Congregation Shearith Israel, often called The Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, is the oldest Jewish congregation in the United States. It was established in 1654.
The Orthodox synagogue is located on Central Park West at 70th Street in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The congregation's current Neoclassical building was occupied in 1897.
Read more about Congregation Shearith Israel: Foundations and Synagogue Buildings, Birthing of Major Jewish Institutions, Prominent Members
Famous quotes containing the words congregation and/or israel:
“In 1862 the congregation of the church forwarded the church bell to General Beauregard to be melted into cannon, “hoping that its gentle tones, that have so often called us to the House of God, may be transmuted into war’s resounding rhyme to repel the ruthless invader from the beautiful land God, in his goodness, has given us.””
—Federal Writers’ Project Of The Wor, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“There is Israel, for us at least. What no other generation had, we have. We have Israel in spite of all the dangers, the threats and the wars, we have Israel. We can go to Jerusalem. Generations and generations could not and we can.”
—Elie Wiesel (b. 1928)