The Lost Synagogues Ironically, there is a book called "The Lost Synagogues of Brooklyn" which was published in 2009 by Ellen Levitt. Her focus was on buildings that were still standing. This page is to help track the ones built in East New York but are now gone. It is a work in progress, and any additional information is appreciated, <>
Chevre Sfard Anshei Poland Address: 524 Snediker Avenue Block: 3833 Lot: 32 Founding of Congregation: 1919 Year Constructed: 1915 Demolished:between 1966 and 1980 Notes: The unique brickwork was used all along the block; I assume this was converted from a private residence. The CO for the synagogue was dated 1928. The sign above the doorway was in Yiddish. It appears it was taken over by the city for a tax lien and eventually sold to the Gospel Church of Christ, which in turn sold the property in 2003. The other buildings have survived and look quite good-the new construction on the far right (2006) replaced the synagogue.
Muged Avruhum of East New York Address: 437 Schenck Avenue Block: 4044 Lot: 10 Founding of Congregation: 1913 Year Constructed: Unknown Demolished: Unknown Notes: The building was sold in 1967 to the Mount Zion of Christ congregation. Replaced in the 1990s by 2-story attached multifamily units. On the 1929 Plat maps.
Chevre B'nai Jacob Anshei Sphard Address: 276 Pennsylvania Avenue Block: 3737 Lot: 32 Founding of Congregation: 1906 Year Constructed: Unknown Demolished: 1972 Notes: Building was replaced by the Grace Towers project in 1972. On the 1929 Plat maps.
East New York Jewish Center Talmud Torah Address: 374 Vermont Street Block: 3756 Lot: 31 Founding of Congregation: Unknown Year Constructed: Unknown Demolished: Unk Notes: Taken over by city via tax lien, 1970. Building gone by 1980. This may have served as a school, not a synagogue. Listed in 1919 Jewish American Yearbook.
East New York Talmud Torah Address: Southwest corner, Barbey Street and Dumont Avenue Block: 4076 Lot: 25 Founding of Congregation: Unknown Year Constructed: Unknown Demolished: Unk Notes: Taken over by city via tax lien, 1973. Building gone by 1980. May have served as a school only. Street address was 811 Dumont Ave., now an empty lot. Listed in 1919 Jewish American Yearbook.
Chevre Mishnayes East New York Address: 335 Sheffield Avenue Block: 3771 Lot: 15 Founding of Congregation: 1909 Year Constructed: Unknown Demolished: Unk Notes: One of the earliest Jewish congregations in East New York Was Congregation Puchowitzer, founded in 1898. It was listed at this address in the 1942 WPA survey. The Museum of Family History lists Chevre Mishnayes at this address, I don't know if they ar the same congregations. The building was a simple wood-frame structure, it looked like a converted private home. Tax photo too dark to be useful.	<
Chevre Atehereth Zvi of East New York Address: 482 Barbey Street Block: 4028 Lot: 28 Founding of Congregation: 1920 Year Constructed: Unknown Demolished: Unk Notes: Reported in 1942 WPA survey. Tax photo not researched as of yet.	<
Congregation Oheb Zedek Address: 368 Berriman Street Street Block: 4069 Lot: 28 Founding of Congregation: 1909 Year Constructed: Unknown Demolished: Unk Notes: Reported in 1942 WPA survey. Tax photo not researched as of yet. On the block outlined in the 1951 aerial image. The entire block was cleared and I.S. 72 was built there in 1974.
Chevre Kesher Achim Anshei Sphard Address: 450 Hendrix Street Block: 4026 Lot: 26 Founding of Congregation: 1907 Year Constructed: Unknown Demolished: Unk Notes: On 1929 Plat maps. Thanks to Joann Montgomery for the tax image. Although it is not much to look at, the Star of David is clearly visible on top of the building. Seized via tax lien, 1970. Gone by 1980. Residential construction completed 1991.
Beth Sholom Tomchei Halav Address: 455 Alabama Avenue Block: 3803 Lot: 6 Founding of Congregation: 1909 Year Constructed: Unknown Demolished: Unk Notes: On 1929 Plat maps. Thanks to Joann Montgomery for the tax image. The property was seized in 1968 as part of the ENY Slum Clearance Program. According to the 1971 docs completing the transaction, the congregation was due a fair amount of money from the city in settlement. It was demolished in the 1970s, but remains a vacant lot today.
Congregation Talmud Torah Chodosh Address: 60 Williams Avenue Block: 3682 Lot: 33 Founding of Congregation: 1920 Year Constructed: 1869 Demolished : circa 1966 This building, just south of Atlantic Avenue, was constructed in 1869 to serve the Williams Avenue Methodist Church congregation. The congregation merged with Andrews Methodist in 1923 and in 1929 a CO was issued to the Congregation Talmud Torah Chodosh. The synagogue sold the property in 1966 and the building was demolished. In 1968 the city opened a brick 5-story welfare office at the location. In 2002, the building was purchased and repurposed as the Trey Whitfield School, a private elementary school. The school, which had been previously using other quarters, opened in 2004.
Achim Bnai Jacob Address: 238 Wyona Street Block: Lot: Founding of Congregation: 1898 Year constructed: 1889 Demolished:Unk 238 Wyona Street sits between Glenmore and Pitkin. This church building was dedicated May 20, 1889 as St. Paul's German Evangelical Lutheran Church, built at a cost of $9,000. The congregation only lasted here about 20 years and the building was sold to the Congregation Achim Bnai Jacob around 1907. In 1921 the congregation built the temple which still stands at 503 Glenmore. Another congregation took over (still researching) , it is evident in the 1941 tax photo it was still serving as a synagogue. No longer standing, the empty land is owned by the St. Augustus Roman Catholic Church.

The Lost Synagogues