Temple Beth El of Borough Park

Temple Beth El of Borough Park, now known as Young Israel Beth El of Borough Park, is a historic synagogue at 4802 15th Avenue in Borough Park, Brooklyn, New York.

For similarly named synagogues, see Beth-El.
Temple Beth El of Borough Park
Location4802 15th Ave., Brooklyn, New York
Coordinates40°37′58.59″N 73°59′13.71″W
Arealess than one acre
Built1920-1923
ArchitectShampan & Shampan
Architectural styleMoorish, Egyptian
NRHP reference No.10000224 [1]
Added to NRHPApril 27, 2010

Buildings

Founded as Congregation Beth El of Borough Park in August, 1902, it erected a brick building in 1906, at 12th Avenue and 41st Street.[2] A three-story building that currently houses the organization was built between 1920 and 1923. It has Moorish and Egyptian design influences.[3] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.[1]

Both buildings are still in use as synagogues. The older building is the oldest synagogue building in Borough Park, and has been used by several different congregations. In 2017, trustees of the current owner of the 12th Avenue structure, Congregation Anshe Lubavitch, sold the building to developers, sparking controversy and a civil court case with some of the other members.[4]

In the 1980s, the Young Israel of Borough Park merged with Congregation Beth El. The combined organization, though having fewer worshippers than in the 1980s,[5] still uses the 1920s building.

Leaders

Beth El historically[6] had a distinguished list of officials, including:

  • Rabbi Avroham Ever Hirshkowitz, 1906 though early 1920s (Founding Rabbi Congregation Beth El of Borough Park, 12th Ave and 41st St.)
  • Rabbi Simon Glazer, rabbi in the mid-1920s
  • Mordechai Hershman, cantor throughout the 1920s
  • Berele Chagy, cantor 1940s and early 1950s
  • Moshe Koussevitzky, cantor from 1952 to 1966[7]
  • Paul Zim (Zimelman), cantor from 1966 to 1968
  • Moshe Stern, cantor from 1968 to 1977

More recent names include:

As seen from across 15th Avenue.

Young Israel

The Young Israel of Boro Park was established well before World War II.[11][12] One of its early rabbis was Rabbi Samuel Mirsky.[13]

In the 1980s[14] it merged with Congregation Beth El of Borough Park, which was founded in August, 1902.

Beth-El was and still is known for its famous cantors.

Young Israel's present rabbi previously served as youth leader; the Boro Park branch was known early[12] on for its youth group.[15]

References
  1. "National Register of Historic Places". WEEKLY LIST OF ACTIONS TAKEN ON PROPERTIES: 4/26/10 THROUGH 4/30/10. National Park Service. 2010-05-07.
  2. "BOROUGH PARK - Forgotten New York". forgotten-ny.com. Retrieved 2017-05-12.
  3. Kathy Howe (December 2009). "National Register of Historic Places Registration:Temple Beth El of Borough Park". New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Archived from the original on 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2011-02-20. See also: "Accompanying 24 photos". Archived from the original on 2012-10-19.
  4. "Borough Park Congregation Divided Over Synagogue's Future". Retrieved 2017-08-27.
  5. "First-and-oldest-orthodox-girl-school-faces ..." May 29, 2008. Retrieved June 23, 2019. .. perceived lack of future demand... "rumors" .. probably thinks that Young Israel of Boro Park/Bethel struggles because it doesn't serve good herring at shalosh seudos.
  6. pre-merger
  7. "Moshe Koussevitzky, Slihot".
  8. "Rabbi Israel Schorr, 94; Led Brooklyn Synagogue". The New York Times. 2000-04-18. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2015-12-13. Retrieved 2015-12-13.
  9. "Winds of Change". Ami. March 29, 2017. the shul's longtime rav, Rabbi Moshe Snow.
  10. "Benzion Miller - Bait Lazemer".
  11. Cover of Siyum, 1943: "Pages of Our Life: The Siyum Celebration, Completion of Baba Metzia". |date=1943
  12. "Young Israel will hold an open house Saturday night for all intermediates at the Young Israel of Boro Park" "New York City, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 1935, Young Israel". jta.org.
  13. "Rabbi Shmuel Kalman Mirsky".
  14. having sold its 1349 50th Street building years before for use as a Chasidic yeshiva, and then leasing part of it back on a 10 year lease for synagogue use
  15. "Perhaps the most successful of the synagogue-based youth groups is the Young Israel of Boro Park." Egon Mayer; William B. Helmreich (2017). From Suburb to Shtetl: The Jews of Boro Park. ISBN 1351518437.


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