Congregation Tifereth Israel (Queens) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Congregation Tifereth Israel
Congregation Tifereth Israel synagogue, in 2013
Religion
Affiliation	Orthodox Judaism
Rite	Nusach Ashkenaz
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Synagogue
Status	Active
Location
Location	109-18 and 109-20 54th Avenue, Corona, Queens, New York City, New York
Country	United States
Architecture
Architect(s)	Crescent L. Varrone
Architectural type	Synagogue architecture
Architectural style	Gothic Revival Moorish Revival
Date established	c. 1907 (as a congregation(
Completed	1911
Specifications
Length	100 feet (30 m)
Width	20 feet (6.1 m)
Materials	Wood frame, clapboard siding, stucco

Congregation Tifereth Israel is an Orthodox Jewish synagogue in Corona, Queens, New York City. Its name means "Splendor of Israel." It was started by Ashkenazi Jews who moved to Queens from Manhattan. Famous businesswoman Estée Lauder and her family were among its first members.

The synagogue building was finished in 1911. It was made of wood and designed with Gothic Revival and Moorish Revival styles. These styles were popular for synagogues built in crowded city areas. Over time, the neighborhood changed, and many Jewish families moved away.

In the 1990s, Bukharan Jews began moving to Corona. They started using the synagogue's basement for their services. Eventually, the Bukharan congregation took over the synagogue. The building needed a lot of repairs. By 2010, groups like the New York Landmarks Conservancy began working to restore it. This synagogue is the oldest building in Queens that was built as a synagogue and has been used for worship continuously.

How the Synagogue Started

The congregation began around 1906 or 1907. It was first called "Congregation Independent Chevra Tyfers Israel Anshei Corona." People also knew it as the "Home Street Synagogue." This was because of the street where it was located.

Many synagogues at the time used "Anshei" (a Hebrew word meaning "people of") in their names. This showed where their members originally came from in Europe. But Tifereth Israel used "Anshei Corona" to show that their new neighborhood united them. The group's goal was to have a place for prayer, to bury their dead, and to help members grow spiritually and intellectually.

When the synagogue was founded, about 20,000 of New York City's 1.5 million Jewish people lived in Queens. Corona had two Jewish neighborhoods. Estée Lauder and her parents were early members. Her parents owned a hardware store nearby.

Building the Synagogue

In 1911, the congregation built its synagogue on a lot that was 20 feet wide and 100 feet long. It was designed by Crescent L. Varrone. The building looked like synagogues found on Manhattan's Lower East Side. These buildings often had to fit into narrow spaces.

The two-story building was made of wood. It mixed Gothic and Moorish styles. It had pointed windows, a round window with a Star of David made of colored glass, and a gabled roof. The front porch and siding were originally wood. Later, the porch was rebuilt with brick and iron, and the siding was covered with stucco.

The stucco, however, caused problems. It trapped moisture, which damaged the wood underneath. The basement of the synagogue was used for classes, including Hebrew lessons for boys preparing for their Bar Mitzvah. A mikveh (a special ritual bath) was also added later on the same property.

The Yeshiva and Madonna

At one point, the congregation had a yeshiva (a Jewish school) on 53rd Avenue. This school closed in the 1970s. It was then turned into a music studio and a home. The famous entertainer Madonna lived there for a short time in 1979 and 1980.

Changes in the Neighborhood

Corona's Orthodox community once had four synagogues. But over the years, many different groups of immigrants moved into the neighborhood. First came Italians, then Hispanic people, and then Black people. Most Jewish families moved to Long Island in the 1970s.

While Tifereth Israel had many members in the 1960s, its numbers slowly dropped. By the 1990s, the synagogue building was old and not used much. The congregation had little money. It was hard for them to pay for repairs or even find ten men for a minyan (the minimum number of adults needed for a Jewish prayer service).

In the 1990s, Bukharan Jews started moving to Corona. By 1995, hundreds of Bukharan Jewish families lived in the area. They began worshiping at Tifereth Israel in the mid-1990s, holding their own services in the basement. Even though Tifereth Israel was an Ashkenazi synagogue and Bukharan Jews follow different customs, they got along at first.

However, in 1997, a new rabbi for the Bukharan community arrived. This led to disagreements. The older members wanted the Bukharan community to help pay for the synagogue's upkeep. But the new rabbi said they were poor and could not afford it. There were also concerns about the new rabbi's qualifications. Eventually, the Bukharan congregation took over the synagogue.

Saving the Building

The New York Landmarks Conservancy started helping the synagogue in 1999. They gave money for surveys and repairs. Even though the building's look had changed since 1911, it was still a special "time capsule" in a changing area. The Conservancy also connected the synagogue with a hotel developer who helped with other synagogue restorations.

In 1999, the Queens Historical Society called it a "Queensmark." On November 21, 2002, the synagogue building and the rabbi's home were added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was the first synagogue in Queens to receive this honor.

In February 2008, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission made it a city landmark. By this time, the building was in bad shape. It had termites, leaks, peeling paint, and the basement ceiling had fallen in. Experts estimated that exterior repairs alone would cost $1.4 million. The congregation had been promised over $1 million from New York City and New York State.

By 2010, the Conservancy had given the synagogue $30,000 directly and helped secure another $100,000. Money also came from other groups and families. A large gift of $275,000 from Arnold Goldstein helped start $1.5 million in restoration work. The plan was to remove the stucco and bring back the original wood siding, windows, doors, and Moorish-style metal decorations. This would make the building look like it did a century ago.

Congregation Tifereth Israel is the oldest building in Queens that was built as a synagogue. It is also the oldest synagogue building in Queens that has been used for worship without stopping. In 2020, the New York Landmarks Conservancy gave the synagogue another $10,000 grant to help protect it from bad weather.

See also

• List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Queens
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Queens County, New York
• New York State Register of Historic Places