Congregation Beit Simchat Torah

{{redirect|CBST|the defunct television station in Sept-Îles, Quebec, that used the CBST callsign|CJBR-DT}}

{{Infobox religious building

| name = Congregation Beit Simchat Torah

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| caption = The entrance to the synagogue

| map_type = Manhattan

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| map_caption = Location in Manhattan

| coordinates = {{coord|40.737047|-74.008652|format=dms|type:landmark_region:US-NY|name=Congregation Beit Simchat Torah|display=inline,title}}

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| religious_affiliation = Judaism

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| location = 130 West 30th Street, Midtown, Manhattan, New York City, New York

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| rite = Non-denominational / Progressive

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| country = United States

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| status = Synagogue

| functional_status = Active

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| leadership = {{ubl|Rabbi Jason Klein|Rabbi Yael Werber}}

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| architecture_type = {{ubl|Commercial building {{small|(1927)}}|Residential building {{small|(2003)}}}}

| founded_by = Jacob Gubbay and others

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| established = 1973 {{small|(as a congregation)}}

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| year_completed = 2016 {{small|(as a synagogue)}}

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| footnotes = {{Cite web|date=2012-10-05|title=About|url=https://www.cbst.org/about|url-status=live|access-date=2021-02-24|website=Congregation Beit Simchat Torah|language=en|quote=Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (CBST) is a vibrant spiritual community and a progressive voice within Judaism. Founded in 1973, CBST attracts and welcomes gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender, queer and straight, individuals and families who share common values. Passionate, provocative, and deeply Jewish, CBST champions a Judaism that rejoices in diversity, denounces social injustice wherever it exists, and strives for the human rights for all people.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090718192326/http://www.cbst.org:80/About |archive-date=July 18, 2009 }}{{self-published inline|date=December 2023}}{{self-published inline|date=December 2023}}{{cite book |author=Kurshan, Virginia |publisher=New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission |title=130 West 30th Street Building Designation Report (List 331, LP-210) |location=New York City |date=November 13, 2001 |page= |url=http://s-media.nyc.gov/agencies/lpc/lp/2101.pdf |access-date=December 20, 2023 }}

| website = {{URL|cbst.org}}

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}}

Congregation Beit Simchat Torah ("CBST") is a non-denominational Jewish, pluralistic, progressive, and LGBTQ+ synagogue located at 130 West 30th Street in Manhattan, New York City.

The congregation was founded in 1973 by and for LGBTQ people,{{cite web|title=About: Mission and Values |url=http://www.cbst.org/About |work=Congregation Beit Simchat Torah |date=October 5, 2012 |accessdate=October 14, 2013}} and is the world's largest LGBTQ synagogue as of 2016.{{Cite web |url=https://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/199082/cbst-the-worlds-largest-lgbt-synagogue-gets-a-new-home |title=CBST, the World's Largest LGBT Synagogue, Gets a New Home |last=Ingall |first=Marjorie |date=2016-04-01 |website=Tablet Magazine |language=en |access-date=2019-06-27}} CBST serves Jews of all sexual orientations and gender identities and their families and friends.{{cite web|last=Weiss|first=Anthony|title=Gay Acceptance and Gay Synagogues|url=http://glbtjews.org/article.php3?id_article=568|work=Keshet Ga'avah: The World Congress of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Jews|publisher=GLBTJews.org|accessdate=October 14, 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130408183933/http://glbtjews.org/article.php3?id_article=568|archivedate=April 8, 2013}} During 1992–2024, the congregation was led by Senior Rabbi Emerita Sharon Kleinbaum.{{cite web |title=Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Congregation Bet Simchat Torah, New York City |url=http://religionandpluralism.org/SharonKleinbaum.htm |work=Religion & Culture: Meeting the Challenge of Pluralism (a Ford Foundation project) |accessdate=October 14, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321012238/http://religionandpluralism.org/SharonKleinbaum.htm |archive-date=March 21, 2012}} Current clergy include Senior Rabbi Jason Klein, Associate Rabbi Yael Werber, and Cantor Sam Rosen. CBST is not affiliated with any formal denomination or branch of Judaism.

