Temple Beth El of Borough Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Temple Beth El of Borough Park
|
|
 |
|
 Location in New York City
Location in New York
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 4802 15th Ave., Brooklyn, New York |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1920-1923 |
| Architect | Shampan & Shampan |
| Architectural style | Moorish, Egyptian |
| NRHP reference No. | 10000224 |
| Added to NRHP | April 27, 2010 |
Temple Beth El of Borough Park is a very old and important building in Borough Park, Brooklyn, New York. It is a synagogue, which is a special place where Jewish people gather to pray and learn. Today, it is known as Young Israel Beth El of Borough Park. This historic building is located at 4802 15th Avenue.
A Look at the Buildings
The story of this synagogue began in August 1902. It was first called Congregation Beth El of Borough Park. The first building was made of brick and built in 1906. It was located at 12th Avenue and 41st Street.
The main building used today was built between 1920 and 1923. It has cool designs inspired by Moorish and Egyptian styles. Imagine a building that looks like something from ancient Egypt or a palace in Spain! Because of its history and unique look, this building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010. This means it's a very important landmark in the United States.
Both the old 1906 building and the newer 1920s building are still used as synagogues today. The older building is actually the oldest synagogue building in Borough Park! Over the years, many different groups have used it. In the 1980s, another group called Young Israel of Borough Park joined with Congregation Beth El. Even though fewer people attend now than in the 1980s, the 1920s building is still a busy place for the combined group.
Important Leaders and Cantors
Temple Beth El has been home to many famous and respected leaders over the years. These include rabbis, who are religious teachers, and cantors, who lead the singing during services.
Here are some of the important people who served the synagogue:
- Rabbi Avroham Ever Hirshkowitz: He was the first rabbi when the synagogue started in 1902.
- Rabbi Simon Glazer: He was a rabbi in the mid-1920s.
- Mordechai Hershman: A well-known cantor throughout the 1920s.
- Berele Chagy: Another famous cantor who served in the 1940s and early 1950s.
- Moshe Koussevitzky: A very famous cantor from 1952 to 1966.
- Paul Zim (Zimelman): He was a cantor from 1966 to 1968.
- Moshe Stern: He served as cantor from 1968 to 1977.
More recently, these leaders have guided the synagogue:
- Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz: A rabbi from 1969 to 1987.
- Rabbi Israel Schorr: He was a rabbi for a very long time, from 1938 to 2000.
- Rabbi Moshe Snow: He has been the rabbi from 2000 until today.
- Benzion Miller: A respected cantor who has served since 1981.
The Young Israel Connection
The Young Israel group in Boro Park started a long time ago, even before World War II. One of its early rabbis was Rabbi Samuel Mirsky.
As mentioned, Young Israel of Boro Park joined with Congregation Beth El of Borough Park in the 1980s. This brought two important Jewish communities together.
Both Beth El and Young Israel have always been known for their amazing cantors. These talented singers help make the services special with their beautiful voices.
The current rabbi of Young Israel used to be a youth leader. The Boro Park branch was famous for its youth group in its early days. This shows how important it was to teach and involve young people in the community.
