92nd Street Y, New York (92NY) is a cultural and community center located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, at the corner of East 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Founded in 1874 as the Young Men's Hebrew Association, the 92nd Street Y (often simply called "the Y") transformed from a secular social club to a large arts and cultural center in the 20th century.
In 1874, a group of German-Jewish professionals established the New York Young Men's Hebrew Association (YMHA). The founders were predominantly members of the Temple Shaaray Tefila, or synagogue, and New York's YMHA and others across the country grew out of existing Jewish congregations. The YMHA itself was a secular organization intended to serve as a social and literary fraternity.[1]:58–9[2] Officially incorporated on September 10, 1874, the YMHA would initially operate out of rented premises on 112 West 21st Street. A few years later, the organization would move to larger accommodations on 110 West 42nd Street; the Y also operated a downtown branch, where Emma Lazarus taught English to immigrants. This branch would later merge with other organizations to become the Educational Alliance.[1]:76[3]
As the organization grew, it began integrating more Judaism into its programming. In 1878, the YMHA held its first Hannakuh Festival, which became an annual tradition. The secularized celebration of Jewish holidays like Hannakuh and Purim, according to historian Jonathan Sarna, helped save the holiday from obscurity and was part of the creation of an American Jewish identity and culture. Celebrations of the High Holidays began in 1900. These were soon followed by regular Friday evening services that grew in average attendance from 172 in 1901 to more than 400 in 1903, though secular activities remained far more popular.[1]:70–2
Former YMHA building at 92nd and Lexington Streets, built in 1900
In 1886 the YMHA moved from 42nd Street to 721 Lexington Avenue near 58th Street, and in 1895 to 111 East 59th Street. The Y would find a permanent home through the munificence of businessman and philanthropist Jacob Schiff. Initially donating a rowhouse at 65th Street and Lexington Avenue to the Y, Schiff would finance the construction of a new building at 92nd Street and Lexington. Designed by Arnold W. Brunner, who produced many turn-of-the-century synagogues, the new building would open in 1900.[1]:70[3]
The original YMHA building would be replaced by a new building, completed in 1930.
The YMHA primarily catered to Jews until the mid-1930s. The Y's director, William Kolodney, argued that the arts were central to the Jewish religious tradition of learning for learning's sake. While the board was concerned that this shift would transform the Y into a secular institution and harm its finances, Kolodney argued for not catering to the lowest common denominator in pursuit of crowds, and to keep charges minimal so that activities were within reach of salaried workers.[4] Kolodney opened the Y's concert hall and events to nonmembers; its excellent acoustics helped land the Y on the map as a performing arts venue.[2] The Y opened an arts center, jewelry center, dance center, poetry center, and nursery school throughout the 1930s.[3] 75% of revenue was spent on 25% of programs.[4] In 1945, the YMHA merged with the Young Women's Hebrew Association and became the YM-YWHA.[3]
In the 1960s, the Clara de Hirsch Home for Working Girls merged with the Y, and a new building on the southern part of the block was constructed to house it and new spaces for programming and the arts.[3] In 1972 the YM-YWHA rebranded itself as the 92nd Street Y.
In 1988, the Board elevated Sol Adler to executive director. Adler had worked for the Y for 11 years, hired by the previous executive director.[5] In the 1990s, the decline of classical music programming and rising real estate costs threatened the Y's finances. The Y responded by cutting Jewish life and cultural offerings and expanding its class offerings.[2] By 2003, the Y's budget had grown to $43 million and served 300,000 annually; less than a decade later, it had revenues of $80 million.[5][6]
After the September 11th terrorist attacks, the Y spent $1 million investigating the feasibility of a satellite building to help revitalize the rebuilding downtown.[5] The result was 92YTribeca, a performance space in the Tribeca neighborhood that opened in 2008. The venue at 200 Hudson Street contained a movie theater, lecture hall, cafe, and art gallery. The 92YTribeca location would be closed in 2013.[7]
In February 2013, the Y fired Sal Taddeo, who served as director of facilities, after allegations were raised of a kickbacks scheme. Taddeo was the son-in-law of Catherine Marto, Adler's personal assistant; Marto was fired for being uncooperative in the investigation of Taddeo's conduct, and Adler was in turn fired after his affair with Marto was uncovered. Mr. Adler, who suffered depression, committed suicide by hanging. He was replaced by Henry Timms, formerly the Y's deputy executive director for innovation, strategy and content. Timms was the first non-Jewish director of the Y in its history, drawing some criticism;[6][8] the Y announced the creation of a new director of Jewish community role, coinciding with Timms' elevation.[9] Timms spearheaded the development of Giving Tuesday while at the Y.
