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93-527: The Eldridge Street Synagogue at 12 Eldridge Street opened in 1887 and served Congregation Kahal Adath Jeshurun. It is one of the first synagogues in the United States erected by Eastern European Jews (Ashkenazis). Since 2007, the synagogue houses the Museum at Eldridge Street. Eddie Cantor lived at 19 Eldridge Street. 20 Eldridge Street was Hook and Ladder Company Eagle No. 4 in the mid-19th century. Today

186-487: A New York City designated landmark . The congregation was established in 1852 as Beth Hamedrash and had congregants from across Eastern Europe. It relocated several times and was renamed Kahal Adath Jeshurun after merging with Holkhe Yosher Vizaner in 1886. Kahal Adath Jeshurun acquired a site for a new synagogue on Eldridge Street in 1886, and the building was dedicated on September 4, 1887. The congregation's membership peaked between 1890 and 1915, with up to 800 members, and

279-515: A completely new design. They ultimately received 12 proposals. In 2009, Kiki Smith and Deborah Gans were hired to design a stained-glass rose window. The window was installed in October 2010; Amy Milford said the new window was inspired by the sanctuary and also "completes it". In the four years after the synagogue's renovation, the Museum at Eldridge Street had attracted 100,000 visitors, and there were 35,000 visitors in 2011 alone. In addition,

372-423: A high expense for the time. For comparison, Beth Hamedrash Hagodol's building had cost that congregation $ 55,000 in 1885. Kahal Adath Jeshurun's Eldridge Street Synagogue was dedicated on September 4, 1887. The congregation sent out thousands of invitations for the opening, and the crowds reportedly overflowed onto the street. The opening ceremony was widely reported in both secular and religious media, but

465-586: A later book, Wolfe recalled that he and several other people had established the Synagogue Rescue Project in the 1970s to stabilize the building and turn the lights and heat back on. The group applied for the building to be designated a New York City landmark and added to the National Register of Historic Places , and they began raising money to stabilize the main sanctuary. The landmark designations were ultimately granted in 1980. Wolfe formed

558-550: A member could buy permanent rights to a seat. The pews were sometimes resold for a considerable profit or bequeathed. Pews further back were cheaper, and the majority of worshippers paid reduced dues. By 1898, four out of every five worshippers paid less than $ 40 a year, and the poorest members were even allowed to pay nothing. Some worshippers rented their pews, sometimes paying in installments. Worshippers who rented pews could not vote on certain issues, and only pew owners could be elected to some lay leadership positions until 1913,

651-472: A partnership with several other men associated with Kahal Adath Jeshurun, including the judge Paul P. E. Bookson (who was the congregation's president ) and the lawyer Steven L. Schwarcz. These men created Friends of the Eldridge Street Synagogue in 1978. They received around $ 100,000 from several organizations, including a $ 38,000 matching-funds grant from the U.S. government and $ 15,000 from

744-441: A period to utilize school resources or otherwise request teacher assistance in any subject not understood by the student. Academics, such as school principal Jeff Gilbert, feel that study hall is an inefficient allocation of time which is often underutilized, but others say it is a positive addition to a regular schedule because it creates a good environment for completing homework or large projects. In 1835, at Maynooth College ,

837-448: A policy that favored wealthier members. Although many Eastern European Jewish New Yorkers at the time worked six-day weeks, they were required to observe Shabbat as a prerequisite for membership. In conformance with Orthodox tradition, the congregational leaders agreed to not play the organ during services, and men and women sat on different levels and did not sing together. If these rules were violated, congregants could be refunded twice

930-528: A rabbi. Kahal Adath Jeshurun had no regular rabbi for about a year after the synagogue building opened. The congregation was part of the Association of American Orthodox Hebrew Congregations (AAOHC), which was looking for a chief rabbi who would serve all of these congregations. Jacob Joseph was hired as the chief rabbi in 1888, but the various members of the AAOHC were unable to agree on key values even after he

1023-496: A reconstruction of the synagogue, which was completed in 2007. The synagogue was designed by Peter and Francis William Herter in the Moorish Revival style, with Gothic Revival and Romanesque Revival elements spread throughout the building. The Eldridge Street facade includes a rose window , two stair towers, and arched openings. There is another rose window in the rear and finials on the rooftops. The main and largest space

