Kehila Kedosha Janina, Greek Jewish synagogue in Lower East Side, Manhattan, US
Kehila Kedosha Janina is a two-story brick synagogue on the Lower East Side that serves as a center for the Romaniote Jewish community. The interior features a central bimah in the main sanctuary with separate seating for men and women following traditional practice.
The synagogue was founded in 1906 by immigrants from Ioannina, Greece, and the building was completed in 1927 following designs by architect Sydney Daub. The structure blends Classical and Moorish Revival styles and marks the establishment of the Romaniote community in New York.
The synagogue preserves traditions of Romaniote Jews, a community with its own religious practices that differ from Ashkenazi and Sephardic customs. Visitors can experience a particular expression of Judaism that exists in few other places worldwide.
A visit is best made on Sunday mornings when the second-floor museum opens for guided tours and displays artifacts about Greek Jewish history. It is wise to check ahead since opening times may be limited outside regular hours.
This is the only Romaniote Jewish house of worship in the Western Hemisphere and preserves a tradition reaching back to the time of Alexander the Great. The community here represents one of the oldest streams of Judaism, which long remained outside public awareness.
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