Congregation Beit Simchat Torah
Encyclopedia
Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (CBST) is a Jewish synagogue
located in Manhattan
, New York City
. It was founded in 1973 and describes itself as the world's largest LGBT
synagogue. CBST serves Jews
of all sexual orientations and gender identities, their families, and their friends. It is led by Senior Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum
and Associate Rabbi Rachel Weiss. It is not affiliated with any denomination or branch of Judaism
.
The congregation, founded in 1973 by twelve gay Jewish men, originally met in Chelsea's Church of the Holy Apostles and brought its prayer materials to services each week. In 1978 they began renting space in the West Village at 57 Bethune Street, in the Westbeth Artists Community
residential-artistic complex, for offices, a Hebrew school, and a sanctuary with a capacity of 300 which they use for Saturday morning services, while continuing to hold Friday night services in the church. In addition, the synagogue rents the Jacob Javits Convention Center for Yom Kippur
services, which draw over 4,000 people.
In June 2011, after 16 years of searching for a home, the congregation purchased a large space in midtown Manhattan
, in a commercial condominium at 130 West 30th Street between the Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Avenue) and Seventh Avenue
. They will be located in the landmarked SJM Building designed by noted architect Cass Gilbert
and built in 1927-28, and expect to move into the space in 2013.
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 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 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...
. It was founded in 1973 and describes itself as the world's largest LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
synagogue. CBST serves Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
of all sexual orientations and gender identities, their families, and their friends. It is led by Senior Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum
Sharon Kleinbaum
Sharon Kleinbaum is a leading social justice activist and an openly lesbian rabbi who has been Senior Rabbi of New York City’s Congregation Beit Simchat Torah since 1992 . She is a prominent advocate for human rights . She graduated from Barnard College and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical...
and Associate Rabbi Rachel Weiss. It is not affiliated with any denomination or branch of Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
.
The congregation, founded in 1973 by twelve gay Jewish men, originally met in Chelsea's Church of the Holy Apostles and brought its prayer materials to services each week. In 1978 they began renting space in the West Village at 57 Bethune Street, in the Westbeth Artists Community
Westbeth Artists Community
Westbeth Artists Housing, located at 463 West Street in the West Village neighborhood of the New York City borough of Manhattan, is the largest such community in the world. This low- to middle-income rental housing project was developed with the assistance of the J.M...
residential-artistic complex, for offices, a Hebrew school, and a sanctuary with a capacity of 300 which they use for Saturday morning services, while continuing to hold Friday night services in the church. In addition, the synagogue rents the Jacob Javits Convention Center for Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue...
services, which draw over 4,000 people.
In June 2011, after 16 years of searching for a home, the congregation purchased a large space in midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
, in a commercial condominium at 130 West 30th Street between the Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Avenue) and Seventh Avenue
Seventh Avenue (Manhattan)
Seventh Avenue, known as Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard north of Central Park, is a thoroughfare on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is southbound below Central Park and a two-way street north of the park....
. They will be located in the landmarked SJM Building designed by noted architect Cass Gilbert
Cass Gilbert
- Historical impact :Gilbert is considered a skyscraper pioneer; when designing the Woolworth Building he moved into unproven ground — though he certainly was aware of the ground-breaking work done by Chicago architects on skyscrapers and once discussed merging firms with the legendary Daniel...
and built in 1927-28, and expect to move into the space in 2013.
External links
- http://religionandpluralism.org/SharonKleinbaum.htm
- http://manhattan.about.com/od/glbtscene/a/lgbt-rosh-hashanah-new-york.htm
- http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-9418.2010.00579.x/full
- http://www.amazon.com/Gay-Synagogue-New-York/dp/0231084617
- http://www.thejewishweek.com/special_sections/jewish_family_now/cbst's_'gay_by_boom'
- http://blogs.jta.org/telegraph/article/2009/06/02/1005563/gay-synagogues-new-siddur-arrives
- http://newyorktorch.jrn.columbia.edu/?p=504
- http://www.glbtjews.org/article.php3?id_article=568