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1116-421: A second congregation associated with their home region. Congregants paid a fee for membership, which included a pew, the right to vote on congregational matters, and other privileges including burial rites. Men older than 50 had to pay a higher fee, but the fee was waived completely for men over 60, and members' sons could also join for free. Women could not apply membership on their own merits until 1907, when

1209-541: Is clad in granite and brick. Above the basement, the facade is made of brown or buff-colored brick with terracotta details. String courses run horizontally across the facade above the first and second stories. The west elevation is also divided into three vertical bays , with two square staircase towers on either side of a recessed central bay. Elements, such as windows and doors, are grouped in quantities that correspond to significant numbers in Judaism, such as 3 (representing

1302-461: Is rectangular and measures 53 by 79 feet (16 by 24 m) across, with windows facing alleys to the north and south. When the synagogue was completed, all the surrounding structures were tenement houses, so its design was intended to contrast with that of the surrounding buildings. The site is historically part of the Lower East Side of Manhattan, but it has also been part of Chinatown since

1395-416: Is sometimes discouraged or forbidden. Periods in which such things are allowed are occasionally differentiated from study halls by the name "free period". Some students even eat lunch during a study hall due to long lines and short lunch periods at their schools. Study halls are often used by students to visit with teachers, who have a "prep period", in order to discuss work or assignments. A study hall can be

1488-481: Is the sanctuary, which includes two levels of seating, a Torah ark , and a central bimah . The lower level was originally a study hall , which has been converted to galleries. The modern-day museum is focused on history and culture, and a small number of worshippers of continue to hold services there. Over the years, the synagogue has received architectural commentary and has influenced the designs of other local synagogues. Many immigrants who came to New York City in

1581-551: The Mishnah (a compendium of Oral Torah traditions) and the Ein Yaakov (a collection of Aggadah folklore). Membership dwindled in the 1920s as the wealthy members moved to other areas. The Immigration Act of 1924 , which imposed strict quotas on immigration, further limited the number of new arrivals. The crowds declined from over a thousand to a few hundred. The ladies' auxiliary continued to organize events, hoping to reduce

1674-561: The UJA-Federation of New York . The group had to raise the rest of the matching funds by the beginning of January 1984, and they had raised $ 10,000 from the local community by November 1983. In addition, they received $ 34,000 from two funds operated by the New York Landmarks Conservancy . Other events, such as tours and dinners, were hosted to raise money for the restoration. Consolidated Edison , which had turned off

1767-519: The three patriarchs ), 4 (the four matriarchs ), 5 (the five books of Moses ), and 12 (the Twelve Tribes of Israel ). According to the writer Annie Polland, the elaborate details of the synagogue's facade may have been intended to express the idea that Orthodox Jews could both assimilate into American culture and retain their Orthodox identity. Study hall Study hall , known as private study , SAS , structured study or free periods in

1860-599: The 1880s, many other Jewish congregations had much larger buildings, while Beth Hamedrash was still using its converted chapel at 78 Allen Street. Documents indicate that Congregation Machsike Torah Sinier paid $ 19,000 for Beth Hamedrash's Allen Street building in May 1886. The congregation also merged with Holkhe Yosher Vizaner (whose name is Hebrew for "Those Who Walk in Righteousness") by 1886. Holkhe Yosher Vizaner had largely been composed of people from Wiżajny (Vizan), while

1953-593: The Eldridge Street Project $ 1 million for the synagogue's restoration in 2000, after the organization had raised $ 4.5 million for renovation and museum programs. The New York Civil Liberties Union expressed concerns that the grant violated the First Amendment to the United States Constitution , which required the separation of church and state ; however, city officials and Gratz said

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2046-426: The Eldridge Street Project sponsored tours of the partially restored sanctuary, hosted presentations and exhibits, and launched programs for local students. Between 1991 and 1993, the organization recorded 6,000 visitors on its tours. The New York Landmarks Conservancy gave the synagogue a $ 10,000 grant for restoration in 1994, which the Eldridge Street Project's director, Amy Waterman, said would be used to replace

2139-427: The Eldridge Street Synagogue had been a popular wedding site in its heyday, after 1927, the synagogue did not host another wedding for several decades. Yudelovitch died in 1930, and Idel Idelson replaced him as the rabbi. Even as other synagogues in the area were acquired by Christian congregations in the 1930s, the Eldridge Street Synagogue remained a Jewish house of worship. The historian Gerard Wolfe writes that

