Fifth Avenue Synagogue
Encyclopedia
The Fifth Avenue Synagogue (קהלת עטרת צבי) is an Orthodox Jewish
synagogue
located at 5 East 62nd Street between Fifth
and Madison
Avenues in the Upper East Side
neighborhood of Manhattan
, New York City
.
) who opposed that congregation's decision to seat men and women together during services. Henry Hirsch, Myrtle Hirsch, Leib Merkin and Hermann Merkin
were among the congregation's founders. Author Herman Wouk
was an early member of the Fifth Avenue Synagogue.
Rabbi Emanuel Rackman
was chosen in 1967 to succeed Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits, who had been the founding Rabbi of the congregation in 1959 and been elected to serve as Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. Rabbi Rackman served until 1977, when he was selected to serve as President of Bar-Ilan University
. Rabbi Nisson Shulman served as the congregation's rabbi from 1977 until 1985. Rabbi Sol Roth assumed the leadership of the synagogue in 1986.
Rabbi
Yaakov Kermaier assumed leadership of Fifth Avenue Synagogue in 2003. He was elected President of the New York Board of Rabbis in 2010 and is a member of the UJA-Federation Board of Directors, the Executive Board of the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) and AIPAC's National Council. Rabbi Kermaier chairs the Manhattan Eruv Committee and oversees the Eruv's maintenance and expansion. Before his arrival in Manhattan, Rabbi Kermaier led the Ohel Leah Synagogue in Hong Kong for six years. Fifth Avenue Synagogue's assistant rabbi is Rabbi Seth Grauer, who also serves as an assistant principal at Yeshiva University High School for Girls. The Chazzan is the noted cantor Joseph Malovany
.
, an architect who described himself as "an agnostic who was converted by Hitler". Goodman sought to interpret Jewish tradition in modern ways in the more than 50 synagogues he designed. Herman Wouk described Goodman's design as a "traditional Sephardic layout" with the bimah
and aron
in the center area facing rows of seats, thereby taking advantage of the depth of the property. In May, 2010, a new mikvah
at the Fifth Avenue Synagogue was dedicated. Funding for construction was provided by Ira Rennert
and family.
luxury car in an ad created by the TBWA\Chiat\Day. The agency received permission to use the building in the background of the shot under the proviso that it not be identifiable, so the address on the awning was changed to the non-existent "63003 77th Street". The congregation was paid an undisclosed fee.
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...
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 at 5 East 62nd Street between Fifth
Fifth Avenue (Manhattan)
Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the center of the borough of Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. The section of Fifth Avenue that crosses Midtown Manhattan, especially that between 49th Street and 60th Street, is lined with prestigious shops and is consistently ranked among...
and Madison
Madison Avenue (Manhattan)
Madison Avenue is a north-south avenue in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, United States, that carries northbound one-way traffic. It runs from Madison Square to the Madison Avenue Bridge at 138th Street. In doing so, it passes through Midtown, the Upper East Side , Spanish Harlem, and...
Avenues in 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...
neighborhood 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...
.
Founding
The synagogue was founded in 1958, by former members of Congregation Zichron Ephraim (now called Park East SynagoguePark East Synagogue
Park East Synagogue is located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, in New York City.- History :Congregation Zichron Ephraim was established by Rabbi Bernard Drachman and Jonas Weil to promote Orthodox Judaism as an alternative to Reform Judaism popular on the Upper East Side.The architects were...
) who opposed that congregation's decision to seat men and women together during services. Henry Hirsch, Myrtle Hirsch, Leib Merkin and Hermann Merkin
Hermann Merkin
Hermann Merkin was a Jewish-American businessman and philanthropist.-Biography:...
were among the congregation's founders. Author Herman Wouk
Herman Wouk
Herman Wouk is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author of novels including The Caine Mutiny, The Winds of War, and War and Remembrance.-Biography:...
was an early member of the Fifth Avenue Synagogue.
