From the NY Times:
Twenty years ago, it seemed that Congregation Tifereth Israel in Corona, thought to be the oldest synagogue in Queens, was headed for a date with a wrecking ball. Its Ashkenazi Jewish congregation — whose early members included the teenager who would become Estée Lauder — had dwindled to just a few. The wooden building, coated in 1929 with an unfortunate blanket of stucco, was in disrepair.
But in the late 1990s, a charismatic kosher butcher and rabbi from Central Asia moved to the area and slowly transformed the synagogue into the spiritual home of a community of impoverished Bukharan Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Soon, the rabbi’s wife figured out that in America, there was a way to save such a historic building.
Esther Khaimov, the rabbi’s wife, called the New York Landmarks Conservancy for help and combed through city records to find the building’s original 1911 architectural plans, according to Ann-Isabel Friedman, who guided the project for the conservancy. After years of work, the building was given city landmark status in 2008 and then raised enough state, city and private grants to pay for a $1.6 million exterior renovation.
On Wednesday, Mrs. Khaimov and her husband, Rabbi Amnon Khaimov, helped preside over a ribbon cutting for their restored synagogue. At 5 p.m. Rabbi Khaimov nailed the final nail into a mezuza, the ritual prayer scroll Jews affix to entranceways, on the synagogue’s front door frame. There is still no boiler in the building — that might have to wait until next year — but the restored siding glows sky blue, and the decorative ornament at its gabled parapet, at one point lost to time, is back in gleaming gold.
17 comments:
It's a good mitzva for Queens historic preservation, for a change
Now it's time to fix up all the surrounding crap.
$1.1million plus$400,000. in Queens and NYS taxpayers$$$$$$ equals $1,500,000.00. that leaves only $100,000. of private donations to pay for the $1,600,000 exterior of a religious group of 200 that since 2000 is dwindling. who sits in a hour long meeting in the winter with no heat ??
no wonder the city and state is going broke.?????
haven't they ever heard of the law of diminishing returns ?
Anon No. 4:
Would you say this if this was something that was part of your religion?
Anon No. 5:
Would you say this if this WASN'T something that was against of your religion?"
Anon No. 3, that is. The point remains the same.
Why can't you all just be happy that something of historical and architectural significance in Queens was preserved?
Sheesh.
That's my point, Crapper.
Anon No. 6:
I definitely would.
can any of the commenters list the other religious groups that receive Queens County and NYS taxpayer $$$$$ to renovate their churches.
i do recall that a Bay Terrace Chabad had it's property purchased with taxpayer funds,about ten years ago.
Every building on the national register is eligible for grants and tax deductions. The owner just has to apply for them.
Anon No. 10:
Let's ask again. What would you say if it was a house of worship for your religion?
Does the family living downstairs get a tax write off too???
a donation to one's church is voluntary. politicians seeking votes from the religious group that is bribed with taxpayers $$$$ should be a crime.
Church Vs. State except for certain chosen groups, by local politicians.
A church with fewer and fewer parishioners each year will have to eventually sell to the newcomer religious group, as the rest of Queens and Brooklyn churches have been doing.
Anon No. 14:
Who says that anything illegal or immoral action is being taken? Refer to what Anon No. 1 and Crapper said. A good thing is being done to maintain the cultural and historical heritage of this borough.
And if you're worried about your tax dollars being spent to restore a synagogue (and why is that?), I'll be happy to pay your share. How much of it comes out of your pocket?
Put your $$$$$ where your mouth is .show us your cancelled check for your donation .
that is my point.
I make numerous contributions with my $$$$$. Can you say the same?
And who is doing the bribing?
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