East Midwood Jewish Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids East Midwood Jewish Center |
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East Midwood Jewish Center in Brooklyn, in 2008
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Conservative Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Synagogue |
| Leadership |
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| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 1625 Ocean Avenue, Midwood, Brooklyn, New York City, New York |
| Country | United States |
 Location in New York City
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| Architecture | |
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| Architectural type | Synagogue |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| Date established | 1924 (as a congregation) |
| Groundbreaking | 1926 |
| Completed | 1929 |
| Construction cost | $1 million (today $17 million ) |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | West |
| Capacity |
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| Width | 155 feet (47 m) |
| Dome(s) | 2 |
| Materials | Steel frame, masonry, buff and red brick, limestone, copper domes |
The East Midwood Jewish Center is a Conservative synagogue in Brooklyn, New York City. It is located at 1625 Ocean Avenue in the Midwood, Brooklyn area. The center was started in 1924.
Its building was finished in 1929. It was designed in the Renaissance Revival style. This type of building was popular then. It combined a synagogue with a community center. From the 1990s to 2010, it was the only synagogue in Brooklyn with a working swimming pool. The building still looks the same as when it was built. In 2006, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a special historical site.
During the Great Depression, fewer people joined. The synagogue faced money problems. But it got better. By 1941, it had 1,100 families. In 1950, a school was built next door. At its busiest, almost 1,000 students attended. As the neighborhood changed, the center welcomed members from three other synagogues. The East Midwood Jewish Center has had only a few rabbis. Harry Halpern served for 49 years. Alvin Kass was the rabbi until 2014. Matt Carl became the rabbi in 2014.
Contents
History of the Center
How it Started
The East Midwood Jewish Center began in 1924. A dentist named Jacob R. Schwartz started it. He wanted a nearby Hebrew school for his sons. From the beginning, he wanted a Conservative synagogue. Conservative Judaism was a middle ground. It mixed traditional Hebrew prayers with some English.
Early synagogues in New York were often for Jewish people from one part of Europe. But East Midwood was different. Its members came from all over Europe. Services were held in Hebrew and English. They did not use Yiddish.
The first meeting was in November 1924. Pincus Weinberg was elected the first president. His son, Sidney Weinberg, later became the head of Goldman Sachs. The first rabbi was Reuben Kaufman. The first cantor was Jacob Schraeter.
Building the Synagogue
The center first bought land on Avenue L. But most members wanted a spot on Ocean Avenue. So, in 1925, they bought the current location. The first stone was laid in 1926. The building was mostly ready by that fall. High Holiday services were held there that year.
The building was finished in 1929. It cost about $1 million. This was a lot of money back then. It was a "synagogue-center." This meant it had many uses. It included a synagogue, an auditorium, kitchens, classrooms, a gym, and a swimming pool.
Rabbi Kaufman left in 1929. Harry Halpern became the new rabbi. He served for 49 years. He also taught at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.
Mid-20th Century Changes
The Great Depression made things hard. Membership went down. To save money, dues were raised. Teachers were paid with notes instead of cash. But the synagogue survived. By 1944, it had 1,100 member families.
From 1955 to 1985, Abraham Nadel was the Choral Director. He was famous for his choir. Joseph Eidelson became the cantor in 1956. He had been a cantor in Poland and Lithuania.
In 1968, Mayor of New York City John Lindsay visited. There were strong disagreements in the city. Many people were upset with the mayor. A large crowd gathered outside the center. The mayor was met with loud protests. Rabbi Halpern tried to calm the crowd. But the protests continued.
After Rabbi Halpern retired in 1977, Alvin Kass became the rabbi. He studied at Columbia College and New York University.
Recent Times
Over time, Brooklyn's Jewish population changed. More people became Orthodox. The East Midwood Jewish Center welcomed members from other synagogues. These included the Jewish Communal Center of Flatbush. By 1996, there were 1,000 families.
The synagogue also changed its practices. It became more open to the role of women. By 2009, women could be full members.
The synagogue building has not changed much. It was the only Brooklyn synagogue with a working swimming pool for many years. In 2006, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It received money for repairs. This helped fix the walls and windows.
Aaron Pomerantz joined as an associate rabbi in 1978. He had escaped Europe during World War II. He served until his death in 2009. Joseph Eidelson retired as cantor in 1995. Sam Levene became the new cantor in 2004. He was born in Jerusalem.
Rabbi Kass retired in 2014. He had also been a New York City Police Department chaplain for over 40 years. He helped Jewish police officers get time off for the Sabbath. Matt Carl became the rabbi in 2014. He had been a rabbi at other synagogues in New York.
East Midwood Day School
The East Midwood Jewish Center had a successful Talmud Torah. This was for Jewish lessons after school. In the 1940s, author Susan Brownmiller attended it. In 1950, a three-story school building was built. At its busiest, the school had almost 1,000 students.
Later, the center started a Jewish day school. It taught students from kindergarten to eighth grade. It also had religious classes for public school students. Author Dennis Prager taught there. The school was later named the Rabbi Harry Halpern Day School.
The day school also faced challenges. Enrollment dropped from 400 students to 99. In 2009, the synagogue and school made a new agreement. This brought them closer together. The synagogue helped with some school costs. School parents became synagogue members. In 2018, the day school changed. It became more focused on Orthodox traditions. The Talmud Torah still operates as a congregational school.
Building Design
The architect of the East Midwood Jewish Center building is not fully known. The design is credited to the Building Committee and Irving Warshaw. He was the construction manager. The building's official plaque does not name an architect.
However, some believe the architect was Louis Abramson. He designed many synagogue-centers at that time. These included the Manhattan Jewish Center. Other similar buildings in Brooklyn were also his work. The Brooklyn Jewish Center looks very similar to East Midwood. It even has the same layout. It is thought that Abramson drew the main plans. The Building Committee might have finished them to save money.
Another architect, Maurice Courland, also claimed the East Midwood Jewish Center as his work. He designed other synagogues and New York landmarks.
Famous People Connected to the Center
Many famous people have been part of the East Midwood Jewish Center.
- Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was confirmed here. She wrote essays for the synagogue's bulletin. These were about prejudice and world unity.
- Filmmaker Marc Levin was also a member. His grandfather, Herman Levin, was a president of the center. He also helped start the Reconstructionist movement.
Some members have also faced sad events. Jason Sekzer was killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks. Danny Farkas, a New York police lieutenant, died while serving in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Media Appearances
In 2018, parts of the TV show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel were filmed at the center.
Images for kids
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East Midwood Jewish Center in Brooklyn, in 2008
