The Fort Tryon Jewish Center is a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

congregation and

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 at 524

Fort Washington Avenue Fort Washington Avenue is a major north-south street in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. It runs from Fort Tryon Park to 159th Street, where it intersects with Broadway. It goes past Bennett Park, the highest natural point ...

between West 183rd and 184th Streets, across from Bennett Park in the Hudson Heights neighborhood of

Upper Manhattan Upper Manhattan is the northern section of the New York City borough of Manhattan. Its southern boundary has been variously defined, but some of the most common usages are 96th Street, 110th Street (the northern boundary of Central Park), 1 ...

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 ...

. The rabbi, since January 2013, is Rabbi Guy Austrian.

History

The congregation was founded in 1938 by long-time residents of the city and refugees from Nazi Germany. It first occupied leased space, building a modest facility in 1950, and then a spacious sanctuary that opened in 1960, designed by N. J. Sapienza in the

Modernist style Modern architecture, also called modernist architecture, or the modern movement, is an architectural movement and style that was prominent in the 20th century, between the earlier Art Deco and later postmodern movements. Modern architecture wa ...

. The

Torah Ark A Torah ark (also known as the ''hekhal'', , or ''aron qodesh'', ) is an ornamental chamber in the synagogue that houses the Torah scrolls. History The ark is also known as the ''ark of law'', or in Hebrew the ''Aron Kodesh'' () or ''aron ha-Kod ...

in the building has been described as "a gem of midcentury design." Stained glass windows designed by Juliene Berk, depicting the elements of the earth, lined the sanctuary. (The windows were removed and placed in storage in 2021.) From 2002 on, the congregation grew as young families moved into the neighborhood.

Failed real estate deal

In an April 2014 article, the ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' described a failed real estate transaction involving the Fort Tryon Jewish Center. The congregation signed an agreement with Rutherford Thompson of Thompson Development, which planned to build a 23-story condominium building to be called "One Bennett Park". Under the agreement, the developer would pay to completely renovate the synagogue in exchange for

air rights In real estate, air rights are the property interest in the "space" above the Earth's surface. Generally speaking, owning or renting land or a building includes the right to use and build in the space above the land without interference by oth ...

and the right to situate a Fort Washington Avenue entrance to the residential tower on the congregation's property. According to ''The Real Deal'' magazine, a lawsuit filed in 2010 alleged that Thompson defaulted on the loan in February 2008. The synagogue was left in an unusable state, resulting in ongoing litigation, during which time the congregation met at Mother Cabrini High School, and its successor since September 2014, Success Academy Washington Heights. Since July 2015, the congregation has met in the Social Hall of the Hebrew Tabernacle at 551 Fort Washington Ave. In 2022 the congregation de-consecrated the Fort Washington Avenue synagogue after selling the property to the developer's bank.

Gallery

File:181 St IND hanging bldg from east 2013 jeh.jpg, The rear of the building on pylons above the 181st Street subway entrance on Overlook Terrace at West 184th Street.

References

External links

* {{Synagogues in the United States 1938 establishments in New York City 1960 establishments in New York City 20th-century synagogues in the United States Conservative synagogues in New York City Jewish organizations established in 1938 Modernist architecture in New York City Modernist synagogues Synagogues completed in 1960 Synagogues in Manhattan Washington Heights, Manhattan