Congregation Shaare Zedek (Gates of Righteousness) is a

non-denominational A non-denominational person or organization is one that does not follow (or is not restricted to) any particular or specific religious denomination. The term has been used in the context of various faiths, including Jainism, Baháʼí Faith, Zoro ...

synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

located on West 93rd Street in

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, United States. In 2017, despite the efforts of preservationists to save it, a New York State Supreme Court judge approved the sale of the building to a developer who planned to tear it down and build a 14-story condominium.Chen, Jackson (August 10, 2017
"UWS Synagogue Will Become Condos, Despite Efforts Of Preservation Advocates"
'' DNAinfo''

History

Founded in 1837, by Polish Jews, Shaare Zedek is the third oldest Jewish congregation in

. The congregation originally met at 38 Henry Street on Manhattan's

Lower East Side The Lower East Side, sometimes abbreviated as LES, is a historic neighborhood in the southeastern part of Manhattan in New York City. It is located roughly between the Bowery and the East River from Canal to Houston streets. Historically, it w ...

. In 1850, it purchased a building at 38 Henry Street (still on the Lower East Side) that was originally built by a

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally, others referred to them as Quakers ...

congregation in 1828 that had been converted for use as a synagogue by congregation Ansche Chesed in 1840. The congregation replaced this building with a new building on the same property in 1891, and in 1900 opened a Moorish style branch synagogue at 25 West 118th Street in the newly fashionable neighborhood of

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater ...

, in time for the Jewish New Year. The Henry Street building was sold to Congregation Mishkan Israel Anshei Suwalk in 1911, and the two branches consolidated uptown. In 1922, the Harlem building was sold to Chevra Talmud Torah Augustow as their current Neoclassical building was being designed and built by the architecture firm of Sommerfeld and Steckler. Over the years, Shaare Zedek has been home to some of the country's great rabbis including Philip R. Alstat, Israel Goldfarb, and Isaac Kurtzlow along with such esteemed cantors as David Roitman,

Frank Birnbaum William Franklin "Frank" Birnbaum (1922–2005) was a well-known 20th century chazzan within Conservative Judaism, Conservative Judaism in the United States. Serving congregations and performing concerts across America, his music was well known ...

and Martin Kozlowsky.

Recent years

From 2009 to 2014, the congregation was led by Rabbi William Plevan. Although Shaare Zedek was the last Conservative synagogue in the area to allow fully egalitarian worship, women now participate in every aspect of the service and the congregation was recently served by a female rabbi. While preserving the traditional liturgy quite closely and committing to a fairly strict observance of Jewish law, the community is generally politically and socially progressive. In October 2016, citing financial problems connected with the upkeep of the building as well as the Bayside Cemetery in Queens, the synagogue announced that it had signed a contract with a developer to sell the building, which would be replaced with a 14-story condominium, of which Shaare Zedek would own and occupy three floors. The sale price was $34.3 million, which would enable the synagogue to "get out of the cemetery business," according to its president. In response, resident of the area, concerned not only about the loss of an historic building, but about the loss of air and light from the planned condominium, filed a Request for Evaluation with the

New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the Government of New York City, New York City agency charged with administering the city's Historic preservation, Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting Ne ...

in an attempt to have the building landmarked. They wanted the Commission to hold an emergency hearing before the building was torn down. In July 2017 the appeals of the West Nineties Neighborhood Coalition to the NYCLPC and Community Board 7 and city officials were dismissed, and a State Supreme Court judge approved the synagogue's petition to sell the building to the developer, leaving the preservation effort out of options. In October 2017, the congregation moved from 212 West 93rd Street to a temporary location at the Franciscan Center on West 97th Street. The redevelopment of the site across 14 floors with a gross floor area, in partnership with Landsea Holdings incorporated a new synagogue, twenty apartments, and a commercial unit. The redevelopment was completed in 2022 and the congregation moved back into the site. In July 2023 the apartments were sold to Landsea for $24.5 million; and the following month it was announced that the

yeshiva A yeshiva (; ; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are studied in parallel. The stu ...

Hadar Institute will move into the complex as a tenant of the congregation.

References

External links

*
212 West 93rd Street development website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shaare Zedek(New York City) Synagogues in Manhattan Neoclassical synagogues Synagogues completed in 1923 Religious organizations established in 1837 Conservative synagogues in New York City Upper West Side 1837 establishments in New York (state) Synagogues completed in 2022 21st-century synagogues in the United States Modernist synagogues

History

Recent years

See also

References

External links