Fort Tryon Jewish Center

{{short description|Synagogue in Manhattan, New York}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}} {{Infobox religious building | name = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = Fort Tryon Jewish Center 524 Ft. Washington Avenue.jpg | image_upright = 1.4 | alt = | caption = Fort Tryon Jewish Center, in 2014 | religious_affiliation = [[Conservative Judaism]] | tradition = | sect = | district = | prefecture = | province = | region = | deity = | rite = | festival =  | organisational_status =  | ownership = | governing_body = | leadership = Rabbi Guy Austrian | bhattaraka = | patron = | consecration_year = | status = [[Synagogue]] | functional_status = Active | religious_features_label = | religious_features = | location = 524 [[Fort Washington Avenue]], [[Hudson Heights, Manhattan|Hudson Heights]], [[Upper Manhattan]], [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]] | locale = | municipality = | cercle = | state = | country = United States | map_type = New York City | map_size = 250 | map_alt = | map_relief = 1 | map_caption = Location in [[Upper Manhattan]], [[New York City]] | grid_name = | grid_position = | sector = | territory = | administration = | coordinates = {{coord|40.8527899|-73.9373822|region:US-NY_type:landmark|display=it|format=dms}} | coordinates_footnotes = | heritage_designation = | architect = N. J. Sapienza | architecture_type = [[Synagogue architecture]] | architecture_style = [[Modernist architecture|Modernist]] | founded_by = | creator = | funded_by = | general_contractor = | established = {{nowrap|1938 {{small|(as a congregation)}}}} | groundbreaking = | year_completed = 1960 | 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|ftjc.org}} | module =  | footnotes = }} The '''Fort Tryon Jewish Center''' is a [[Conservative Judaism|Conservative]] [[Judaism|Jewish]] congregation and [[synagogue]], located at 524 [[Fort Washington Avenue]] between [[183rd Street (Manhattan)|West 183rd]] and [[184th Street (Manhattan)|184th]] Streets, across from [[Bennett Park (New York City)|Bennett Park]] in the [[Hudson Heights, Manhattan|Hudson Heights]] neighborhood of [[Upper Manhattan]] in [[New York City]].<ref name=tablet />

The rabbi, since January 2013, is Rabbi Guy Austrian.

== History == The congregation was founded in 1938 by long-time residents of the city and refugees from Nazi Germany. It first occupied leased space, building a modest facility in 1950, and then a spacious sanctuary that opened in 1960,<ref name=ftjc /> designed by N. J. Sapienza in the [[Modernist architecture|Modernist style]].<ref>{{cite fromatoz}}, p.59</ref> The [[Torah Ark]] in the building has been described as "a gem of midcentury design."<ref name=chaban /> Stained glass windows designed by Juliene Berk, depicting the elements of the earth, lined the sanctuary. (The windows were removed and placed in storage in 2021.)<ref>{{cite web |title=The Fort Tryon Jewish Center Windows: Stained Glass for a New Era |url=https://www.ftjc.org/the-ftjc-windows.html |access-date=15 August 2024}}</ref>

From 2002 on, the congregation grew as young families moved into the neighborhood.<ref name=jewishweek />

