Bialystoker Synagogue
- 1826 (as a church)
- 1905 (as a synagogue)
(Willett Street Methodist Episcopal Church)
The Bialystoker Synagogue is an Orthodox Jewish synagogue at 7–11 Bialystoker Place (also known as Willett Street[2][3][4]) in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. The building was constructed in 1826 as the Willett Street Methodist Episcopal Church; the synagogue purchased the building in 1905.
The synagogue was designated a New York City Landmark in 1966. It is one of only four early-19th century fieldstone religious buildings surviving from the late Federal period in Lower Manhattan,[2] and is the oldest building used as a synagogue in New York City.[5]
Congregation
The Bialystoker Synagogue was first organized in 1865 on Manhattan's Lower East Side as the Chevra Anshei Chesed of Bialystok, founded by a group of Jews who came from the town of Białystok, at that time located in the Russian Empire, but now in Poland. The congregation was begun in a building on Hester Street, it later moved to Orchard Street, and ultimately to its present location 7–11 Bialystoker Place on the Lower East Side.
In order to accommodate the influx of new immigrants from that area of Poland, in 1905 the congregation merged with congregation Adas Yeshurun, also from Bialystok, and formed the Beit Ha-Knesset Anshei Bialystok (The Bialystoker Synagogue). The newly formed congregation then purchased (and moved into) the Willett Street Methodist Episcopal Church at 7 Willet Street, which was later renamed Bialystoker Place. During the Great Depression a decision was made to beautify the main sanctuary, to provide a sense of hope and inspiration to the community.
The community today is the biggest synagogue in the Lower East Side with several daily minyanim.[6] Rabbi Menachem Tuchman serves as the rabbi.
Architecture
The fieldstone Methodist Episcopal Church building was built in 1826 with a simple pedimented roof and round arched windows.[3] The building is made of Manhattan schist from a quarry on nearby Pitt Street. The exterior is marked by three windows over three doors framed with round arches, a low flight of brownstone steps, a low pitched pediment roof with a lunette window and a wooden cornice.
The elaborate Torah Ark is believed to have been carved in Bialystok and shipped to New York.
As the synagogue is home to an Orthodox Jewish congregation, a balcony section was constructed to accommodate female congregants. In the corner of the women's gallery a small hidden door in the wall leads to a ladder going up to an attic, lit by two windows. When the building was first opened, it was a rest stop for the Underground Railroad movement; runaway slaves found sanctuary in this attic.
When the air conditioning was updated in the 1990s, an issue arose concerning the possible construction of rooftop units because of the building's historical landmark status. Because of these concerns, the cooling units were installed on the side of the building.
Present activity
In 1988, the congregation restored the interior to its original splendor, and the former Hebrew school building that is attached, but had become dilapidated, was renovated and reopened as The Daniel Potkorony Building. The magnificent stained glass windows were recently completely recreated and renewed.
Gallery
- Restored stained glass window
- Reading the Book of Esther on Purim 2007 at Bialystoker
See also
- Kossar's Bialystoker Kuchen Bakery
- Bugsy Siegel Memorial
- List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan below 14th Street
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Manhattan below 14th Street
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ a b New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission; Dolkart, Andrew S.; Postal, Matthew A. (2009). Postal, Matthew A. (ed.). Guide to New York City Landmarks (4th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-28963-1., p. 49
- ^ a b White, Norval & Willensky, Elliot (2000). AIA Guide to New York City (4th ed.). New York: Three Rivers Press. ISBN 978-0-8129-3107-5., p. 93
- ^ Brawarsky, Sandee (January 19, 2001). "Safe Havens on the Freedom Line". The New York Times.
BIALYSTOKER SYNAGOGUE, landmark structure (built as Willett Street Church), 7–13 Willett Street (renamed Bialystoker Place)…
- ^ Dunlap, David W. (2004). From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-12543-7., p.27
- ^ Minyanim on the Bialystoker Synagogue website.
