Young Israel Beth El of Borough Park

Young Israel Beth El of Borough Park, sometimes called Young Israel Beth El of Boro Park and abbreviated as YIBE, is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and historic synagogue, located at 4802 15th Avenue in Borough Park, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States.

This article is about the current congregation and historic synagogue on 15th Avenue. For the synagogue formerly occupied by the congregation located on 12th Avenue, see Chevra Anshei Lubawitz of Borough Park.

For similarly named synagogues, see Beth-El.

Young Israel Beth El of Borough Park
The historic synagogue building, in 2013
Religion
Affiliation	Orthodox Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organisational status	Synagogue
Leadership	Chazzan Benzion Miller
Status	Active
Location
Location	4802 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York City, New York
Country	United States
Location in New York City
Geographic coordinates	40°37′59″N 73°59′14″W
Architecture
Architect(s)	Shampan & Shampan
Type	Synagogue architecture
Style	Moorish Revival Egyptian Revival
Date established	1980s (merged congregation) 1902 (Beth El) c. 1930s (Young Israel)
Groundbreaking	1920
Completed	1923
Temple Beth El of Borough Park
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Area	less than one acre
NRHP reference No.	10000224
Added to NRHP	April 27, 2010
[1][2]

Formed in the 1980s through a merger of Temple Beth El of Borough Park, established in 1902, and Young Israel of Boro Park, established c. 1930s, the merged congregation worships from the historic 1920s temple that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.

History

Temple Beth El of Borough Park

Congregation Beth El of Borough Park was founded in August, 1902, and it erected a brick building in 1906, at 12th Avenue and 41st Street,^[3] that is the oldest synagogue building in Borough Park, now occupied by Chevra Anshei Lubawitz of Borough Park.^[4]

The congregation built a three-story building on 15th Avenue between 1920 and 1923. Designed by Shampan & Shampan with Moorish Revival and Egyptian Revival influences,^[5] this building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.^[1]

The congregation sold its 12th Avenue building and has been used by several different congregations. In 2017, trustees of Congregation Anshe Lubavitch, the owners at that time, sold the building to developers, sparking controversy and a civil court case with some of the other members.^[6]

Beth-El was renown for its famous cantors.^{[citation needed]}

Young Israel of Boro Park

Young Israel of Boro Park, part of the National Council of Young Israel movement, was established well before World War II.^[7][8] One of its early rabbis was Rabbi Samuel Mirsky.^[9]

Young Israel's present rabbi previously served as youth leader; the Boro Park branch was known early^[8] on for its youth group.^[10]

Merger

In the 1980s, the Young Israel of Borough Park, having sold its 1349 50th Street building years before for use as a Chasidic yeshiva, and then leased part of it back on a 10-year lease for synagogue use, merged with Congregation Beth El. The combined organization, though having fewer worshippers than in the 1980s,^[11] worships from the 1920s 15th Avenue building.

Leaders

The following individuals have served as rabbi of the congregation:

Ordinal	Officeholder	Term start	Term end	Time in office	Notes
1	Avroham Ever Hirshkowitz	1906	c. 1924	17–18 years
2	Simon Glazer	c. 1925
3	Israel Schorr	1938	2000	61–62 years	[12]
4	Gedalia Dov Schwartz	1969	1987	17–18 years
5	Moshe Snow (now Emeritus)	2000	2017		[13]
6	Moshe Hubner[14][15]	2017

In addition, the following chazzans have served the congregation: Mordechai Hershman, throughout the 1920s, Berele Chagy, through the 1940s and early 1950s, Moshe Koussevitzky, from 1952 to 1966,^[16] Paul Zim (Zimelman), from 1966 to 1968, Moshe Stern, from 1968 to 1977, and Benzion Miller, since 1981.^[17]

References

1. "National Register of Historic Places". WEEKLY LIST OF ACTIONS TAKEN ON PROPERTIES: 4/26/10 THROUGH 4/30/10. National Park Service. May 7, 2010. Archived from the original on May 29, 2010. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
2. "Temple Berth Israel of Borough Park". National Register of Historic Places: Digital Archive on NPGallery. National Park Service. April 27, 2010. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
3. "BOROUGH PARK - Forgotten New York". forgotten-ny.com. October 24, 2011. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
4. Robins, Anthony W. (March 3, 2019). "Chevra Anshei Lubawitz Synagogue (original Temple Beth El of Borough Park)" (PDF). Crown Heights Info. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
5. Howe, Kathy (December 2009). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Temple Beth El of Borough Park". New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2011. See also: "Accompanying 24 photos". Archived from the original on October 19, 2012.
6. "Borough Park Congregation Divided Over Synagogue's Future". CBS Local. August 25, 2017. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
7. "Pages of Our Life: The Siyum Celebration, Completion of Baba Metzia". Siyum. 1943. p. Cover.
8. "Young Israel". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. New York City. March 7, 1935. Young Israel will hold an open house Saturday night for all intermediates at the Young Israel of Boro Park.
9. "Rabbi Shmuel Kalman Mirsky".
10. Mayer, Egon; Helmreich, William B. (2017). From Suburb to Shtetl: The Jews of Boro Park. Routledge. ISBN 978-1351518437 – via Google Books. Perhaps the most successful of the synagogue-based youth groups is the Young Israel of Boro Park.
11. "First-and-oldest-orthodox-girl-school-faces ..." May 29, 2008. Retrieved June 23, 2019. .. perceived lack of future demand... "rumors" .. probably thinks that Young Israel of Boro Park/Bethel struggles because it doesn't serve good herring at shalosh seudos.
12. "Rabbi Israel Schorr, 94; Led Brooklyn Synagogue". The New York Times. April 18, 2000. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
13. "Winds of Change". Ami. March 29, 2017. "...the shul's longtime rav, Rabbi Moshe Snow.
14. "Rabbi Moshe Hubner". Mishpacha.
15. "Hubner, Rabbi Moshe", Feldheim Publishers
16. "Moshe Koussevitzky, Slihot".
17. "Benzion Miller - Bait Lazemer".

External links

• Official website
• Howe, Kathleen A. (December 2009). "Registration Form: Temple Beth El of Borough Park" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service – via Anthony W. Robins.