2232-596: The Herter brothers' design process, and the original drawings have been lost. Work on the building began the final week of September 1886. The congregation took out a $ 50,000 mortgage loan from the East River Savings Bank. Early plans for the building called for twin towers made of stone, but this was eliminated, likely due to monetary constraints. The synagogue also included stars of David and stained glass windows on its facade. The synagogue cost $ 91,907.61,

2325-527: The Lower East Side. Many of these buildings' facades contain decorations that are also used in the Eldridge Street Synagogue, such as horseshoe arches and Stars of David . The Herters were not Jewish and may have decided to use the Moorish style after seeing it in their native country of Germany. The foundations are made of stone and descend 10 feet (3.0 m) below ground, while the perimeter walls above

2418-599: The Other Half Lives . 40°43′8.26″N 73°59′33.23″W  /  40.7189611°N 73.9925639°W  / 40.7189611; -73.9925639 Eldridge Street Synagogue The Eldridge Street Synagogue is an Orthodox Jewish synagogue at 12–16 Eldridge Street in the Chinatown and Lower East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City . Built in 1887 for Congregation Kahal Adath Jeshurun ,

2511-907: The United Kingdom, is a term for a place to have a study time during the school day where students are assigned to study when they are not scheduled for an academic class. They are most commonly found in high schools and some middle schools , especially in the United States . In colleges, such a place may be called a student lounge . It is not to be confused with studying in a hallway. Study halls generally have assigned rooms and are monitored by teachers or teacher's aides, who often encourage students to use this time to complete homework , catch up on missing assignments, or study for tests or quizzes. Sometimes, students also use study halls to converse, make phone calls, text messages, play video games, or otherwise socialize or pursue non-academic topics, though this

2604-431: The basement to provide space for new mechanical systems. After the initial renovation was completed in 1991, work on the next phase stalled due to funding shortages. The sanctuary was empty, and many of the decorations had been temporarily removed or placed in storage. The organization also intended to install new mechanical and electrical systems, but this required another $ 6 million. Even when raising money,

2697-444: The building through the holes in the partially collapsed roof, and one of the interior stairways had completely collapsed. Murals in the sanctuary had been damaged by the rain with holes in the balcony. The facade was dirty due to accumulations of soot, and the interiors were dusty. There were scattered objects and decomposing Torahs throughout the synagogue. The remaining members of Kahal Adath Jeshurun lacked funding to repair

2790-491: The building, once two stories high, now five, is a Buddhist temple. The New York County Jail, better known as the Eldridge Street Jail, was located at 22 Eldridge Street and operated from 1836 to 1862, when it was replaced by a new jail on Ludlow Street . The jail building started out as a three-story private home and before becoming a jail was a first a school and then city watchhouse. American lyricist Ira Gershwin

2883-664: The city during the 1900s and 1910s, since they could more easily access the synagogue using public transit. The congregation's leadership first considered constructing a second branch uptown in 1903 and 1907 to accommodate members who could not travel downtown on Shabbat (the Jewish day of rest). Some worshippers formed an offshoot synagogue uptown in 1909, and Congregation Anshe Lubz was merged into Kahal Adath Jeshurun that year. Kahal Adath Jeshurun took in Anshe Lubz's 125-member congregation, and it inherited two burial plots and $ 3,500 from

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2976-418: The city. The congregants acquired three land lots at 12–16 Eldridge Street in 1886. Kahal Adath Jeshurun first bought numbers 14 and 16 from Holkhe Yosher for $ 23,000, before buying the lot at 12 Eldridge Street for $ 12,850. Kahal Adath Jeshurun hired Peter and Francis Herter, two Catholic brothers from Germany, as the synagogue's architects. The brothers had never previously designed a synagogue and, at

3069-493: The congregation pro bono . The synagogue was rededicated in September 1984. In the long run, Friends of the Eldridge Street Synagogue wanted to open a museum in the synagogue. By the mid-1980s, most of the Jewish population in the neighborhood had moved away. At the time, the neighborhood was largely Chinese and Hispanic . Kahal Adath Jeshurun's congregation had dwindled to 15 or 20 paying members. Newsday described

3162-478: The congregation allowed widows to join; other women were not allowed to become members, or vote on congregational issues, until the 1920s. The congregation was actively encouraging wealthy widows to join by the late 1910s. Cantorial performances commonly drew visitors, particularly during the High Holidays—the period between Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur —when infrequent worshippers came to