Henry Timms left the Y in 2019 to join Lincoln Center; he was succeeded in January 2020 by Seth Pinsky, former head of economic development under Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The choice of Pinsky was influenced by the need to revamp the organization's outdated facilities.[10] Shortly thereafter the institution was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; nearly 70% of its revenues came from in-person events and instruction. The Y began streaming events and classes to reach a broader, global audience. Despite success online, budget cuts required employee furloughs and cut salaries.[11]
As a result of shifting programming, the Y changed its name to the 92nd Street Y, New York (92NY for short) in 2022, reorganizing its programs under five umbrellas and launching Roundtable, an online learning platform. The rebrand preceded a $200 million campaign to renovate its facilities.[12]
In October 2023, the poetry center indefinitely postponed its reading series after the Y canceled an appearance by the writer Viet Thanh Nguyen, citing his "public comments on Israel";[13][14] Nguyen had called for a ceasefire in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war earlier that week.[15] The cancellation had prompted two of the poetry center's three employees to resign and many speakers to cancel.[13][16]
Activities
Kaufmann building
In addition to presenting performing arts programs (classical, jazz and popular music[17] as well as dance performances[18]), it offers a series of talks and conversations;[19] literary readings;[20] film screenings;[21] adult education;[22] schools for music, art and dance for children and adults;[23] professional development programs (early childhood,[24] dance,[25][26] business[27] and fashion[28]); family, parenting and children's activities and classes;[29] a nursery school; a senior center;[30] a fitness center (including fitness classes and swim team);[31]camps;[32] a residence that rents rooms in the Y's main building at 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue;[33] Jewish education, cultural and community programs;[34] and educational outreach programs for public school children[35] among its programs. The organization serves about 300,000 people annually in its New York facilities.[36]
In recent years, 92Y has expanded its digital programming to include live webcasts of events and a free digital archive at 92YOnDemand.org that includes both stage events and web-only content.[37][38] In 2012, 92Y founded #GivingTuesday, which established the Tuesday after Thanksgiving as a day to celebrate and encourage giving.[39] The initiative was inspired by the core Jewish value of Tikkun olam (repairing the world) and reflects the institution's mission of reimagining community and giving back.[40] 92Y is also one of the founding partners of the annual Social Good Summit, a conference that attracts NGO, tech and business leaders and entrepreneurs, which takes place in September (during UN Week).[41]
Programming centers
92nd Street Y comprises eight programming centers: Bronfman Center for Jewish Life; Lillian & Sol Goldman Family Center for Youth & Family; May Center for Health, Fitness & Sport; Milstein/Rosenthal Center for Media & Technology; School of the Arts; Charles Simon Center for Adult Life & Learning; Tisch Center for the Arts, Center for Educational Outreach and Center for Innovation and Social Impact.[42]
In 1935, William Kolodney joined the 92nd Street Y as Educational Director, instituting a wide-ranging educational program for general audiences of all faiths. He made the "Y" a center for chamber music, poetry readings, and dance performances. He initiated the Y's dance center, School of Music and poetry center.[43][44] The last is now called the Unterberg Poetry Center and has been led by prominent writers including American poet Karl Kirchwey who was director for thirteen years until 2000.[45]
Notable individuals who have resided at 92nd Street Y include Joseph Gurwin (1920–2009), a philanthropist who rented a room at 92nd Street Y for four years after arriving in the U.S.[72] Pianist Harry Connick Jr. lived there at age 18 when he first moved to New York in 1985.[73]
Related Research Articles
Christopher North Renquist, known professionally as Christopher North, is an American composer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist musician, conductor, producer, and educator. Working most notably as a film composer, he has also composed and written for orchestra, theater, and dance, His songs are heard around the globe on children's television, in films, on radio, and on streaming platforms. North has conducted at Carnegie Hall, sang at Lincoln Center and played in Broadway theater as a bassist and guitarist.
