The Brownsville Book ProjectBrian Merlis and I (Riccardo Gomes) are embarking on our latest book venture, covering Brooklyn's Brownsville. We are setting up a webpage to make contact with people who have pictures, stories, information, etc. that can aid our efforts to document a neighborhood where so much information has been lost. We would also like to establish a mailing list for those who want to keep in touch and receive updates about the project. |
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Our photographs span Brownsville's history, from the time it was one of the largest Jewish communities in America, through the heavy post-war African-American migration and the failed attempts at urban renewal. We are looking for people who were personally connected to the changes and can offer insights into this unique neighborhood's history. | Click on sample images to enlarge |
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We are putting together and researching a list of celebrities associated with Brownsville. Chatanow and Schwartz's book Another Time, Another Place lists numerous celebrities but many lived in what is East New York, or just attended Thomas Jefferson High in East New York. We are trying to identify those born and/or raised in Brownsville. To avoid repetition I am posting a "cheat sheet" from their book.    | |
We are also cataloging Brownsville's numerous synagogues (over 150 to date), the history of many having been lost to time. That list is posted here in hopes of digging up more information and background. | |
| 97 Amboy Street | B'nai Israel of Brownsville |
| 139 Amboy Street | Radoshkovichi, Belarus Chevre Torah Anshe Radishkowitz |
| 196 Amboy Street | Agudath Achim Anshe Sfard |
| 89 Barret Street | Nachlas Hosiah |
| 35 Blake Avenue | Kenesseth Israel Beth Jacob |
| 142 Blake Avenue | Anshei Steibts |
| 318 Blake Avenue | Hassidic Rabbi Stetin |
| 17 Bristol Street | Neshvizh, Belarus? Anshe Neshwitz |
| 49 Bristol Street | Poale Zedek (Anshe Lomze Benevolent) |
| 113 Bristol Street | Beth Abraham |
| 115 Bristol Street | Agudath Achim Anshe Homb Tzerougon |
| 215 Bristol Street | First Deshower Anshe Sphard |
| 219 Bristol Street | Niewesser Old Friends of Brownsville |
| 361 Bristol Street | Kiyev, Ukraine Kiever & Homler Congregation |
| 375 Bristol Street | Ostrolenka, Poland Ahavath Israel Anshe Ostrolenko |
| 28 Chester Street | Anshe Jesierna |
| 31 Chester Street | Peilishe Chosidim |
| 123 Chester Street | Dokshitsy, Belarus Anshe Dokshitz |
| 167 Chester Street | Agudath Achim Anshei Homel |
| 169 Chester Street | Nachlath Israel |
| 182 Chester Street | Lubaczow, Poland Bikur Cholim Anshei Libishov of Brownsville |
| 324 Chester Street | Kol Israel of Brownsville |
| 427 Chester Street | Anshe Zedek Nusach Ari |
| 436 Chester Street | Chevre T'hillim Kesser Torah Israel |
| Chester Street | & Riverdale Avenue Anshei Zimblin |
| 141 Christopher Avenue | Tifereth B'nai Jacob |
| 199 Christopher Avenue | Zhitomir, Ukraine Ohel Abraham (Zitomer) |
| 199 Christopher Avenue | Hachnosath Orchim Hagadol Tifereth Zion u'Jerusalem |