3255-451: The congregation continued to host Shabbat services, but they sometimes struggled to assemble a minyan , or quorum, of ten men for regular services. In some cases, they had to go to local yeshivas or nearby stores to find the requisite ten men. Wolfe first visited the synagogue in 1971 after convincing Markowitz to help him enter the boarded-up main sanctuary. By then, the building had sustained severe water damage. Pigeons were entering

3348-513: The congregation employed two separate maggidim , or preachers, whose role mainly consisted of preaching and discussing the Torah . Gurock writes that the congregation had no maggidim at all after 1910. The congregation had started looking for a cantor only one month before the Eldridge Street Synagogue was completed. Kahal Adath Jeshurun hired Pinchas Minkowsky from Odesa as their cantor, hiring him for five years. To entice Minkowsky to join

3441-451: The congregation established a ladies' auxiliary, which helped arrange events and prepare meals among other activities. As many as 800 families were members of the congregation through the 1920s. One source from 1892 described the worshippers as including "lawyers, merchants, artisans, clerks, peddlers, and laborers". Contemporary commentators characterized the synagogue as insular and resistant to cultural influence, but Polland writes that

3534-515: The congregation from within New York City's Orthodox community. At the time, thousands of Jewish emigrants from Eastern Europe came to the city annually, and the congregation had concerns that they would be lured away by Reform synagogues or secular organizations. The Jewish-history scholar Jeffrey S. Gurock wrote that Kahal Adath Jeshurun was the best example of "the proto-Americanized synagogue", establishing standards for Orthodox congregations in

3627-420: The congregation had grown slightly, it was still small, and services were still being held in the basement. The Forward reported in 2004 that Kahal Adath Jeshurun had 30 families. Due to municipal budget cuts, the city reneged on another promised grant of $ 1 million for interior restoration in 2003. This shortfall was covered by funding from other organizations, such as Save America's Treasures . At

3720-547: The congregation had reduced the required annual pledge and adopted a rule to limit the duration and quantity of blessings. According to Gurock, Kahal Adath Jeshurun's leaders wanted to "Americanize" the congregation and privately feared that non-Jewish passersby would see the worshippers engaging in uncouth behavior. Thus, they banned spitting, loud talking, and foul language, and they hired ushers who regularly fined congregants for violating these rules. The congregation bought several dozen spittoons to discourage spitting, which

3813-491: The congregation merged with Anshe Lubz in 1909. Membership dwindled significantly after the 1920s, as congregants relocated and the Immigration Act of 1924 restricted new immigration. The main sanctuary was closed completely in 1954, and the remaining congregants met in the basement. Preservationists began trying to save the building in the 1970s and stabilized it in the early 1980s. The Eldridge Street Project raised money for

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3906-465: The congregation of the original Beth Hamedrash mainly was led by its lay president. Beth Hamedrash's first president was the banker Sender Jarmulowsky , who was appointed in 1872 and served for two years. The Manhattan Railway Company 's Second Avenue Elevated opened above Allen Street in the late 1870s, causing pollution and casting shadows. The congregation successfully sued for damages, although it would not receive any compensation until 1899. By

3999-468: The congregation peaked between 1890 and 1915. The congregation officially changed its name to Kahal Adath Jeshurun in 1890, having used that name informally for six years. Starting in 1894, the synagogue allowed homeless persons to take shelter during Passover . The same year, the interior of the sanctuary was repainted with trompe-l'œil patterns, and the woodwork was modified to appear like marble. The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America

4092-468: The congregation purchased a Welsh chapel on Allen Street in 1856. Following a petty dispute over the Allen Street synagogue, 23 members of Beth Hamedrash split in 1859 to form Beth Hamedrash Hagodol , adding the word "Hagodol" ("Great") to the original name. The remaining 46 members remained on Allen Street for over two decades. In contrast to Beth Hamedrash Hagrodol, which was loyal to its rabbi,

4185-412: The congregation was increasingly focused on maintenance, but the exodus of wealthier worshippers meant that such funds were no longer available. The congregation was regularly sending letters to former members, asking them to donate. As early as 1939, the congregation was recorded to have shrunk to fewer than 50 people. With membership quickly declining, the congregation sought to raise money to pay off

