Mishkan Israel was founded in 1858 as the first Conservative Jewish congregation in New England. The membership merged with Shaarei Tefila to later form Mishkan Tefila. Dedicated in 1925, the original majestic building in Roxbury was the first Jewish institution in Boston built as a synagogue. Designed by Architect, J. Frederick Krokyn, it was erected on the site of the former Augustus Parker home. After Mishkan Tefila members left Roxbury, they built a new building in Chestnut Hill which was dedicated in 1958. The Roxbury building was purchased by the Chabad Lubavitch community until 1968 when Elma Lewis repurposed the space for her School of Fine Arts. In 2001, the building was extensively renovated and rededicated as the United House of Prayer. Mishkan Tefila relocated once again in 2016 onto Harvard Street in Brookline where it shares the same campus owned by Temple Kehillath Israel.
