THE NEW YORK LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY rgl Years of Preserving Sacred Sites Jewish Heritage Fund THE NEW YORK, LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY EFTA00506217

Program Overview Historic synagogues throughout New York City document important Jewish contributions to American life and culture. These sites are in danger of being lost due to several causes: • Deferred or misguided maintenance • Changing demographics • Lack of champions • Many are virtually unknown New York Landmarks Conservancy has launched a new initiative to safeguard these endangered buildings by providing funds for major repairs and restoration. THE NEW YORK LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY EFTA00506218

Jewish Heritage Fund Until launch of Jewish Heritage Fund in 2010, due to limited funding, grants of no more than $10,000 were awarded to synagogues. Through this unprecedented new initiative, Challenge Grants from $25,000 to $50,000 are available to cover a greater share of restoration costs. This program addresses the following: • STEWARDSHIP: Larger grants will encourage a higher standard of stewardship, providing an incentive for comprehensive, high-quality, long- term and ultimately cost-effective repairs congregations can't otherwise afford. • OUTREACH: A dedicated Jewish Heritage Fund will shine a spotlight on the dozens of landmark-quality New York synagogues in need of restoration. • URGENCY: Worthy landmark quality synagogues are lost to neglect, redevelopment and misguided repairs each year; Rivington Street Shul's dramatic 2006 collapse is just one example. • FLEXIBILITY: A dedicated Jewish Heritage Fund will facilitate funding for important and unique interior synagogue features, such as hand- carved arks, Art Deco murals or folk-stenciled ceilings, as government funding for restoration does not allow expenditure on religious interiors. THE NEW YORK LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY EFTA00506219

Jewish Heritage Fund Program Elements • Unprecedented survey of 530 synagogues in all five boroughs • Identification and documentation of historic buildings • Technical and financial assistance to congregations in applying for National Register listing • Grants of $25,000-$50,000 provided for restoration • Grantee congregations obligated to match grants THE NEW YORK LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY EFTA00506220

Jewish Heritage Fund Success Completion of unprecedented, city-wide Jewish Heritage Survey of 530 synagogues in the 5 boroughs which identified 100 synagogues of architectural and historic interest. Congregation Brill Jacob. Park Slor.1913-1915 Congregation Pri Kits Chaim. Manhattan Beach Jewish Center. 1931 Temple Beth El of Rockaway Beach. 1921 Congregation Kneieth Israel. Far Rockaway. 1963 Jewish Center of Brighton Beach. 1928-1931 THE NEW YORK, LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY Shcepshead Bay. 1930 former Temple Math Israel. hlorrisania.1928.1931 flatbush & Shaare Torah J Former Slum ?stick Synagogue. Crown Heights. Kensington. 1924 1921 Beth Israel West Side Jewish Center. 1924 Congregation Ansche Chesed. 1927 Congregation Sons of Israel Synagogue. Bensonhurst. 1919 Talmud Torah of ILitbush. 1925 h Center. The Conservancy will assist these congregations to obtain National Register listing and grants as funding allows. EFTA00506221

Jewish Heritage Fund Success Conservancy outreach following survey resulted in National Register Nominations for 13 synagogues in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan. Ocean Parkway J.G. Kensington. t925 Congregation Kol Israel. Crown Heights 1927 Young Israel of Hatbush. Millwood t923 yo„ rig isma.gath Borough Park 1920 l rili l kit r . - t.11flv Kingswuy Jewish Center, Brooklyn. 1951 I THE NEW YORK LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY Olt ,fin ,. Jewish Center of Kings Highway. Midwo&uari Zedek - St Leonard's t921 Bedford Stuyoesant. 1909 Beth El Jewish Center. Homecrest. 1927 Mt. Zion Church of Cod - Beth Abraham. East flatbush.1929 Astoria Center of Israel. Queens. 1925 Free Synagogue of flushing Queens. 192? These congregations are now eligible to apply for Conservancy-Jewish Heritage Fund grants of up to $50,000 and New York State restoration grant funding up to $400,000. lTL Rego Park Jewish Center. Queens. 1948 Hebrew Tabernacle of Washington Heights. 1931-1932 EFTA00506222

Jewish Heritage Fund Program Detail The Conservancy estimates that there will be 100 synagogues in need during the next 20 years, and has identified 40 historic synagogues in need to date. Completed surveys: — Brooklyn: • 180 synagogues surveyed • 50 historic synagogues identified — Queens: • 120 synagogues surveyed • 10 historic synagogues identified — Bronx: • 74 synagogues and former synagogues surveyed • 5 historic synagogues identified — Staten Island: • 28 synagogues and former synagogues survyed • 7 historic synagogues identified — Manhattan: • 128 synagogues surveyed • 30 historic synagogues identified I THE NEW YORK LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY EFTA00506223

Sacred Sites Program History Since the Sacred Sites program's launch in 1986: 670 Sacred Sites have been preserved 1,200 grants awarded, totaling more than $7 million: Annual Grants of up to $10,000 • 1,100 grants awarded from 1986-2011, totaling $4.32 million • Average of 41 grants totaling $173,000 per year • Average Sacred Sites grant size: $4,100 Challenge Grants of up to $70,000 • 90 grants awarded from 2000-2011, totaling $2.74 million • Average of 8 grants totaling $240,000 per year • Average Challenge Grant size: $30,000 THE NEW YORK LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY EFTA00506224

Sacred Sites Program Elements • Technical outreach, consulting and referrals • Religious properties survey and research • Workshops on various topics • Elands-on project management • Publications: • Common Bond journal to 5000 subscribers • How-To Guides: • Managing Repair & Restoration Projects • Inspecting & Maintaining Religious Properties THE NEW YORK LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY EFTA00506225

Thank you! Your interest is greatly appreciated. THE NEW YORK LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY EFTA00506226

How you can help For more information about the Jewish Heritage Fund, please contact Scott Leurquin, Director of Development, To learn more about Sacred Sites and other New York Landmarks Conservancy programs, please visit its website at nylandmarks.org. I THE NEW YORK LANDMARKS CONSERVANCY EFTA00506227