Fifth Avenue Synagogue
5 East 62nd Street | Upper East Side | built 1956
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The city photographed every building for its tax records around 1940 and again in the 1980s. NYC Municipal Archives.
Written with AI from the source each entry cites, then fact-checked.
- 1958
Members break from Zichron Ephraim over mixed seating and found the Fifth Avenue Synagogue
The Fifth Avenue Synagogue was founded in 1958 by people who had belonged to Congregation Zichron Ephraim, now called Park East Synagogue, and who opposed their old congregation's decision to seat men and women together at services. Henry and Myrtle Hirsch and Leib and Hermann Merkin were among the founders. The author Herman Wouk was an early member.
“The synagogue was founded in 1958, by former members of Congregation Zichron Ephraim ... who opposed that congregation's decision to seat men and women together…”
Source: Wikipedia
- 1958
Immanuel Jakobovits becomes the synagogue's rabbi
Immanuel Jakobovits served as rabbi of the Fifth Avenue Synagogue from 1958 until 1966. That year he took over as the chief rabbi for the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Commonwealth, a post he held until his retirement in 1991.
Source: jewishvirtuallibrary.org
- 1967
Emanuel Rackman is installed as rabbi and urges city Jews to fight for better schools and housing
Rabbi Emanuel Rackman was installed at Sabbath services in 1967, succeeding Immanuel Jakobovits. He came from Congregation Shaarey Tefila in Far Rockaway, where he had been rabbi for 20 years, and Yeshiva University president Samuel Belkin presided. In his sermon Rackman noted the recent trend of Jews returning to the cities from the suburbs and urged them to fight for better schools and housing for all, regardless of race, color or creed.
Source: jta.org
- 1986
Hannah and Her Sisters pans across the synagogue as an eyesore among its neighbors
In Woody Allen's 1986 film Hannah and Her Sisters, the camera pans across the synagogue's front right after a shot of the uniform facades on the rest of the block. The building is criticized in the scene for its architectural incongruity, with the line that it is disgusting and terrible. The stone-clad building was designed by Percival Goodman.
Source: Wikipedia
- 2003
An Infiniti ad uses the synagogue as a 1950s apartment house with a fake address on the awning
A 2003 TBWA\Chiat\Day advertisement for the Infiniti Q45 showed the building as a cool 1950s apartment house. The congregation allowed the shot on the condition that the building not be identifiable, so the awning's address was changed to the nonexistent 63003 77th Street. The synagogue was paid an undisclosed fee.
“…the address on the awning was changed to the non-existent "63003 77th Street". The congregation was paid an undisclosed fee.”
Source: Wikipedia
- 2020
The Landmarks Preservation Commission approves façade and entry changes at the synagogue with modifications
In fall 2020 the synagogue sought approval to alter its facade, replace the entry infill and add a canopy. The building, a Modern synagogue designed by Percival Goodman, stands in the Upper East Side Historic District. Community Board 8 approved the proposal on October 19, the Landmarks Preservation Commission took no action on October 27, and the commission approved it with modifications on November 10.
Source: friends-ues.org
Further reading
- Fifth Avenue SynagogueWikipedia
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