| 65 Christopher Avenue | Chevre B'nai Aaron |
| 100 Christopher Avenue | Kol Israel of Brownsville |
| 228 Christopher Avenue | Radoshkovichi, Belarus? Achim B'nai Israel Anshei Radish Konitz |
| 349 Christopher Avenue | Beth Israel of Brownsville |
| 339 Dumont Avenue | Anshe Sphard |
| 403 Dumont Avenue | Piotrkow Trybunalski, Poland Anshei Petrikov mi'Brownsville |
| 1458 East New | York Avenue Chevre Ahavath Achim |
| 27 Glenmore Avenue | B'nai Israel Ossei Torah |
| 135 Glenmore Avenue | Israel of Brownsville |
| 137 Glenmore Avenue | Gemilas Chesed of Greater New York |
| 78 Grafton Street | Linath Hazedek |
| 220 Hegeman Avenue | Star of Israel |
| 23 Herzl Street | Chevre Machzike Adath Anshe Sphard |
| 23 Herzl Street | Zirei Agudath Israel |
| 63 Herzl Street | Anshei Chesed of Brooklyn |
| 88 Herzl Street | Chevre Chai Odom Anshe Brownsville |
| 216 Herzl Street | Russia First Sebelewker Anshe Russia |
| 238 Herzl Street | Beth Hamedrash Chadever |
| 493 Herzl Street | Piotrkow Trybunalski, Poland Petrikower Anshe Shard of Brownsville |
| 526 Herzl Street | Beth Israel |
| 436 Hopkinson Avenue | Turov, Belarus Anshe Turover |
| 453 Hopkinson Avenue | Adath B'nai Israel |
| 453 Hopkinson Avenue | Young Men's Hebrew Leage Misrachi Congregation |
| 521 Hopkinson Avenue | Hebrew Ladies Day Nursery Congregation |
| 554 Hopkinson Avenue | Society for Hebrew Deaf Congregation |
| 770 Hopkinson Avenue | Beth Abraham |
| 857 Hopkinson Avenue | Agudas Achim |
| 885 Hopkinson Avenue | Ozarichi, Belarus? Anshe Azaritz |
| Hopkinson Avenue | & Sumner Avenue Beth Hifah |
| Hopkinson Avenue | & Sutter Avenue Young Israel of Brownsville |
| 770 Howard Avenue | Turov, Belarus Anshei Turov |
| 770 Howard Avenue | Chevre Beth Abraham |
| 813 Howard Avenue | Brooklyn Hebrew Home & Hospital |
| 403 Legion Street | Beth Abraham |
| 305 Lott Avenue | Tykocin, Poland? Tiktiver (Tiktiner?) Congregation |
| 309 Lott Avenue | Moriah Congregation |
| 144 Newport Street | Talmud Torah Ezrath Achim |
| 176 Osborn Street | Kol Israel of Brownsville |
| 181 Osborn Street | Nemirov, Ukraine Anshei Nemirov |
| 279 Osborn Street | Ahenu B'nai Israel Nusach Ashkenaz |
| 305 Osborn Street | Bikur Cholim Anshe Sphard |
| 306 Osborn Street | Volkovysk, Belarus Adath Walkovisk of Brownsville |
| 314 Osborn Street | Anshe Osaretz |
| 315 Osborn Street | Kobrin & Antopole, Belarus Gemilath Chasodim Anshei Kobrin |
| 354 Osborn Street | Machzikei Torah |
| 461 Osborn Street | Austria Gemilath Chasodim Anshei Austria |
| 607 Osborn Street | Zhitomir, Ukraine? Anshei Zitower |
| 1794 Pitkin Avenue | Adath Israel of Brownsville |
| 1827 Pitkin Avenue | Poland Beth Chassidim Anshei Poland |
| 1861 Pitkin Avenue | B'nai Israel of Brownsville |
| 1946 Pitkin Avenue | Adath Grail of Brownsville |
| Pitkin Avenue | & Douglas Street Anshe Chesed |
| 124 Powell Street | Kol Israel of Brownsville |
| 454 Powell Street | Young Judah Tifereth Bahurim |
| 460 Powell Street | Harav Ez Haim Ein Jacob |
| 462 Powell Street | Jewish Center of Young Judah |
| 659 Ralph Avenue | Temple Israel |
| 105 Riverdale Avenue | Ahavath Achim Anshe Brownsville |
