Congregation Shearith Israel Facts for Kids

This article is about Shearith Israel (disambiguation)|Shearith Israel. For other uses, see Congregation Shearith Israel (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids Congregation Shearith Israel
Hebrew: קהילת שארית ישראל
Congregation Shearith Israel at Central Park West
Religion
Affiliation	Orthodox Judaism
Rite	Nusach Sefard
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Synagogue
Leadership	Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik Rabbi Dr. Marc D. Angel (Emeritus)
Status	Active
Location
Location	2 West 70th Street, Upper West Side, Manhattan, New York City, New York
Country	United States
Location in Manhattan
Architecture
Architect(s)	Arnold Brunner
Architectural type	Synagogue
Architectural style	Neoclassical
Date established	1654 (as a congregation)
Completed	1897
Direction of façade	East

The Congregation Shearith Israel (meaning "Congregation Remnant of Israel" in Hebrew), often called The Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, is an Orthodox Jewish synagogue. It is located in New York City, at 2 West 70th Street, near Central Park West.

This synagogue was started in 1654 by Jewish people who came from Dutch Brazil. This makes it the oldest Jewish congregation in the United States. For many years, until 1825, it was the only Jewish congregation in New York City.

The congregation follows the Sephardic rite, which is a special way of praying. Their current building, built in 1897, has a Neoclassical style, which means it looks like ancient Greek and Roman buildings.

A Long History: Synagogue Buildings
Helping Start Important Jewish Groups
Notable People
- Rabbis
- Prominent Members
Images for kids
See also

A Long History: Synagogue Buildings

The first group of Spanish and Portuguese Jews arrived in New Amsterdam (which is now New York City) in September 1654. There were twenty-three of them, and they were refugees from Dutch Brazil. At first, the leader of New Amsterdam, Peter Stuyvesant, did not want them to stay.

However, in 1655, Jewish people were officially allowed to settle in the colony. This year is when Congregation Shearith Israel was founded. Even though they could live there, they faced challenges. They were not allowed to build a public synagogue for a long time. But they did set up a cemetery in 1656.

It wasn't until 1730 that the congregation could build its own synagogue. This first building was on Mill Street (now William Street) in lower Manhattan. Before 1730, the congregation met in rented spaces.

Since 1730, the congregation has used five different synagogue buildings:

The first building on Mill Street, built in 1730.
The Mill Street building was rebuilt and made bigger in 1818.
A new building on 60 Crosby Street, built in 1834.
Another new building on 19th Street, built in 1860.
The current building on West 70th Street, built in 1897.

The current building was updated and improved in 1921.

Helping Start Important Jewish Groups

In the late 1800s, a new way of practicing Judaism called American Reform Judaism became popular. Many rabbis who wanted to keep traditional ways of worship looked for ways to make their synagogues stronger. Shearith Israel and its rabbi, Henry Pereira Mendes, were leaders in this effort.

In 1886, Rabbi Mendes helped start the American Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS). This school was created to train rabbis who followed traditional Jewish law. The first classes for JTS were held right at Shearith Israel.

Later, in 1896, Rabbi Mendes also helped create the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America. This group, often called the OU (Orthodox Union), brought many Orthodox synagogues together. It offered a different path from the Reform movement's own synagogue group.

As JTS grew, it needed more money and a full-time leader. The school moved to its own building, and a new leader, Solomon Schechter, took over. However, Schechter developed ideas that led to a different Jewish movement called Conservative Judaism.

At first, Orthodox and Conservative groups worked together. But over time, their differences became clearer. Schechter formed another group, the United Synagogue of America (now the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, or USCJ). This group promoted his Conservative ideas.

Shearith Israel chose to stay with the Orthodox tradition. It eventually ended its official connection with JTS. In a way, Shearith Israel helped create three of the biggest and most important Jewish religious groups in the United States: JTS, the OU, and USCJ. Today, Shearith Israel is only a member of the Orthodox Union.

Notable People

Many important people have been part of Congregation Shearith Israel.

Rabbis

Some important rabbis have led the congregation. Gershom Mendes Seixas was a leader during the American Revolutionary War. He even moved the congregation to Philadelphia when the British took over New York City. Later, Henry Pereira Mendes played a key role in starting major Jewish organizations, as you read above.

Prominent Members

Many famous and influential people have been members of this synagogue. Here are a few examples:

Benjamin N. Cardozo was a Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States, which is one of the highest courts in the country.
Emma Lazarus was a famous poet. She wrote the poem "The New Colossus," which is on the base of the Statue of Liberty.
Commodore Uriah P. Levy was the first Jewish Commodore in the United States Navy. A commodore is a high-ranking naval officer.
Isaac Pinto helped create the first Jewish prayer book published in America. It was also the first time a Jewish prayer book was translated into English.

Images for kids

The synagogue's third cemetery (1829–1851) is on West 21st Street near the Avenue of the Americas
The Mill Street synagogue, detail from the section "Religious Buildings of New York" in A Plan of the City and Environs of New York by David Grim
Temple Shearith Israel, 5 West 19th Street, 1893
Landmark plaques
Signatures of Michael Michaels and Gershom Mendes Seixas on Shearith Israel's "Shechita book", at Penn Libraries

Congregation Shearith Israel facts for kids

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