Historical Lower East Side Synagogues

Eldridge Street Synagogue.
12 Eldridge Street
New York, NY 10002
http://www.eldridgestreet.org/

The Eldridge Street Synagogue was completed in 1887. It is the first building designed and built to be a synagogue by the Jews from Eastern Europe--from whom 80% of American Jews descend. Eldridge Street was one of the busiest synagogues on the Lower East Side--as many as 1,000 people attended holiday services here at the turn of the century.

Beth HaMedrash HaGadol
60 Norfolk Street, New York, NY 10002

This Gothic Revival former Baptist church was built in 1850, and purchased in 1885 by the oldest Russian Jewish Orthodox congregation in America.
A fire on the afternoon of Dec. 6, 2001, severely damaged the roof, ceiling, mural paintings and decorative plasterwork of Beth Hamedrash Hagadol, one of the oldest and most beautiful of the Lower East Side's 19th century synagogues.

Congregation Kehila Kedosha Janina
280 Broome Street, New York, NY

Formed in 1906, this is the only congregation of Romaniote Jews in the Western Hemisphere. They descended from a cluster of Jewish enclaves originally settled in Greece at the time of the destruction of the Second Temple.

First Roumanian - American Congregation
89 Rivington Street, New York, NY

Established in 1860, the Roumanian congregation acquired this red brick, former Methodist Church in 1882 and converted it to a synagogue the same year. Its elaborate sanctuary is one of the largest in the city, seating over 1600. The synagogue was recognized internationally as a center for cantorial music; known as "the Cantor's Carnegie Hall."

Angel Orensanz Cultural Center
172-176 Norfolk Street New York, NY

Built in 1849-1850, this is the oldest surviving building in New York City built specifically as a synagogue, and the first synagogue structure built on the Lower East Side. At its completion, it was the largest synagogue building in the United States, seating 1200 people. The structure was purchased in 1986 by Angel Orensanz, a well-known Spanish sculptor.

Congregation Chasam Sopher
8 Clinton Street New York, NY

The second oldest remaining synagogue building in New York, this handsome red brick structure was built in 1853 by Congregation Rodeph Sholem, a Reform congregation established in 1842 by German immigrants. They occupied the building for almost 50 years, and then moved to the Upper West Side where they are still located. Since 1891, the synagogue building has been continuously occupied by the Congregation Chasam Sopher (Seal of the Scribe), which was founded by Polish Jews. The congregation holds daily services every day of the year, led by Rabbi Azriel Siff.

Young Israel Synagogue of Manhattan
225-227 East Broadway New York, NY

Founded in 1912 as the very first "Young Israel," the organization was established to promote a modern Orthodox way of life among Jewish youth. Today, the Young Israel movement that started on the Lower East Side has spread worldwide. In 1921, Young Israel acquired its present location, the twin brick tenement buildings formerly the headquarters of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. Young Israel Synagogue today has one of the fastest growing congregations on the Lower East Side and is proud to host an annual concert of Jewish music. The synagogue is also the home of the Algemeiner Journal, a Yiddish-English weekly newspaper with a national circulation. The Algemeiner Journal, founded in 1972, is the last newspaper to be published on East Broadway, a street once called Yiddish newspaper row and where the Jewish Daily Forward building still stands.

More worship places…..

Beth Hachasidim De Polen
233 East Broadway

Beth Tomchei Torah/Home of the Sages
25 Bialystoker Place

Bialystoker Synagogue
7-11 Bialystoker Place (aka Willett st.)

Chevra Bnei Yitzchok Chassidei Boyon
247 East Broadway

Chevra Tehilim Anshei Vishkover
257 East Broadway

Chevra Zemach Zedek Nusach Hoari
241 East Broadway

Community Synagogue
325 E 6th Street

Congregation Adas Israel
203 East Broadway

Congregation Austria-Hungary Anshei Sfard
239 East Broadway

Congregation B'nei Jacob & Anshei Brzezan/Stanton Street Synagogue
180 Stanton Street

Congregation B'nei Torah
317 Henry Street (E. Side Torah Center)

Congregation Beth Hachsidim Depolen
233 East Broadway

Congregation Beth Hamedrash Hagodol
60 Norfolk Street

Congregation Bnai Israel
257 East Broadway

Congregation Chai Odom Minski
145 E Broadway

Congregation Chasam Sofer
8-10 Clinton St

Congregation Sheirei Adas Israel
237 East Broadway

Congregation Sons of Moses
135 Henry Street

East Side Torah Center
317 Henry Street

Litowisker Chevra
262 Delancey Street

Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem
145 East Broadway

Mizrachi
249 East Broadway

Sheirei Aguda of Manhattan
233 East Broadway

Yanover Chevra
249 East Broadway

Young Israel Synagogue of Manhattan
225 E. Broadway