First Roumanian-American congregation, Romanian Jewish synagogue in Lower East Side, Manhattan, US
The First Roumanian-American Congregation was a brick synagogue on Rivington Street with rounded arches and decorative stonework. The three-story building held space for about 1,800 worshippers and shaped Jewish life on the Lower East Side.
The congregation was founded in 1885 and purchased a former Protestant church building in 1902, transforming it into a synagogue. This conversion reflected the growth of the Romanian Jewish population in Lower Manhattan.
The building was known for its exceptional sound quality and drew renowned cantors who performed here. It became a center for Romanian Jewish music and prayer traditions in New York.
Visitors should note that the building sustained severe water damage in 2005 that left it unstable. Today, the site is no longer accessible as the structure was demolished and the location now remains vacant.
Actor Edward G. Robinson celebrated his Bar Mitzvah here in 1906, a significant personal ceremony that underscores the place's importance in the Jewish community. The building hosted many such important life events for its worshippers.
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