Rabbi Emanuel Rackman
Emanuel Rackman
Rabbi Emanuel Rackman was an American Modern Orthodox Rabbi, who held pulpits in major congregations and helped draw attention to the plight of Refuseniks in the then-Soviet Union and attempted to resolve the dilemma of the Agunah, a woman who cannot remarry because her husband will not grant a...
was chosen in 1967 to succeed Rabbi Immanuel Jakobovits, who had been the founding Rabbi of the congregation in 1959 and been elected to serve as Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. Rabbi Rackman served until 1977, when he was selected to serve as President of Bar-Ilan University
Bar-Ilan University
Bar-Ilan University is a university in Ramat Gan of the Tel Aviv District, Israel.Established in 1955, Bar Ilan is now Israel's second-largest academic institution. It has nearly 26,800 students and 1,350 faculty members...
. Rabbi Nisson Shulman served as the congregation's rabbi from 1977 until 1985. Rabbi Sol Roth assumed the leadership of the synagogue in 1986.
Rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
Yaakov Kermaier assumed leadership of Fifth Avenue Synagogue in 2003. He was elected President of the New York Board of Rabbis in 2010 and is a member of the UJA-Federation Board of Directors, the Executive Board of the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) and AIPAC's National Council. Rabbi Kermaier chairs the Manhattan Eruv Committee and oversees the Eruv's maintenance and expansion. Before his arrival in Manhattan, Rabbi Kermaier led the Ohel Leah Synagogue in Hong Kong for six years. Fifth Avenue Synagogue's assistant rabbi is Rabbi Seth Grauer, who also serves as an assistant principal at Yeshiva University High School for Girls. The Chazzan is the noted cantor Joseph Malovany
Joseph Malovany
Joseph Malovany is an Israeli-born American tenor soloist, cantor of New York's Fifth Avenue Synagogue since 1973, and Distinguished Professor of Liturgical Music at Philip and Sarah Belz School of Jewish Music, Yeshiva University....
.
Building
The stone-clad building was designed by Percival GoodmanPercival Goodman
Percival Goodman was an American urban theorist and architect who designed more than 50 synagogues between 1948 and 1983. He has been called the "leading theorist" of modern synagogue design, and "the most prolific architect in Jewish history."-Biography:Percival Goodman was born in New York City...
, an architect who described himself as "an agnostic who was converted by Hitler". Goodman sought to interpret Jewish tradition in modern ways in the more than 50 synagogues he designed. Herman Wouk described Goodman's design as a "traditional Sephardic layout" with the bimah
Bimah
A bimah A bimah A bimah (among Ashkenazim, derived from Hebrew בּמה , almemar (from Arabic al-minbar) or tebah (among Sephardim) is the elevated area or platform in a Jewish synagogue which is intended to serve the place where the person reading aloud from the Torah stands during the Torah reading...
and aron
Ark (synagogue)
The Torah ark or ark in a synagogue is known in Hebrew as the Aron Kodesh by the Ashkenazim and as the Hekhál amongst most Sefardim. It is generally a receptacle, or ornamental closet, which contains each synagogue's Torah scrolls...
in the center area facing rows of seats, thereby taking advantage of the depth of the property. In May, 2010, a new mikvah
Mikvah
Mikveh is a bath used for the purpose of ritual immersion in Judaism...
at the Fifth Avenue Synagogue was dedicated. Funding for construction was provided by Ira Rennert
Ira Rennert
Ira Leon Rennert is a American investor and businessman. Using junk bonds to finance his acquisitions of companies, often in bankruptcy, Rennert has amassed significant holdings in basic, cyclical industries, such as mining and metals, including lead smelters, coal mines, magnesium producers and...
and family.
In popular culture
The synagogue appeared as a "cool 1950's apartment house" in a 2003 advertisement for the Infiniti Q45Infiniti Q45
The Infiniti Q45 was a full-size luxury car sold by Nissan's Infiniti marque from 1990 until 2006. It is a rear wheel drive, four-door sedan powered by a V8 engine. Early generations were based on the automaker's Japanese-market flagship sedan, the Nissan President, while models produced after 1997...
luxury car in an ad created by the TBWA\Chiat\Day. The agency received permission to use the building in the background of the shot under the proviso that it not be identifiable, so the address on the awning was changed to the non-existent "63003 77th Street". The congregation was paid an undisclosed fee.