A Jewish Community Center or a Jewish Community Centre (JCC) is a general recreational, social, and fraternal organization serving the Jewish community in a number of cities. JCCs promote Jewish culture and heritage through holiday celebrations, Israel-related programming, and other Jewish education. However, they are open to everyone in the community.
A curator is a manager or overseer. When working with cultural organizations, a curator is typically a "collections curator" or an "exhibitions curator", and has multifaceted tasks dependent on the particular institution and its mission. The term "curator" may designate the head of any given division, not limited to museums. Curator roles include "community curators", "literary curators", "digital curators", and "biocurators".
John Hollander was an American poet and literary critic. At the time of his death, he was Sterling Professor Emeritus of English at Yale University, having previously taught at Connecticut College, Hunter College, and the Graduate Center, CUNY.
Edward Field is an American poet and author of fiction and non-fiction, as well as anthologies and periodicals.
Jeremy A. Dauber is the Atran Professor of Yiddish Language, Literature, and Culture in the Department of Germanic Languages at Columbia University, specializing in Yiddish and Jewish literature, American Jewish culture, and American studies.
Thane Rosenbaum is an American novelist, essayist, and Distinguished University Professor. He is the director of the Forum on Life, Culture, & Society, hosted by Touro College. Rosenbaum is also the Legal Analyst for CBS News Radio and appears frequently on cable television news programs.
Daniel Gallant is a theatrical producer, playwright, director, lecturer and actor based in New York City, New York. He has served as the executive director of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe and as director of theater and talk programs for the 92nd Street Y; he is also the author of the short story collection Determined to Prove, and the recipient of a 2022 Fulbright Specialist Fellowship and a 2016 Eisenhower Fellowship. His writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Time Out, the New York Daily News and the New York Post. Gallant is a lecturer and consultant in the fields of institutional marketing, social media and arts technology. Forbes called Gallant a "social media expert". NPR's Planet Money podcast called him "a genius at raising money for artists". According to The Wall Street Journal, "since late 2009, Mr. Gallant has exploited expanding social-media tools to grow the cafe from a small, volunteer-led venue best known for weekly poetry events to a thriving arts center with partnerships across the city".
Karl Kirchwey is an American poet, essayist, translator, critic, teacher, arts administrator, and literary curator. His career has taken place both inside and outside of academia. He is Professor of English and Creative Writing at Boston University, where he teaches in the MFA Program in Creative Writing and in the MFA degree program in Literary Translation. His published work includes seven books of poems, two poetry anthologies, and a translation of French poet Paul Verlaine’s first book of poems.
Alastair Macaulay is an English writer and dance critic. He was the chief dance critic for The New York Times from 2007 until he retired in 2018. He was previously chief dance critic at The Times and Literary Supplement and chief theater critic of the Financial Times, both of London. He founded the British quarterly Dance Theater Journal in 1983. He writes that his first morning in New York City was before September 1981. In addition to his roles as critic, Macaulay has written for The New Yorker and also published a biography on Margot Fonteyn. In 2000, he wrote Matthew Bourne and His Adventures in Dance: Conversations with Alastair Macaulay with Matthew Bourne. Macaulay was named one of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts' Jerome Robbins Dance Division Fellows in 2017. As of 2019, Macaulay was an instructor at the 92nd Street Y in New York City.
Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel is an American preservationist, historian, author, and television producer. She is an advocate for the preservation of the historic built environment and the arts. She has worked in the fields of art, architecture, crafts, historic preservation, fashion, and public policy in the U.S. She is the author of 24 books, numerous articles and essays, and recipient of many honors and awards. She is a former White House Assistant, the first Director of Cultural Affairs in New York City, and the longest serving New York City Landmarks Preservation Commissioner.
Paul Bernard Holdengräber is an American interviewer, curator, and writer. He was director of the New York Public Library's public programming and organized literary conversations for the NYPL's public program series, LIVE from the NYPL, which he founded.
Kenneth E. Parris III is a New York visual artist and creative director. He received his BFA in illustration and an AAS in graphic design at the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Davidson Garrett, also known as King Lear of the Taxi, is an American poet and actor living in New York City, New York. He drove a New York City yellow taxi cab from 1978 until 2018 to supplement his acting and writing career. Garrett has authored six books of poetry, and has been published in many literary magazines, and poetry reviews.
Ansel Elkins is an American poet and 2014 winner of the Yale Series of Younger Poets Competition. Yale University Press published her collection Blue Yodel in 2015.
Miller Wolf Oberman is a poet who has won a Ruth Lilly fellowship, the 2016 92nd St Y’s Boston Review/ Discovery Prize and a 2023 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship. His translation of selections from the “Old English Rune Poem” won Poetry’s John Frederick Nims Memorial Prize For Translation in 2013. His collection "Impossible Things" is forthcoming from Duke University Press on 10/22/24. "The Unstill Ones," his first collection of poems and Old English translations was published in September 2017 by Princeton University Press. He serves on the board of Brooklyn Poets, is an editor at Broadsided Press, and teaches at Eugene Lang College at The New School. Miller lives in Queens with his wife, rock singer and rabbinical student Louisa Rachel Solomon of The Shondes and their children. He holds a PhD in English from the University of Connecticut, an MFA from Georgia College, and a BA from Sarah Lawrence College.
Kathryn Posin is an American choreographer known for her musical and sculptural fusing of ballet and modern dance genres. In addition to choreographing, she has also taught technique and composition at several American universities. Her most recent season with The Kathryn Posin Dance Company commissioned by 92nd Street Y in February 2016 received an award from the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and an Arts Works Grant from the NEA in 2017.
William Kolodney was a Russian-born American cultural educator and program director for two major New York City institutions, the 92nd Street Y and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Alice Sheppard is a disabled choreographer and dancer from Britain. Sheppard started her career first as a professor, teaching English and Comparative Literature. After attending a conference on disability studies, she saw Homer Avila performed and was inspired. She became a member of the AXIS Dance Company and toured with them. She also founded her own dance company, Kinetic Light, which is an artistic coalition created in collaboration with other disabled dancers Laurel Lawson, Jerron Herman and Michael Maag, who also does lighting and is a video artist. A lot of Alice's work revolves intersectionality.
Miriam Pandor was a German dancer, director, choreographer, teacher and writer. She is well-known for her works which address racism, antisemitism and social injustice.
References
1 2 3 4 Kaufman, David (1999). Shul with a Pool: The 'synagogue-center' in American Jewish History. University Press of New England. pp.58–9. ISBN978-0-87451-893-1.
1 2 Alix Friedman (June 13, 2000). "Poetry Center Director Karl Kirchwey Leaves 92nd Street Y". 92nd Street Y. Archived from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2010. 92nd Street Y announces the departure of Karl Kirchwey, longtime director of the 92nd Street Y Unterberg Poetry Center. Mr. Kirchwey will become Director of Creative Writing and Senior Lecturer in the Arts at Bryn Mawr College starting next fall. The Poetry Center is a program of the 92nd Street Y Tisch Center for the Arts, the Y's arts presenting division.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