=== Failed real estate deal === In an April 2014 article, the ''[[New York Times]]'' described a failed real estate transaction involving the Fort Tryon Jewish Center.<ref name=chaban /> The congregation signed an agreement with Rutherford Thompson of Thompson Development, which planned to build a 23-story condominium building to be called "One Bennett Park".<ref name=chaban /> Under the agreement, the developer would pay to completely renovate the synagogue in exchange for [[air rights]] and the right to situate a Fort Washington Avenue entrance to the residential tower on the congregation's property.<ref name=chaban /> According to ''The Real Deal'' magazine, a lawsuit filed in 2010 alleged that Thompson defaulted on the loan in February 2008.<ref name=realdeal /> The synagogue was left in an unusable state, resulting in ongoing litigation, during which time the congregation met at [[Mother Cabrini High School]],<ref name=chaban /> and its successor since September 2014, [[Success Academy Charter Schools|Success Academy Washington Heights]]. Since July 2015, the congregation has met in the Social Hall of the [[Hebrew Tabernacle of Washington Heights|Hebrew Tabernacle]] at 551 Fort Washington Ave.<ref>[http://ftjc.org/ Fort Tryon Jewish Center website] Accessed: May 11, 2016</ref> In 2022 the congregation de-consecrated the Fort Washington Avenue synagogue after selling the property to the developer's bank.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Saltonstall |first1=Gus |title=Wash Heights Jewish Center Says Goodbye To Its Historic Synagogue |url=https://patch.com/new-york/washington-heights-inwood/wash-heights-jewish-center-says-goodbye-its-historic-synagogue |website=Patch.com |publisher=Planck, LLC |access-date=13 August 2024 |location=New York, New York |date=7 February 2022}}</ref>

== Gallery == <gallery> File:181 St IND hanging bldg from east 2013 jeh.jpg|The rear of the building on pylons above the [[181st Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)|181st Street subway entrance]] on Overlook Terrace at West 184th Street. </gallery>

== References == {{Reflist|refs= <ref name=tablet>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/171034/historic-nyc-synagogue-fights-foreclosure |title=Historic NYC Synagogue Fights Foreclosure |first=Hannah |last=Dreyfus |date=April 29, 2014 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140530043708/http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/171034/historic-nyc-synagogue-fights-foreclosure |archive-date=2014-05-30 |work=Tablet magazine }}</ref> <ref name=ftjc>{{cite web |url=http://ftjc.org/about/history-of-the-shul |title=History of the Shul |work=Fort Tryon Jewish Center |type=official website |url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140617033634/http://ftjc.org/about/history-of-the-shul/ |archivedate=2014-06-17 }}</ref> <ref name=jewishweek>{{cite web | url=http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/new_york/washington_heights_jews_caught_growth_bind |title=Washington Heights Jews Caught In A Growth Bind |date=August 11, 2010 |work=The Jewish Week |first=Rivka |last=Oppenheim |url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140430053514/http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/new_york/washington_heights_jews_caught_growth_bind |archivedate=2014-04-30 }}</ref> <ref name=chaban>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/29/nyregion/a-deal-that-collapsed-leaves-a-manhattan-synagogue-in-shambles.html |title=A Deal That Collapsed Leaves a Manhattan Synagogue in Shambles |first=Matt A.V. |last=Chaban |newspaper=New York Times |date=April 29, 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140430071559/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/29/nyregion/a-deal-that-collapsed-leaves-a-manhattan-synagogue-in-shambles.html |archivedate=2014-04-30 }}</ref> <ref name=realdeal>{{cite magazine |title=Amalgamated sued by fellow lender for $32M at Hudson Heights condo |date=November 2, 2010 |magazine=The Real Deal |location=New York, NY |url=http://therealdeal.com/blog/2010/11/02/amalgamated-sued-by-fellow-lender-for-32m-at-hudson-heights-condo/ |url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140430061823/http://therealdeal.com/blog/2010/11/02/amalgamated-sued-by-fellow-lender-for-32m-at-hudson-heights-condo/ |archivedate=2014-04-30 }}</ref> }}

== External links == {{commonscat-inline|Fort Tryon Jewish Center}} *{{official website|http://ftjc.org/}}

[[Category:1938 establishments in New York City]] [[Category:1960 establishments in New York City]] [[Category:20th-century synagogues in the United States]] [[Category:Conservative synagogues in New York City]] [[Category:Jewish organizations established in 1938]] [[Category:Modernist architecture in New York City]] [[Category:Modernist synagogues]] [[Category:Synagogues completed in 1960]] [[Category:Synagogues in Manhattan]] [[Category:Washington Heights, Manhattan]]