Edmond J. Safra Synagogue
Encyclopedia
The Edmond J. Safra Synagogue is an Orthodox
Sephardic
synagogue
located on East 63rd Street off of Fifth Avenue in Manhattan
, New York
.
The synagogue project was initiated by philanthropist Edmond Safra
before his death in 1999, and dedicated in 2003. Safra's goal was to have a Sephardic synagogue on Manhattan's Upper East Side
.
The synagogue, designed by architect Thierry W. Despont, has been called a "sumptuous work of Beaux-Arts revival." The interior and facade of the building is made of Jerusalem stone
quarried in Judea
. The massive bronze doors with their Tree of Life motif are by American sculptor Mark Beard
.
Because it is located in a historic district, the synagogue design needed to receive approval from the landmarks commission, which called it an "artful synthesis of the composition, details and material palette of the Beaux-Arts style, which plays an important role in defining the special architectural character of the Upper East Side Historic District
."
The congregation is currently led by Rabbi Elie Abadie.
In January 2011, the Edmond J. Safra Philanthropic Foundation began ground breaking work and planning of "The Edmond J. Safra Synagogue" of Brooklyn, New York.
New York City°N date=June 2009°W
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
Sephardic
Sephardi Jews
Sephardi Jews is a general term referring to the descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion in the Spanish Inquisition. It can also refer to those who use a Sephardic style of liturgy or would otherwise define themselves in terms of the Jewish customs and...
synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
located on East 63rd Street off of Fifth Avenue in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
The synagogue project was initiated by philanthropist Edmond Safra
Edmond Safra
Edmond J. Safra was a Jewish Brazilian-naturalized, Lebanese banker who continued the family tradition of banking in Lebanon, Brazil and Switzerland. He married Lily Watkins. He died in a fire that attracted wide media interest and was judicially determined to be due to arson.-Life of Edmond...
before his death in 1999, and dedicated in 2003. Safra's goal was to have a Sephardic synagogue on Manhattan's Upper East Side
Upper East Side
The Upper East Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, between Central Park and the East River. The Upper East Side lies within an area bounded by 59th Street to 96th Street, and the East River to Fifth Avenue-Central Park...
.
The synagogue, designed by architect Thierry W. Despont, has been called a "sumptuous work of Beaux-Arts revival." The interior and facade of the building is made of Jerusalem stone
Jerusalem stone
Jerusalem stone is a name applied to various types of pale limestone, dolomite and dolomitic limestone, common in and around Jerusalem that have been used in building since ancient times...
quarried in Judea
Judea
Judea or Judæa was the name of the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel from the 8th century BCE to the 2nd century CE, when Roman Judea was renamed Syria Palaestina following the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt.-Etymology:The...
. The massive bronze doors with their Tree of Life motif are by American sculptor Mark Beard
Mark Beard (artist)
Mark Beard is an American artist. Beard works in prints, paint, and as a sculptor, in addition to being a noted stage set designer...
.
Because it is located in a historic district, the synagogue design needed to receive approval from the landmarks commission, which called it an "artful synthesis of the composition, details and material palette of the Beaux-Arts style, which plays an important role in defining the special architectural character of the Upper East Side Historic District
Upper East Side Historic District
Upper East Side Historic District is a historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. Its boundaries were increased in 2006....
."
The congregation is currently led by Rabbi Elie Abadie.
In January 2011, the Edmond J. Safra Philanthropic Foundation began ground breaking work and planning of "The Edmond J. Safra Synagogue" of Brooklyn, New York.
External links
New York City°N date=June 2009°W