Altneu

Last updated
The Altneu
Religion
Affiliation Modern Orthodox Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organizational status Synagogue
LeadershipRabbi Benjamin Goldschmidt
StatusActive
Location
Location Upper East Side, Manhattan, New York City, New York
CountryUnited States
Architecture
Date established2022 (as a congregation)
Construction cost$34.5 million (purchase cost)

The Altneu is a Modern Orthodox synagogue located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. The synagogue informally formed in late 2021 after the departure of Rabbi Benjamin Goldschmidt from the Park East Synagogue, and officially launched in early 2022.

Contents

History

Park East Synagogue, a 133-year-old Modern Orthodox synagogue on the Upper East Side of New York City, had been led by Senior Rabbi Arthur Schneier for over 50 years. In a letter sent to synagogue membership on October 4, 2021, a group of congregants expressed concern with the synagogue's trajectory and announced a committee to revitalize the synagogue, along with Assistant Rabbi Benjamin Goldschmidt, the son of Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt. Less than two weeks later, Goldschmidt was fired by Park Avenue on October 15. [1]

By late October, Goldschmidt began hosting his own Shabbat services at locations in the Upper East Side, with at least 80 people attending. [2]

Goldschmidt and his wife Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt announced the Altneu, a portmanteau of the Yiddish words for "old" and "new" on February 15, 2022. [3]

In the synagogue's early days, they rented venues throughout the East Side of Manhattan, such as the Asia Society, Pierre Hotel, Explorers Club, and the Harold Pratt House. In April 2024, the synagogue announced that it had purchased the Thomas Lamont mansion for $34.5 million. [4]

Activities

One of the synagogue's first initiatives was supporting Ukrainian refugees. Synagogue members raised over $35,000 and the synagogue donated $15,000 to pay for the wedding ceremony of Ukrainian Jewish refugees in Israel. [5]

After the October 7 attack in 2023, the synagogue launched a Jewish matchmaking initiative to emphasize Jewish identity and continuity. [6]

Related Research Articles

The National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) or Young Israel, is a synagogue-based Orthodox Judaism organization in the United States with a network of affiliated "Young Israel" synagogues. Young Israel was founded in 1912, in its earliest form, by a group of 15 young Jews on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Their goal was to make Orthodox Judaism more relevant to young Americanized Jews at a time when a significant Jewish education was rare, and most Orthodox institutions were Yiddish-speaking and oriented to an older, European Jewish demographic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eldridge Street Synagogue</span> Synagogue in Manhattan, New York

The Eldridge Street Synagogue is an Orthodox Jewish synagogue at 12 Eldridge Street, in the Chinatown and Lower East Side neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Built in 1887 for Congregation Kahal Adath Jeshurun, the synagogue is one of the first erected in the U.S. by Eastern European Jews. The congregation, officially known as Kahal Adath Jeshurun with Anshe Lubz, still owns the synagogue and hosts weekly services there in the 21st century. The Museum at Eldridge Street, founded in 1986 as the Eldridge Street Project, also occupies the synagogue under a long-term lease. The building is a National Historic Landmark and a New York City designated landmark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Park East Synagogue</span> Modern Orthodox synagogue in Manhattan, New York

The Park East Synagogue is a Modern Orthodox Jewish synagogue for Congregation Zichron Ephraim at 163 East 67th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. Built in 1890, the synagogue building was designated as a New York City Landmark in 1980 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun</span> Synagogue in Manhattan, New York

Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun is a Modern Orthodox Jewish synagogue at 126 East 85th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. The synagogue was founded in 1872. The synagogue is closely affiliated with the Ramaz School. The lower school is co-located in an adjacent building and is across the street from the middle school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Actors' Temple</span> Synagogue in Manhattan, New York

The Actors' Temple, officially named Congregation Ezrath Israel, is a non-denominational Jewish synagogue located at 339 West 47th Street, in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congregation Shaare Zedek (Manhattan)</span> Synagogue in Manhattan, New York

Congregation Shaare Zedek is a Conservative synagogue located on West 93rd Street in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baruch Lanner</span> American former Orthodox rabbi (born 1949)

Baruch S. Lanner is an American former Orthodox rabbi who was convicted of child sexual abuse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramath Orah</span> Modern Orthodox synagogue in Manhattan, New York

Ramath Orah is an Modern Orthodox synagogue located on West 110th Street in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, in New York City, New York, United States. Located close to Columbia University the synagogue occupies a neo-Georgian building that was built in 1921 as the first stage of a large West Side Unitarian Church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congregation Rodeph Sholom (Manhattan)</span> Reform synagogue in New York City