| 217 Riverdale Avenue | Zembiner Benevolent Congregation |
| 93 Rockaway Avenue | Tifereth Israel Anshe Brownsville |
| 612 Rockaway Avenue | Chevre Anshe Sphard Talmud Torah |
| 695 Rockaway Avenue | Kohler Brownsville Congregation |
| 337 Sackman Street | Beth Hamedrash Hagadol of Brownsville |
| 337 Sackman Street | Beth Hamedrash Hagadol of Brownsville |
| 410 Sackman Street | Poland Anshei Nemirov |
| 410 Sackman Street | Ahavath Achim Anshei Poland |
| 441 Sackman Street | Chernigov, Ukraine Chevre Agudath Achim Plech Chernigow |
| 441 Sackman Street | Volkovysk, Belarus Adath Wolkowisker of Brownsville |
| 580 Sackman Street | Yeshiva Torah mi'Zion |
| 603 Sackman Street | Stepina, Poland Anshei Stepiner |
| 700 Sackman Street | Beth Israel |
| 760 Sackman Street | Talmud Torah Moriah |
| 760 Sackman Street | Ahavath v'Achdus Israel |
| 771 Sackman Street | Beth Israel of Brownsville |
| 729 Saratoga Avenue | |
| 855 Saratoga Avenue | Agudath Achim Anshei Harodic |
| 467-471 Stone Avenue | Etz Hayim Machzikei Harav Anshei Brownsville |
| 396 Stone Avenue | Hebrew Free School |
| 504 Stone Avenue | Chevre Agudath Achim Anshei Sheshew |
| 543 Stone Avenue | Poland Ahavas Achm Anshei Polin |
| 543 Stone Avenue | Kneseth Israel Beth Jacob |
| 600 Stone Avenue | Talmud Torah Etz Chayim v'Chevre Ein Jacob |
| 617 Stone Avenue | Borisov, Belarus Chevre Anshei Borizov of Brownsville |
| 623 Stone Avenue | Yeshiva Torah v'Zion |
| 639 Stone Avenue | Talmud Torah Beth Judah |
| 708 Stone Avenue | Kobrin, Belarus Agudath Achim Gemiluth Hesed Anshe Kobrin |
| 747 Stone Avenue | David Gorodok, Belarus Agudath Achim Anshe David Hurodoch |
| 167 Sutter Avenue | David Gorodok, Belarus Agudath Achim Anshei David Hurodoch |
| 267 Sutter Avenue | Lomza, Poland Chevre Poalei Zedek Anshei Lomza |
| 403 Sutter Avenue | Turov, Belarus? Anshei Turo |
| 451 Sutter Avenue | Pitkin Jewish Center |
| 159 Thatford Avenue | Chevre Tehillim |
| 175 Thatford Avenue | Machzikei Hadas Anshe Sfard |
| 233 Thatford Avenue | Kiyev, Ukraine Beth Hakneseth Anshe Kiever-Homler |
| 256 Thatford Avenue | Chevre T'hillim Keter Israel |
| 287 Thatford Avenue | Meyer Zwi Congregation |
| 135-37 Thatford Avenue | Ohav Sholom |
| 195 Watkins Street | Lubavichi, USSR? Agudath Achim Anshe Lebowitz |
| 195 Watkins Street | Tifereth Israel Nusach Ho'Ari Anshei Brownsville |
| 51 Watkins Street | Austria-Hungary First Hungarian Austrian Shaare Tefillah |
| 154 Watkins Street | Bikur Cholim Anshei Sphard |
| 195 Watkins Street | Lubavichi, USSR? Agudath Achim Anshe Lebowitz |
| 195 Watkins Street | Tifereth Israel Nusach Ho'Ari Anshei Brownsville |
| 248 Watkins Street | Turov, Belarus Anshe Turow |
| 248 Watkins Street | Ein Jacob of Brownsville |
| 369 Watkins Street | Chevre Charney Anshe Zedek |
| 391 Watkins Street | Krasnosielc, Poland Independent Krasneshitz of Brownsville |
| 391 Watkins Street | Stepina, Poland Erste Stepiner Congregation |
| 392 Watkins Street | Zembin, Belarus Zembiner Congregation |
| 418 Watkins Street | Tifereth Aaron v'Israel |
| 421 Watkins Street | Zhitomir, Ukraine Anshe Zhitomer |