Houses of Worship
Neighborhood Profile | Houses of Worship | Sources
The location of the congregation since 1860
| Until 1825, the only Jewish congregation in New York City was the Congregation Shearith Israel, an establishment that dates back to the colonial era. Founded and composed of Sephardic and Ashkanazi Jews, this synagogue moved from location to location, eventually finding its current home on West 70th St. in Manhattan near Central Park. Brighton Beach would mainly began to incorporate houses of worship after the turn of the century, but from our records, the only house of worship present during the second half of nineteenth century was the Guardian Angel Roman Catholic Church (1880). During the 1920’s key synagogues were erected all throughout the neighborhood, and these would primarily be Orthodox establishments. Nearing the end of the twentieth century, a number of modern synagogues, including a Conservative synagogue, were constructed, which were more modest than their predecessors. Services here were and are still conducted by Rabbis of the Lubavitch tradition, and while the buildings are not as elaborate as those of the past, they have become extremely relevant to the culture of Brighton Beach. Today, in light of major demographic changes, Brighton houses three mosques, two operated by Pakistanis and one by Turks. These places of worship, along with the synagogues of yesteryear, allow for a unique combination of faiths for both past, present, and hopefully, future generations.
|
Neighborhood Profile | Houses of Worship | Sources