Congregation Rodeph Sholom is a Reform Jewish synagogue at 7 West 83rd Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, New York. Founded in 1842 by German Jewish immigrants, it is one of the oldest synagogues in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congregation Beth Israel West Side Jewish Center</span>

Congregation Beth Israel, commonly referred to as the West Side Jewish Center or, in more recent years, the Hudson Yards Synagogue, is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue located at 347 West 34th Street, in the Garment District of Manhattan, in New York City, New York, in the United States. Established in 1890, the congregation completed its current building near Penn Station in 1925.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B'nai Jeshurun (Manhattan)</span> Synagogue in New York City

B'nai Jeshurun is a non-denominational Jewish synagogue located at 257 West 88th Street and 270 West 89th Street, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, in New York City, New York, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congregation Tifereth Israel (Queens)</span>

Congregation Tifereth Israel is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in the Corona section of Queens, in New York City, New York, in the United States. It was founded by Ashkenazi Jews who had moved to Queens from Manhattan's Lower East Side. Estée Lauder and her parents were early members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Lookstein</span> Russian-born American rabbi

Joseph Hyman Lookstein was a Russian-born American rabbi who served as spiritual leader of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and was a leader in Orthodox Judaism, including his service as president of the Rabbinical Council of America and of the cross-denominational Synagogue Council of America and New York Board of Rabbis. He was President of Bar-Ilan University from 1957 to 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edmond J. Safra Synagogue (Manhattan)</span> Orthodox Sephardic synagogue in New York City

The Edmond J. Safra Synagogue, organized by Congregation Beit Yaakov, is an Orthodox Jewish synagogue located on East 63rd Street off Fifth Avenue in the Upper East Side neighborhood of Manhattan, in New York City, New York, United States. The congregation practices in the Nusach Sefard rite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jewish Center (Manhattan)</span> Orthodox synagogue and Modern Orthodox congregation, in New York City

The Jewish Center is a Modern Orthodox Jewish synagogue located at 131 West 86th Street, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, in New York City, New York, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temple Israel of the City of New York</span> Reform synagogue in Manhattan, New York

Temple Israel of the City of New York is a Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue located at 112 East 75th Street, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. The congregation was incorporated by German Jews in 1873.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congregation Kol Israel</span> Historic Modern Orthodox synagogue in Brooklyn, New York, United States

Congregation Kol Israel is a historic Mordern Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 603 St. John's Place in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City, New York, in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temple Shaaray Tefila</span> Reform synagogue in Manhattan, New York

Temple Shaaray Tefila is a Reform Jewish synagogue located at 250 East 79th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sutton Place Synagogue</span>

Sutton Place Synagogue, also called the Jewish Center for the United Nations, is a Traditional synagogue and congregation located at 225 East 51st Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States.

The Great Park Synagogue is an Orthodox synagogue situated in Houghton, Johannesburg. The present building was consecrated in 2000, after the congregation vacated their long-time home, the Great Synagogue on Wolmarans Street, Hillbrow in 1994, after eighty years. The Wolmarans Street synagogue came to be known as the city's mother synagogue and "the crown jewel of Orthodox Judaism in South Africa." All large-scale Jewish events in Johannesburg were held in the building, and throughout its existence it was the seat of the country's chief rabbi. Northward migration by congregation members led to the synagogue closing its doors in 1994. The relocated synagogue was built on the model of the Great Synagogue, whose own architecture in turn was inspired by the Hagia Sophia. Great Park Synagogue was also the original name of the synagogue on Wolmarans Street before it became the Great Synagogue.

References

  1. Sales, Ben (2021-10-20). "Park East Synagogue pushes out assistant rabbi, sparking protest". Jewish Telegraphic Agency . Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  2. Sales, Ben (2021-11-02). "Fired Park East rabbi holding rival services blocks from his old synagogue". New York Jewish Week . Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  3. Gergely, Julia (2022-02-16). "Rabbi ousted from Park East Synagogue announces new congregation on the Upper East Side". New York Jewish Week . Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  4. Quinlan, Adriane (2024-04-04). "An Upper East Side Synagogue's New Mansion". Curbed . Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  5. Gergely, Julia (2022-06-29). "With help of NYC synagogue, young Ukrainian Jewish couple set to marry in Israel". Jewish Telegraphic Agency . Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  6. Gergely, Julia (2023-11-23). "An Orthodox congregation in Manhattan launches a matchmaking initiative as a response to the Oct. 7 attack in Israel". New York Jewish Week . Retrieved 31 May 2024.