External links
- Official website
- NYC Architecture
- v
- t
- e
- Beth-El (Anniston)
- Knesseth Israel (Birmingham)
- Beth-El (Birmingham)
- Emanu-El (Birmingham)
- B'nai Sholom (Huntsville)
- Sha’arai Shomayim (Mobile)
- Agudath Israel Etz Ahayem (Montgomery)
- Beth Or (Montgomery)
- Beth Israel (Scottsdale)
- Emanuel (Tempe)
- Kol Ami (Tucson)
- Beth HaMedrosh Hagodol-Beth Joseph (Denver)
- Temple Emanuel (Denver)
- Temple Sinai (Denver)
- Temple Emanuel (Pueblo)
- Temple Aaron (Trinidad)
- B'nai Israel (Bridgeport)
- Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek (Chester)
- Knesseth Israel (Ellington)
- Ahavath Achim (Fairfield)
- Mishkan Israel (Hamden)
- Beth Israel (Hartford West)
- Tephereth Israel (New Britian)
- Beth Israel (New Haven)
- Agudath Sholom (Stamford)
- Israel (Westport)
- B'nai Jacob (Woodbridge)
- Hebrew Congregation of Woodmont
- Adas Israel
- Bet Mishpachah
- DC Minyan
- Kesher Israeln
- Machar
- Ohev Sholom
- Rosh Pina
- Sixth & I
- Washington Hebrew
- Ahavath Chesed (Jacksonville)
- Bet Shira (Miami)
- Edmond J. Safra (Miami)
- Beth Sholom (Miami Beach)
- Cuban Hebrew (Miami Beach)
- Emanu-El (Palm Beach)
- New (Palm Beach)
- Beth-El (Pensacola)
- Beth Jacob (Atlanta)
- Shearith Israel (Atlanta)
- Temple (Atlanta)
- B'nai Israel (Augusta)
- Beth Israel (Macon)
- B'nai Torah (Sandy Springs)
- Mickve Israel (Savannah)
- Aloha Jewish Chapel (Pearl Harbor)
- Emanu-El (Honolulu)
- Ahavath Beth Israel (Boise)
Chicago | |
---|---|
- B'nai Israel (Council Bluffs)
- Beit Shalom (Davenport)
- United Orthodox (Sioux City)
- Adath Israel Brith Sholom (Louisville)
- Anshei Sfard (Louisville)
- Keneseth Israel (Louisville)
- Adath Israel (Owensboro)
- Israel (Paducah)
- B'nai Israel (Alexandria)
- Gemiluth Chassodim (Alexandria)
- Anshe Sfard (New Orleans)
- Beth Israel (New Orleans)
- Sinai (New Orleans)
- Touro (New Orleans)
- B'Nai Zion (Shreveport)
- Beth Israel (Bangor)
- Etz Chaim (Portland)
- Shaarey Tphiloh (Portland)
- Naval Academy (Annapolis)
- B'nai Israel (Baltimore)
- Hebrew (Baltimore)
- Beth Am (Baltimore)
- Shearith Israel (Baltimore)
- Shomrei Emunah (Baltimore)
- Tiferes Yisroel (Baltimore)
- Beth El (Bethesda)
- Bethesda Jewish Congregation (Bethesda)
- Beth Shalom (Columbia)
- B'er Chayim (Cumberland)
- B'Nai Israel (Easton)
- Beth Sholom (Frederick)
- Kol Ami (Frederick)
- Emanuel (Kensington)
- Oseh Shalom (Laurel)
- Magen David Sephardic (North Bethesda)
- Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah (Olney)
- Beth El (Pikesville)
- Beth Tfiloh (Pikesville)
- Har Sinai – Oheb Shalom (Pikesville)
- Beth Sholom and Talmud Torah (Potomac)
- Beth Israel (Salisbury)
- Young Israel Shomrai Emunah (Silver Spring)
- B'nai Israel (Rockville)
- Temple Israel (Boston)
- Ohabei Shalom (Brookline)
- Kahal B'raira (Cambridge)
- Agudath Shalom (Chelsea)
- Beth Israel (Malden)
- Adams Street (Newton)
- Shaarei Tefillah (Newton)
- Beth Israel (North Adams)
- Beth Israel (Onset)
- Anshe Amunim (Pittsfield)
- Sinai Temple (Springfield)
- Ahavath Torah (Stoughton)
- Beth Israel (Worcester)
- Emanuel Sinai (Worcester)
- Beth El (Alpena)
- Beth Emeth (Ann Arbor)
- Beth Israel (Ann Arbor)
- Beth El (Detroit)
- Birmingham Temple (Detroit)
