Anshe Sfard

{{Short description|Orthodox synagogue in Louisiana, US}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox religious building | name = Anshe Sfard | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = Anshe Sfard Synagogue, New Orleans, 2022.jpg | image_upright = 1.4 | alt = | caption = Anshe Sfard Synagogue, New Orleans, 2022 | religious_affiliation = [[Modern Orthodox Judaism]] | tradition = | sect = | district = | prefecture = | province = | region = | deity = | rite = | festival =  | organisational_status =  | ownership = | governing_body = [[Orthodox Union]] | leadership = Rabbi Yochanan Rivkin | bhattaraka = | patron = | consecration_year = | status = [[Synagogue]] | functional_status = Active | religious_features_label = | religious_features = | location = 2230 [[Carondelet Street]], [[Uptown New Orleans|Uptown]] New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 | locale = | municipality = | cercle = | state = | country = United States | map_type = United States New Orleans | map_size = 250 | map_alt = | map_relief = 1 | map_caption = Location in [[New Orleans]] | grid_name = | grid_position = | sector = | territory = | administration = | coordinates = {{Coord|29.93432|-90.08184|type:landmark_region:US-LA|display=inline,title|format=dms}} | coordinates_footnotes = | heritage_designation = | architect = Emile Wells | architecture_type = Synagogue | architecture_style = {{ubl|''[[Rundbogenstil]]''|[[Byzantine Revival architecture|Byzantine Revival]]}} | founded_by = | creator = | funded_by = | general_contractor = | established = | groundbreaking = | year_completed = September 5, 1926 | construction_cost = | date_demolished =  | facade_direction = | capacity = | length = | width = | width_nave = | interior_area = | height_max = | dome_quantity = | dome_height_outer = | dome_height_inner = | dome_dia_outer = | dome_dia_inner = | minaret_quantity = | minaret_height = | spire_quantity = | spire_height = | site_area = | temple_quantity = | monument_quantity = | shrine_quantity = | inscriptions = | materials = | elevation_m =  | elevation_footnotes = | nrhp = | designated = | added = | refnum = | delisted1_date = | website = {{URL|anshesfard.org}} | module = {{Infobox NRHP | embed = yes | name = Agudath Achim Anshe Sfard Synagogue | nrhp_type = nrhp | added = August 2, 2017 | designated_nrhp_type = | refnum = 100001432 | mpsub = }} | footnotes = }} '''Anshe Sfard''' is a [[Modern Orthodox Judaism|Modern Orthodox Jewish]] [[synagogue]] located at 2230 [[Carondelet Street]] in the [[Uptown New Orleans|Uptown]] neighborhood of [[New Orleans, Louisiana]], in the United States.<ref>[http://www.anshesfard.com/ Anshe Sfard website]. Accessed March 7, 2010.</ref>

The synagogue building was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] on August 2, 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/AssetDetail/3fe4f91f-74e5-405b-be5e-5df5fc063e0c |title=Agudath Achim Anshe Sfard Synagogue |work=[[National Register of Historic Places]] |quote=100001432 |date=August 2, 2017 |access-date=December 5, 2023}}</ref>

== History == The congregation was founded by Hasidic Jews from Lithuania.<ref name=Lachoff-Kahn2005>{{cite book|last1=Lachoff|first1=Irwin|last2=Kahn|first2=Catherine C.|title=The Jewish Community of New Orleans|date=2005|publisher=Arcadia|location=Charleston, SC|isbn=9780738518350|page=8}}</ref>

Anshe Sfard's 1926 heritage building features a barrel-vaulted ceiling ribbed with beams studded with electric light bulbs. This decorative feature was common at the time, inspired by the great excitement over the newly invented incandescent bulb. The [[Rundbogenstil]] exterior is brick, with triple arched [[Neo-Byzantine]] doors.<ref name=Israelowitz1992>{{cite book |last1=Israelowitz |first1=Oscar|title=Synagogues of the United States |date=1992 |publisher=Israelowitz Pub. |location=Brooklyn, NY|isbn=9781878741110|page=88}}</ref><ref name=ISJL-OrthodoxNOLA>{{cite web |title=Orthodox Congregations - New Orleans, Louisiana |url=http://www.isjl.org/louisiana-new-orleans-orthodox-congregations-encyclopedia.html |website=Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities |publisher=Goldring / Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life |access-date=15 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909180511/http://www.isjl.org/louisiana-new-orleans-orthodox-congregations-encyclopedia.html |archive-date=September 9, 2015|date=2014}}</ref>

After Hurricane Katrina, Anshe Sfard was damaged and did not reopen until 2006. The synagogue's Torah scrolls were rescued during [[Hurricane Katrina]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wiemer |first1=Liza M. |title=Milwaukee native helps Louisiana Jews survive and endure hurricane's aftermath|url=http://www.jewishchronicle.org/article.php?article_id=4735 |access-date=15 September 2015 |work=The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle|date=October 14, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323090856/http://www.jewishchronicle.org/article.php?article_id=4735 |archive-date=March 23, 2012}}</ref>

The congregation, located a short walk from downtown hotels in the beautiful Garden District, welcomes tourists and business travelers to attend services.<ref>{{cite book |author=Sheldon, Betsy |title=The Jewish Travel Guide |publisher=Hunter Publishing |year=2001 |page=221 |isbn= }}</ref>

==Adaptations== * Bennett, Artie (April 7, 2026). ''The Tenth Man: A Miracle of Jewish Faith and Friendship in New Orleans.'' Illustrated by Shira Neiss. Holiday House. {{ISBN|978-0-8234-5843-1}}. (informational children's narrative picture book).

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category-inline|Anshe Sfard (New Orleans, Louisiana)}} * {{official website|http://www.anshesfard.org/}}

{{Synagogues in the United States}} {{National Register of Historic Places}} {{National Register of Historic Places in Louisiana}} {{New Orleans}}

[[Category:Lithuanian-Jewish culture in the United States]] [[Category:Neo-Byzantine synagogues]] [[Category:Modern Orthodox synagogues in Louisiana]] [[Category:Rundbogenstil synagogues]] [[Category:Synagogues in New Orleans]] [[Category:Synagogues completed in 1926]] [[Category:Synagogues on the National Register of Historic Places]] [[Category:National Register of Historic Places in New Orleans]] [[Category:20th-century synagogues in the United States]]