Temple Emanu El (New York City)
The Temple Emanu-El ( Hebrew עִמָנו אֵל; Eng. "God is with us") is a synagogue complex in New York , on Fifth Avenue and East 65th Street (Upper East Side) of Manhattan , directly across from Central Park .
It is widely considered the most important reform congregation in the United States and one of the largest synagogues in the world.
history
The history of the synagogue is closely linked to the history of the ( reform Jewish ) synagogue community Emanu-El, which was founded in 1845 by German immigrants. In 1868 it was decided to build a separate synagogue building for the growing community, as the rooms rented for worship services quickly proved to be inadequate. The parish's first synagogue was built on Fifth Avenue and 43rd Street.
In the 1920s, the Emanu El Congregation was merged with the Beth El Jewish Congregation, whose synagogue was located on Fifth Avenue and 67th Street. In the process, the community acquired building land at Fifth Avenue and 65th Street. In 1927 construction began on the Emanu El synagogue, which was built according to plans by the architects Robert D. Kohn, Charles Butler and Clarence Stein. The synagogue was consecrated in 1929.
The synagogue is a building complex that not only houses the actual prayer room but also other rooms. In addition to community rooms, this also includes a museum that shows the history of the synagogue community and Jewish life in New York. Readings, film screenings, music performances and various symposia also take place in the synagogue.
Building
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Architecturally speaking, the Temple Emanu El resembles a large European cathedral . The synagogue is made of sandstone and has Romanesque and Byzantine style elements.
In the west facade there is a large, richly decorated window front in the form of a Romanesque arch. The upper part is made up of a large rose window with a star of David in the middle , surrounded by twelve fields in the form of petals. Above this window area there are 7 small arched windows next to each other, each ascending from the sides to the center, which symbolize the menorah . To the side of the seven windows are two lion sculptures, each sitting on a small round column. The entrance portals are located below the window areas. The six bronze doors are decorated with symbols of the twelve tribes of Israel.
The prayer room has 2,500 seats (in comparison: St. Patrick's Cathedral has about 2,400 seats) and is therefore one of the largest rooms in the world. It is approx. 23.5 m wide, 45 m long and approx. 31 m high. In view of an ingenious buttress, the interior has no supporting pillars. The interior is richly decorated with Moorish and Art Deco mosaics.
On the east side there is an apse, which forms the bima . The bima is flanked by two reading desks, each of which is located on the indicated corner pillars of the apse. In the center of the Bima on the east wall is the monumental Torah shrine in the form of a portico, to which a three-step staircase leads up. The shrine is flanked by two richly decorated menors. Above the Torah shrine there is a suggested Romanesque window system in the east wall, which is laid out in two parts: the lower part forms a nine-part arcade, above there is an extended round arched area in which the 9 arcades continue, which, however, are intricately structured . The window structure is continuous to a room behind, but separated from it by a large curtain. In this back room are the singing loft and the monumental synagogal organ, which are therefore not visible from the prayer room.
organ
The organ was built in 1929 by the organ builder Casavant Frères (Canada) with 108 stops on four manuals and pedal. Even before that, the synagogue community had various organs. In 1956 the disposition was expanded to 119 registers.
Between 2000 and 2002 the organ was rebuilt and expanded by the organ builder Sebastian Glück (New York City). The symphonically arranged instrument today has 114 registers on four manuals, three freely connectable divisions (string ensemble, tuba organ, echo organ) and pedal. The playing and stop actions are electro-pneumatic.
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Couple:
- Normal coupling: I / II, I / III, II / I, II / IV, III / I, III / II, IV / I, IV / II, I / P, II / P III / P, IV / P, Echo / I, Echo / II, Echo / IV, Echo / P, Tuba / I, Tuba / II, Tuba / IV, Tuba / P, String an I, II, III, IV, P
- Sub-octave coupling: I / I, I / II, I / III, III / I, III / II, III / III, IV / II, IV / IV, III / P, String / String,
- Super octave coupling: I / I, I / II, I / III, III / I, III / II, III / III, IV / II, IV / IV, III / P, string / string, echo / echo
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Information on the history of the synagogue
- ↑ On the use of the synagogue
- ↑ More information on the architecture
- ↑ Information on the organ
Coordinates: 40 ° 46 ′ 4.8 ″ N , 73 ° 58 ′ 10.8 ″ W.