South Fallsburg Hebrew Association Synagogue facts for kids
Quick facts for kids South Fallsburg Hebrew Association Synagogue |
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West profile and north elevation, 2008
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Orthodox Judaism |
| Rite | Nusach Ashkenaz |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Synagogue |
| Leadership | Lay-led |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Lake Street, South Fallsburg, Sullivan County, New York |
| Country | United States |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Synagogue architecture |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical |
| Date established | 1902 (as a congregation) |
| Completed | 1902 |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | North |
| Materials | Concrete, stucco |
| Website | |
| South Fallsburg Hebrew Association SFHA | |
The South Fallsburg Hebrew Association Synagogue is an old and important Orthodox Jewish building. It is located on Lake Street in South Fallsburg, New York.
This synagogue was built in 1902. It was made much bigger in 1919, when it was even raised up a whole story! In the year 2000, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a special building worth protecting.
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About the Synagogue
This synagogue is one of the oldest Jewish places of worship in Sullivan County. It has been a very important part of the Jewish community in the area for a long time. Many well-known Jewish people have been members here.
The synagogue is a place for Orthodox Jewish worship. However, it welcomes all Jewish people, no matter how they practice their faith. As the local hotel business changed, the synagogue became even more central. It is now a main spot for Jewish religious and cultural events in the town.
The Building's Design
The synagogue is a one-story building with a raised basement. This means part of the basement walls can be seen from the outside. The building is covered in gold stucco, which is a type of plaster. It has a hipped roof covered with asphalt shingles.
Outside Features
Concrete stairs with iron railings lead up to the main entrance. Two windows are on either side of the door. Wooden columns, called pilasters, with Doric tops go from the basement to the roof line. The front of the building has a special top part, like a fancy wall, inspired by old Spanish buildings. In this wall, there is a stained glass window. It shows one Star of David inside another.
The sides of the building have narrow, flat windows. On one side, there is a small entrance and a chimney. On the other side, there is a metal fire escape. The back of the building has a part that sticks out. This part holds the Torah ark inside.
Inside the Synagogue
The synagogue uses all three of its levels. The main floor is where the worship services happen. This area is called the sanctuary. The bimah, which is a platform for reading the Torah, is at the back of the room. This is a bit unusual for Orthodox synagogues, where it's often in the middle.
The Torah ark is where the holy Torah scrolls are kept. It is separated from the bimah by sliding wooden doors. The ark is lit up by a stained glass window showing the Burning bush. Two lit-up panels next to it show the Ten Commandments. The ceiling is made of original pressed metal.
On the third level, there is a special area for women called a women's gallery. There are also some classrooms there. The basement has a large room for community events and gatherings. It even has a sukkah, which is a special hut used during a Jewish holiday. This sukkah has a ceiling that can open and close.
Synagogue History
Around the early 1900s, many Jewish immigrants started coming to the southern Catskill Mountains. They came for summer vacations and later began to run resorts there. Enough Jewish families settled in South Fallsburg to build this synagogue in 1902. It was first known as Ahavas Achim. Its design reminded people of the synagogues they knew from Eastern Europe, where many had come from. At first, all Jewish people were welcome to join, no matter their specific Jewish group.
Growing Community
In 1910, the congregation changed its name to the South Fallsburg Hebrew Association (SFHA). This new name showed that it was a center for all local Jewish people. The association even bought and ran a local Yiddish school. Many Jewish families made South Fallsburg their permanent home. Because of this, the synagogue held meetings every week, all year long.
The members were doing well enough to save money for expanding the synagogue. In 1919, the building was made taller. This created a new basement area for a Talmud Torah school, which teaches Jewish studies. A women's gallery was added, and the building was made longer to fit more people. A new ark was also built at this time.
Later Years
For many years in the middle of the 20th century, the synagogue served a very active and successful Jewish community. In 1959, all the local firefighters were also members of the SFHA! Famous people, like Oscar-winning songwriter Sammy Fain and important Israeli rabbi Nachman Bulman, were members here. In the 1970s, the inside of the synagogue was updated. Some Jewish folk art was removed to make the space look more modern. The original stained glass window was also replaced then.