- Isaac Agree Downtown (Detroit)
- Temple Emanuel (Grand Rapids)
- Temple Jacob (Hancock)
- Beth Sholom (Marquette)
- Beth Israel (Jackson)
- Temple Israel (West Bloomfield)
- Beth Jacob (Mendota Heights)
- Temple Israel (Minneapolis)
- Adath Jeshurun (Minnetonka)
- Beth El (St Louis Park)
- Mount Zion (St Paul)
- Or Emet (St Paul)
- Adath Israel (Cleveland)
- Beth Israel (Jackson)
- Beth Israel (Meridian)
- B'nai Israel (Tupelo)
- United Hebrew (Chesterfield)
- B'nai Amoona (Creve Coeur)
- Shaare Emeth (Creve Coeur)
- Temple Israel (Creve Coeur)
- Beth El (Jefferson City)
- Beth Sholom (Cherry Hill)
- Kol Ami (Cherry Hill)
- Synagogue of Deal (Deal)
- Beth Hillel (Deerville)
- Ahavath Torah (Englewood)
- Barnert (Franklin Lakes)
- Agudath Achim (Freehold)
- Etz Ahaim Sephardic (Highland Park)
- United Synagogue of Hoboken
- Beth-El (Jersey City)
- Adas Emuno (Leonia)
- B'Nai Abraham (Livingston)
- Shaari Emeth (Manalapan)
- Marlboro Jewish Center (Marlboro)
- B'nai Israel (Millburn)
- Beth Hillel Beth Abraham (Millville)
- Morristown Jewish Center (Morristown)
- Beth Israel (Ridgewood)
- Rosenhayn Synagogue (Rosenhayn)
- Oheb Shalom (South Orange)
- Beth El (Voorhees)
- Albert (Albuquerque)
- B'nai Israel (Albuquerque)
- Beth Israel (Asheville)
- Temple Israel (Charlotte)
- Temple Israel (Kinston)
- Emanuel (Statesville)
- Temple of Israel (Wilmington)
- Tifereth-Israel (Beachwood)
- Agudas Achim (Bexley)
- Golf Manor (Cincinnati)
- Rockdale (Cincinnati)
- Wise Temple (Cincinnati)
- Anshe Chesed Fairmount (Cleveland)
- Oheb Zedek Cedar Sinai (Cleveland)
- Park Synagogue (Cleveland)
- Silver Sanctuary (Cleveland)
- Temple Israel (Columbus)
- Temple Israel (Dayton)
- Beth Israel (Hamilton)
- B'nai Israel (Toledo)
- B'nai Israel (Oklahoma City)
- Temple Israel (Tulsa)
- Beth Israel (Eugene)
- Beth Israel (Portland)
- Neveh Shalom (Portland)
- Shaarie Torah (Portland)
Philadelphia | |
---|---|
|
- Touro (Newport)
- Beth-El (Providence)
- Sons of Jacob (Providence)
- Beth Israel (Beaufort)
- Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (Charleston)
- House of Peace (Columbia)
- Beth Israel (Florence)
- Beth Elohim (Georgetown)
- Kol Ami (Fort Mill)
- Sinai (Sumter)
- Adas Israel (Brownsville)
- Mizpah (Chattanooga)
- B'nai Israel (Jackson)
- Baron Hirsch (Memphis)
- Israel (Memphis)
- Ohabai Sholom (Nashville)
- Sherith Israel (Nashville)
- Agudas Achim (Austin)
- Beth Israel (Austin)
- Emanuel (Beaumont)
- B'nai Abraham (Brenham)
- Emanu-El (Dallas)
- Beth Jacob (Galveston)
- B'nai Israel (Galveston)
- Beth Israel (Houston)
- Beth Yeshurun (Houston)
- Sinai (Houston)
- Beth-El (San Antonio)
- B'rith Sholem (Ogden)
- Kol Ami (Salt Lake City)
- Agudas Achim (Alexandria)
- Beth El (Alexandria)
- Beth Israel (Charlottesville)
- Rodef Shalom (Falls Church)
- Sinai (Newport News)
- Commodore Levy Chapel (Norfolk)
- Beth Ahabah (Richmond)
- Kol Emes (Richmond)
- Beth Israel (Roanoke)
- Adath Israel (Rutland)
- House of Israel (Staunton)
- Beth El (Winchester)
- Ohev Sholom (Huntington)
- Shalom (Wheeling)
- Beth El (Madison)
- Beth Israel Ner Tamid (Milwaukee)
- Emanu-El B'ne Jeshurun (River Hills)
- Oldest U.S. synagogues
- History
- Category
- People
- US places of worship