4278-407: The congregation's members did adapt their customs to American culture. For example, in 1889, worshippers celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first inauguration of George Washington . Worshippers hailed from all over Eastern Europe, in contrast to other synagogues nearby, which largely catered to people from specific regions. Many of Kahal Adath Jeshurun's regular worshippers were also members of

4371-418: The congregation's members, Gittel Natelson, operated a mikvah (ritual bath) directly behind the synagogue at 5 Allen Street, which was not directly associated with or physically connected to the synagogue. Natelson had operated a mikvah next to Beth Hamedrash's previous building, and her husband Isaac, the congregation's sexton , owned the site of the new mikvah. According to the historian Annie Polland,

4464-477: The congregation's own archives do not describe the dedication in detail. Contemporary publications praised the synagogue's design. Several Jewish publications wrote that Kahal Adath Jeshurun itself was a paragon for other Eastern European Orthodox congregations, while a commentator for The American Israelite criticized the congregation's rowdy behavior. In subsequent weeks, the Jewish Messenger described

4557-474: The congregation, its leaders agreed to pay him $ 2,500 per year, as well as a stipend and six weeks' annual vacation, at a time when the average worker earned less than $ 500 annually. Both religious and secular journalists lauded Minkowsky's work during his tenure at Kahal Adath Jeshurun. Minkowsky returned to Odesa in 1892, possibly because of a dispute over a bonus that the congregation could not afford. Thereafter, Kahal Adath Jeshurun hired cantors only by

4650-457: The congregation, outranking even the rabbi and maggidim . The president was in charge of fundraising, hiring, maintenance, dispute resolution, and educational programs, among other activities. Because the first presidents were all wealthy men, they sometimes bought gifts or gave out loans using their personal money. The synagogue originally had 12 trustees, which was raised to 18 in 1913. It did not formally have any women leaders until 1919, when

4743-414: The decorations on the roof. That year, the main sanctuary hosted its first bar mitzvah in four decades. By then, the building had thousands of annual visitors. The organization also planned to raise money for a Jewish history center and restore the rest of the synagogue. By 1996, the Eldridge Street Project had raised $ 3 million. The congregation remained small, with about 40 or 50 members in

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4836-471: The decreased demand for religious services at the synagogue. The Museum at Eldridge Street sold the site of the Allen Street mikvah in 2008 for $ 4.5 million. The rear rose window had not been replaced in the initial renovation because there were no extant records of the original window. Members of the Museum at Eldridge Street initially disagreed over whether the window should be retained, restored to approximate its original appearance, or replaced with

4929-425: The families of former members. Idelson served as rabbi until he died in 1943. After World War II, Max Fuchs became the synagogue's cantor; he later recalled that he was the last cantor to lead High Holidays services. The exodus of congregants increased following World War II, and even the holiday events began to taper off. By 1954, the congregation had relocated to the basement-level sanctuary. Wolfe writes that

5022-470: The fees they had paid. Women sat on the balcony, while children of either gender sat in the rear rows when the synagogue was crowded. Similarly to other Orthodox congregations, Kahal Adath Jeshurun conducted services in Hebrew , used a full-length prayer book , and worshipped around a central bimah (pulpit) rather than a bimah at the front. The services differed slightly in that each weekly Torah portion

5115-453: The following year. Because the building was a city landmark, it also received city funds for preservation. The Eldridge Street Project had raised $ 1.5 million by 1987 and hired Giorgio Cavaglieri to design a renovation of the building. Cavaglieri estimated that the building needed $ 3 million in repairs, half of which was just for structural stabilization. The restoration was split into three phases. The firm of Robert Meadows

5208-530: The former rabbi's study during the restoration. By 1990, workers were reinstalling the synagogue's pews. The Eldridge Street Project became a member of the American Alliance of Museums in 1991 and began hiring full-time employees the same year. The museum also became part of the Council of American Jewish Museums, and volunteers gave tours and oversaw "Clean and Shine Days" at the synagogue. Workers expanded

5301-451: The former rabbi's study was never finished. Ultimately, 18,000 people donated to the project. A third of the funding came from the New York City government, while the rest was supplied by various governmental agencies, organizations. and individual donors, such as the publisher Mortimer Zuckerman . On December 2, 2007, the synagogue was rededicated following the completion of its $ 20 million renovation. The Eldridge Street Project

