizioncongregation.org. For information on restoration efforts, contact Eric Hess of Save the B’Nai Zion Temple at (504) 390-4377.  

Photos by Save B’nai Zion Temple and Downtown Development Authority