Park Avenue Synagogue
Encyclopedia
The Park Avenue Synagogue – Agudat Yesharim- (The Association of the Righteous) is a Conservative
Jewish congregation located at 50 East 87th Street on the Upper East Side
of Manhattan
, New York City
. Founded in 1882, the congregation is one of the largest and most influential synagogues in the United States
.
The congregation was originally founded in 1882 as the Reform
congregation, "Temple Gates of Hope", by a group of German Jews. After several mergers, the congregation took the Hebrew name "Agudat Yesharim," and later petitioned the state of New York
to change the official name of the congregation to "Park Avenue Synagogue" in 1923. In 1927, the present Moorish-style building on East 87th Street was constructed. By the 1930s, the congregation changed its affiliation from Reform Judaism
to Conservative in order to accommodate the merger of the congregation with several other congregations containing large numbers of Eastern European Jews.
Currently, the synagogue is led by Senior Rabbi Elliot J. Cosgrove, PhD. In the past, the congregation has been led by such famous rabbis as Rabbi Milton Steinberg
and Rabbi Judah Nadich
.
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
Jewish congregation located at 50 East 87th Street on the 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...
of 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 City
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...
. Founded in 1882, the congregation is one of the largest and most influential synagogues in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The congregation was originally founded in 1882 as the Reform
Reform
Reform means to put or change into an improved form or condition; to amend or improve by change of color or removal of faults or abuses, beneficial change, more specifically, reversion to a pure original state, to repair, restore or to correct....
congregation, "Temple Gates of Hope", by a group of German Jews. After several mergers, the congregation took the Hebrew name "Agudat Yesharim," and later petitioned the state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to change the official name of the congregation to "Park Avenue Synagogue" in 1923. In 1927, the present Moorish-style building on East 87th Street was constructed. By the 1930s, the congregation changed its affiliation from Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
to Conservative in order to accommodate the merger of the congregation with several other congregations containing large numbers of Eastern European Jews.
Currently, the synagogue is led by Senior Rabbi Elliot J. Cosgrove, PhD. In the past, the congregation has been led by such famous rabbis as Rabbi Milton Steinberg
Milton Steinberg
Milton Steinberg was an American rabbi, philosopher, theologian and author.-Life:Born in Rochester, New York, he was raised with the combination of his grandparents' traditional Jewish piety and his father's modernist socialism...
and Rabbi Judah Nadich
Judah Nadich
Rabbi Judah Nadich , was a Conservative Rabbi, who served congregations in Buffalo and Chicago, and later was the U.S...
.