5394-445: The grant was going to the non-sectarian Eldridge Street Project for preservation only. An archeologist rediscovered the old Allen Street mikvah within a construction staging area behind the synagogue in 2001. The Eldridge Street Project provided limited tours of the synagogue, which accommodated up to 20,000 people a year by the mid-2000s. The organization also sponsored exhibitions, concerts, speeches, and other events. Although

5487-407: The ground are made of brick masonry. The inner faces of the perimeter walls contain wooden joists , which hold up wooden girders . Originally, the synagogue had 67 or 80 stained-glass windows, made of panes in 12 colors. Following the 2007 renovation, over 85% of the original stained-glass panes remained intact. The main elevation of the facade faces west toward Eldridge Street. The basement

5580-437: The late 19th and early 20th centuries settled in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan . This influx included hundreds of thousands of Yiddish -speaking Eastern European Jews . The Eldridge Street Synagogue is one of the first synagogues erected in the United States by Eastern European Jews. Prior to its construction, many Jews in the neighborhood rented other spaces and used them as makeshift synagogues. Even

5673-606: The late 2010s, the congregation used the synagogue on Saturdays, while the museum operated the other six days of the week. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City , the Museum at Eldridge Street temporarily closed in March 2020 before reopening in June 2021. The synagogue occupies a land lot at 12–16 Eldridge Street , on the eastern side of the street, measuring approximately 60 by 87.5 feet (18.3 by 26.7 m) across. The building itself

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5766-669: The late 20th century, when the Chinese population of the area increased. The synagogue is largely designed in the Moorish Revival style, with Gothic Revival and Romanesque Revival elements spread throughout. The building was designed by the architects Peter and Francis William Herter, who also designed tenements. The design has mistakenly been attributed to the similarly-named Herter Brothers firm (composed of Christian and Gustave Herter). Peter and Francis Herter are credited with 60 buildings in Lower Manhattan , including 50 just on

5859-469: The latter congregation. The new members opposed an uptown synagogue, prompting a legal dispute that lasted two years; the New York Supreme Court ultimately ruled against the uptown synagogue's supporters. The congregation became Kahal Adath Jeshurun with Anshe Lubz in 1913 when a new set of rules was adopted. The highest-ranking clergy member at Kahal Adath Jeshurun was the cantor rather than

5952-413: The main sanctuary had been closed to regular worship as early as 1933. The synagogue still held large events, such as the funeral of Menahem Mendel Beilis in 1934, which had 4,000 attendees. Over the years, the main sanctuary became largely vacant and was used mainly for special events. The more intimate beth midrash (study hall) in the basement was used for regular services. By the 1930s and 1940s,

6045-461: The main sanctuary was sealed off with little apparent warning. Items such as shawls and prayer books still remained on the pews several decades later. The congregation was unable to repair or even heat the main sanctuary due to a lack of money. Benjamin Markowitz became the congregation's sexton in the mid-1950s and retained that role for several decades. During the latter half of the 20th century,

6138-488: The merged congregation included Jews from a wider geographic area. The merged congregation began calling itself Kahal Adath Jeshurun, in part to cater to the congregants' more diverse geographic backgrounds. Kahal Adath Jeshurun was opposed to the principles espoused by Reform Judaism . It wanted to build a grand synagogue to differentiate itself from large Reform synagogues such as Temple Emanu-El and Central Synagogue . The planned synagogue would also draw attention to

6231-486: The mid-1990s. Even though they continued to meet for weekly Shabbat services without exception, it had no rabbi. Bookson, the congregation's president, did not expect the congregation to grow, but he did hope to move back into the main sanctuary once the renovation was complete. During the renovation, worshippers sometimes had to wear hard hats. The synagogue's new roof was completed in May 1999, allowing interior restoration to proceed. The New York City government gave

6324-499: The month, paying them a much lower rate of $ 30 per month. In the 18 years following Minkowsky's resignation, the congregation employed 13 cantors. The lay leadership, which included the president, vice president, and treasurer, was dominated by some of the congregation's wealthiest members. The first four presidents were Sender Jarmulowsky, kosher-food merchant Isaac Gellis, real-estate developer David Cohen, and glass magnate Nathan Hutkoff. The president held considerable power over

6417-505: The museum was named a Preserve America Steward in 2010 for its restoration of the synagogue. The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation wrote at the time that dozens of volunteers conducted weekly tours, maintained the exhibits, and organized over 50 annual events. By 2014, the synagogue building attracted 40,000 annual visitors. The museum opened another temporary exhibit space, the Michael Weinstein Gallery, in 2016. By

