ASCALON STUDIOS, David Ascalon, Lincoln Square Synagogue Ark New York

2016 Lincoln Square Synagogue new building from north

The Lincoln Square Synagogue is a Modern Orthodox synagogue located at 180 Amsterdam Avenue between West 68th and 69th Streets in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. Founded in 1964, the physical location of the congregation has changed several times. The most recent move took place in January 2013. The new building is the largest synagogue to be built in New York City in over 50 years. The current senior Rabbi is Rabbi Shaul Robinson.

History

The Lincoln Square Synagogue was founded as a congregation in 1964 by Rabbi

Shlomo Riskin Shlomo Riskin (born May 28, 1940) is an Orthodox rabbi, and the founding rabbi of Lincoln Square Synagogue on the Upper West Side of New York City, which he led for 20 years; founding chief rabbi of the Israeli settlement of Efrat in the Israe ...

. In the late 1960s, the first Orthodox Jewish women's

tefillah Jewish prayer ( he, תְּפִלָּה, ; plural ; yi, תּפֿלה, tfile , plural ; Yinglish: davening from Yiddish 'pray') is the prayer recitation that forms part of the observance of Rabbinic Judaism. These prayers, often with i ...

(prayer) group was created, on the holiday of

Simhat Torah Simchat Torah or Simhat Torah (, lit., "Rejoicing with/of the Torah", Ashkenazi: ''Simchas Torah'') is a Jewish holiday that celebrates and marks the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle. Simc ...

at Lincoln Square Synagogue. The travertine building it formerly occupied at 200 Amsterdam Avenue, just 250 feet from its current building, Dunlap, David W. (January 7, 2013
"At Last, a New Lincoln Square Synagogue"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' was built in 1970, and was designed by the firm of Hausman & Rosenberg. Because it had outgrown that building, the synagogue moved to a new building designed by Cetra/RuddyGardner, James (February 24, 2012
"Lincoln Square’s new shul looks nothing especially synagogue-like"
'' The Real Deal'' in mid-January 2013, after a development process that lasted seven years. The move was the result of a land swap between the synagogue and the development company American Continental Properties, in which the congregation received $20 million to aid in paying for the construction of the new building. Despite this, and the $10 million raised by the congregation, construction was held up in 2010 because of a lack of funds, which was made up by a single contribution of $20 million from an anonymous donor. The old building is being replaced by a luxury apartment tower called

200 Amsterdam 200 Amsterdam is a residential skyscraper at the intersection of Amsterdam Avenue and 69th Street on the Upper West Side in Manhattan, New York City. The lot was formerly occupied by the Lincoln Square Synagogue. The tower contains 112 condom ...

. The new building, the largest new synagogue in New York City in 50 years, is five stories tall and comprises ,"Lincoln Square Synagogue"

CetraRuddy CetraRuddy Architecture is a New York City-based architecture and interior design firm with projects in New York City, the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. It provides architectural and interior design services for residences, hotels, ...

website including a sanctuary able to hold 429 people. The horseshoe shape of the seating in the sanctuary of the old building was kept, but with changes that help to focus one's attention on the ark. The building won ''Architectural Lightings 2015 award for interior lighting.

Clergy

Rabbi Shaul Robinson

Rabbi Shaul Robinson is currently the senior

rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as '' semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form o ...

at Lincoln Square Synagogue. Robinson has held the position since September 1, 2005. He is credited with setting up and directing the first ever "Department for Professional Rabbinic Development" in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

Cantor Sherwood Goffin

Cantor A cantor or chanter is a person who leads people in singing or sometimes in prayer. In formal Jewish worship, a cantor is a person who sings solo verses or passages to which the choir or congregation responds. In Judaism, a cantor sings and lead ...

Sherwood Goffin served the synagogue since its founding in 1965. He retired in 2015, only acting as Cantor occasionally on Shabbat. Cantor Goffin has been only Principal of the Lincoln Square Synagogue Feldman Hebrew School since 1965. He obtained "Cantor for Life" tenure in 1986. Cantor Goffin worked with Cantor

Yaakov Lemmer Yaakov ("Yanky") Lemmer (born November 6, 1983) is an American Chazzan ( Jewish cantor) and performing artist. Lemmer performs traditional Hebrew liturgy, Yiddish folk, opera, Broadway, Israeli, and Hasidic music. Lemmer currently serves as Head ...

. Goffin died on April 2, 2019.

Notable people

Kenneth Brander Kenneth Brander ( he, כתריאל ברנדר; born April 18, 1962) is an American rabbi who is president and Rosh HaYeshiva of the Ohr Torah Stone network of institutions. He is a member of the Jewish Federations of North America’s Rabbinic Cab ...

– assistant rabbi and then acting rabbi from 1990–91, later president and Rosh HaYeshiva of the Ohr Torah Stone network of institutions *

Shlomo Einhorn Shlomo Einhorn (born January 21, 1979) is an Orthodox rabbi and Dean of School at Yeshivat Yavneh (Yavneh Hebrew Academy) in Los Angeles. He is also a lecturer, educator, and author. Career After receiving semicha and a master's degree in educati ...

– Orthodox rabbi and later Dean of School at Yeshivat Yavneh (Yavneh Hebrew Academy) in Los Angeles, interned at LSS *

Elena Kagan Elena Kagan ( ; born April 28, 1960) is an American lawyer who serves as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. She was Elena Kagan Supreme Court nomination ...

–

Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

justice had her '' bat mitzvah'' at the synagogue.Foderaro, Lisa W. (May 12, 2010
"As a Girl, Kagen Tested the Boundaries of Her Faith"
''

'' * David Remnick –

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made ...

-winning journalist and author

References

Notes

External links

Official website
{{Authority control Modern Orthodox synagogues in the United States Jewish organizations established in 1964 Synagogues in Manhattan Round and octagonal synagogues Orthodox synagogues in New York City Lincoln Square, Manhattan 1964 establishments in New York City