A History of the Congregation Beth Israel of Malden
Rabbi Boruchoff
The first rabbi of the congregation was Rabbi Dov Ber Boruchoff. Author of the work "Reishis Bikurim", Rabbi Boruchoff was a well-known Torah scholar, who successfully transplanted the Lithuanian tradition of Torah study to Malden. Under his leadership, Beth Israel became known as a center for learning and prayer.
Rabbi Boruchoff
Rabbi Boruchoff was active in the Zionist movement when Zionism was still new and controversial. One of his achievements was to sponsor a convention of the 'Agudat Harabonim of America' at Beth Israel, which quickly put the congregation on the map.
Another one of Rabbi Boruchoff's accomplishments probably wasn't fully realized until long after his death. He convinced the shul's lay leadership to purchase the land behind the synagogue building, realizing Malden would likely become a major center for Jewish immigrants fleeing the hardships and persecution that was brewing in Europe.