6510-408: The nearby Yeshiva Etz Chaim to use its space. Though the synagogue did also host a Talmud Torah of its own, the school was small and operated only for a short time in the 1900s. By the late 1910s, the worshippers increasingly wished to be led by a rabbi rather than a president, and they hired Avraham Aharon Yudelovitch as their rabbi in 1918. Several worshippers established a group in 1922 to study

6603-559: The neighborhood's largest Jewish congregations were housed in converted Christian churches. The Eldridge Street Synagogue was built for Congregation Kahal Adath Jeshurun, an Orthodox Jewish congregation. The name literally means "Community of the People of Israel" in Hebrew , but it is often officially translated in English as "People's Congregation of the Just". The use of the name Adath Jeshurun

6696-475: The number of congregants leaving. Additionally, in 1925, Kahal Adath Jeshurun installed three plaques in the sanctuary to honor the ladies' auxiliary, the lay leadership, and 10 members; one plaque was left blank. Despite the declining membership, many worshippers remained at least somewhat involved with the congregation after moving away. Some of these former members donated to the congregation, while others come back for special events and holiday services. Although

6789-436: The remaining members as seniors on fixed incomes , who still struggled to form a minyan for regular services. Though the congregation was still able to host services every week, Markowitz said he sometimes had to ask passersby to join the minyan. The congregation hired safecrackers in 1985 to take their artifacts out of the synagogue's old safes, which had not been opened in three decades and were in danger of falling through

6882-466: The restoration of religious icons, and the LPC agreed to grant $ 25,000 for a portion of the roof that did not include the stars of David. The Eldridge Street Project had raised $ 8 million for the renovation by 2005. The third phase of the restoration included plaster replacement, paint removal, conservation , new stenciling, wood finishing, and decorative painting. Seaboard Weatherproofing and Restoration

6975-585: The synagogue from a friend. Work on restoring the main rose window started that September. The organization planned to raise $ 3 million for restoration. They received money from the Kaplan Fund, Astor Foundation, James Wolfensohn , and the Reichmann family , as well as from Jewish organizations. The state gave the Eldridge Street Project a $ 150,000 grant for restoration and structural improvements in 1987, followed by another $ 150,000 grant for museum programs

7068-422: The synagogue is one of the first erected in the U.S. by Eastern European Jews . The congregation, officially known as Kahal Adath Jeshurun with Anshe Lubz, still owns the synagogue and hosts weekly services there in the 21st century. The Museum at Eldridge Street , founded in 1986 as the Eldridge Street Project, also occupies the synagogue under a long-term lease. The building is a National Historic Landmark and

7161-436: The synagogue's electricity due to unpaid bills, agreed to permanently forgive these debts. The UJA-Federation of New York repaired the roof in 1984. The architect David Abramson, a son of one of Kahal Adath Jeshurun's board members, oversaw a $ 78,000 stabilization of the building. Schwarcz, whose grandfather had been one of the congregation's board members, raised funds for the synagogue and convinced his company to represent

7254-555: The synagogue's mortgage before former members stopped coming even for occasional visits. The rear rose window was smashed during a 1938 hurricane, but the congregation did not restore it. Instead, the rose window was replaced in 1944 with glass blocks , which were designed to resemble four tablets. The congregation took ownership of the synagogue after the remaining worshippers made their last mortgage payment in October 1944, upon which there were 25 regular attendees. The synagogue still had up to 400 people during High Holidays, including

7347-409: The synagogue. During these times, police were stationed in the street for crowd control. Initially, people paid varying fees for their seats based on what they could afford, and the congregation did not turn away members for being penniless. Each individual pew was sold or rented, thereby creating seating assignments . The most expensive seats originally cost $ 500 a year, but for $ 150 to $ 200,

7440-405: The temple as often being overcrowded to the point where the police had to be called. The synagogue contrasted with the densely packed tenements around it, where most congregants lived (though some wealthier members lived in brownstone row houses not far away). Its construction coincided with the development of several Jewish businesses nearby, including a religious-goods store next door. One of

7533-439: The time, had designed only five structures in the city. That June, the Herter brothers drew up plans for a synagogue at 12–16 Eldridge Street , between Canal and Division streets. Their initial plans called for a 900-seat Moorish -style structure to be constructed for $ 35,000. The official plans were officially filed that July, and modified plans were filed that September. There is very little extant documentation regarding

7626-496: The time, the Eldridge Street Project was installing an elevator and stair, and it also wanted to install new roof decorations, audiovisual equipment, and Wi-Fi equipment. The Eldridge Street Project also asked the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) to fund the restoration of the rooftop finials, which included stars of David. The LPC's rules prohibited the agency from financing

7719-421: The toilets or reopen their safe. In spite of the water damage, many original decorations remained intact, albeit dirty, and the space had not been vandalized. During the 1980s, the stained glass windows were removed due to disrepair. Wolfe was giving tours of the building by the mid-1970s, and local preservationists identified the synagogue as among the neighborhood's most elaborate remaining synagogues. In

7812-435: The weakened floor. Though the objects were valued at up to $ 40,000, the objects were placed in storage rather than being sold. In 1986, the non-sectarian, nonprofit Eldridge Street Project was founded to restore the synagogue and develop activities and events for it. The organization leased the building from Kahal Adath Jeshurun for 99 years. Roberta Brandes Gratz, the Eldridge Street Project's director, had learned about

7905-545: Was born at 60 Eldridge Street. Musicians Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon of the American rock band Sonic Youth lived at 84 Eldridge Street in the 1980s. 105-107 Eldridge Street was the Eldridge Street Police Station from 1869 to 1912. Danish-American photographer and social reformer Jacob Riis took several photographs of the inmates there and documented their squalid living conditions in his 1890 book How

7998-525: Was commonplace as many congregants chewed tobacco. Members could be expelled for violating the rules, and the congregation's board could also refuse to accept prospective members who were determined not to have the correct "moral character". However, this still failed to prevent the frequent fistfights that took place inside. Local organizations, such as Hebrew schools, also used the Eldridge Street Synagogue. The congregation often donated money to Talmud Torah and yeshiva schools, raised money, and allowed

8091-458: Was established at the synagogue in 1896, and thereafter it held meetings there biannually. By the beginning of the 20th century, the congregation regularly added seats during the High Holidays to accommodate additional worshippers. The synagogue was electrified in 1907. Jews in New York City, including three of the congregation's first four presidents, were increasingly living elsewhere in

8184-487: Was hired to design the first phase of the restoration, which cost $ 2.5 million. Restoration work began in 1989. At the beginning of the project, a skeleton was found in the basement of the synagogue. After further investigations revealed that the skeleton was that of a young man who had died decades before, the bones were interred in Kahal Adath Jeshurun's burial plots. The congregation continued to pray in

8277-463: Was hired to restore the facade, while Walter Sedovic and Jill H. Gotthelf were hired to redesign the interior. By 2005, workers had installed scaffolding inside the main sanctuary in preparation for its restoration. Workers then cleaned, repainted, and repaired the interior. The finials above the roof were reinstalled in March 2006, and the stained glass window above the main entrance was restored in September 2007. A genealogical research center in

8370-476: Was hired. Joseph spoke at the Eldridge Street synagogue exactly once in 15 years, and Kahal Adath Jeshurun's worshippers often disregarded his decrees. Worshippers also disagreed among themselves on what their priorities should be. The congregation hired at least 21 temporary rabbis from 1890 to 1914; they did not hold leadership positions, but they led study groups and taught lessons. Between 1905 and 1910,

8463-450: Was meant to signify that the congregation signified "true Israel". Kahal Adath Jeshurun was established in 1852 as Beth Hamedrash (whose name means "House of Study" in Hebrew), and consisted of Jews from various parts of Eastern Europe. The founding rabbi , Abraham Joseph Ash, was the first Orthodox rabbi from Eastern Europe to serve in the United States. After moving around several times,

8556-406: Was read by a single person, rather than seven different people. Members were called to the bimah several times a year for Torah blessings and were required to pledge at least $ 4 annually for such blessings. On most weeks, there would be blessings from at least five members, and physical and verbal disputes sometimes arose when congregants tried to make blessings simultaneously. By the 1910s,

8649-435: Was renamed the Museum at Eldridge Street, reflecting its cultural and educational mission. Initially, the museum was closed on Fridays, Saturdays, and American and Jewish holidays. Kahal Adath Jeshurun remained at the synagogue, though it still had few members, and there were often not enough people to form a minyan on weekdays or for Friday-night Shabbat services. The presence of the surrounding Chinese businesses reflected

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