History

The congregation, founded in 1973 by twelve gay Jewish men and led by Jacob Gubbay, originally met in Chelsea's Church of the Holy Apostles and brought its prayer materials to services each week in a brown paper bag. In 1978, they began renting space in the West Village at 57 Bethune Street—in the Westbeth Artists Community residential-artistic complex—for offices, a Hebrew school, and a sanctuary. However, the space was not large enough for Friday night services (i.e., Kabbalat Shabbat and maariv), which continued to be held in the church.{{cite fromatoz}}, pp.98–99 The synagogue has also held annual Yom Kippur services at the Jacob Javits Convention Center: the only free-to-attend High Holy Day services held in the city. Yom Kippur services have drawn over 4,000 people.{{cite web |last=Allen |first=Dan |title=High Holy Days for NYC's LGBT Community: Congregation Beit Simchat Torah Opens Its Doors for Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur |url=http://manhattan.about.com/od/glbtscene/a/lgbt-rosh-hashanah-new-york.htm |work=About.com Local – Manhattan, NY |accessdate=October 14, 2013 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304123226/http://manhattan.about.com/od/glbtscene/a/lgbt-rosh-hashanah-new-york.htm |url-status=dead}}

=130 West 30th Street=

In June 2011, after 16 years of searching, the congregation purchased a large space in Chelsea, Manhattan, at 130 West 30th Street between Sixth Avenue and Seventh Avenue.{{cite news |last=Dunlap|first=David W. |title='Gay Synagogue' Finds a Home, Full of Ancient Assyrians |url=http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/08/gay-synagogue-finds-a-home-full-of-ancient-assyrians/ |accessdate=October 14, 2013 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 8, 2011 |location=City Room}}{{cite news|last=Dunlap|first=David W. |title=Designing a Synagogue for a Gay Congregation, With Acoustics in Mind|url=http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/21/synagogue-for-a-gay-congregation-designed-with-acoustics-in-mind/ |accessdate=October 14, 2013 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=June 21, 2012 |location=City Room (digital); Designing a Synagogue For a Gay Congregation (New York edition) |page=A22}} Built in 1927–28, the landmarked Assyrian Revival-style building{{cite web |url=http://www.fsi-architecture.com/engineering/130-west-30th-street-new-york-ny |title=130 West 30th St. New York |work=Projects |publisher=FSI Architecture |date=2018 |access-date=December 20, 2023 }} was designed by architect Cass Gilbert.{{Cite news |work=The Jewish Week |title=In A Move Freighted With Symbolism, CBST Purchases First Home |date=July 26, 2011 |first=Doug |last=Chandler |url=http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/new_york/move_freighted_symbolism_cbst_purchases_first_home |access-date=August 8, 2011 |archive-date=October 12, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012042111/http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/new_york/move_freighted_symbolism_cbst_purchases_first_home |url-status=dead }} It underwent renovations between 2013 and 2016. The "Dedication of Our New Home" was marked that year with a celebration on April 3.{{cite web |title=Our History |work=Congregation Beit Simchat Torah |date=October 6, 2012 |url=http://www.cbst.org/about-us/history |access-date=September 30, 2016}}

Notable members

Barbara Gaines (born 1956), television producer{{cite web | last=Oswald | first=John A. | title=Legendary Producer Barbara Gaines Awarded for LGBT Work | website=The Forward | date=10 November 2015 | url=https://forward.com/life/324442/legendary-producer-barbara-gaines-receives-award-for-lgbt-work/ | access-date=24 July 2024}}
Brad Hoylman (born 1965), New York State Senator{{Cite web|url=https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/brad-hoylman|title=Senator Brad Hoylman|date=December 21, 2012|website=NY State Senate}}
Mike Moskowitz, Hasidic rabbi, LGBTQ ally, and Scholar-in-Residence for Trans and Queer Jewish Studies at CBST {{Cite news|last=Maltz|first=Judy|date=July 11, 2019|title=This ultra-Orthodox rabbi wants you to know that 'He/His' is his pronoun of choice|url=https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-meet-the-ultra-orthodox-rabbi-fighting-for-transgender-rights-1.7491085|access-date=2021-02-23|newspaper=Haaretz|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=This Ultra-Orthodox Rabbi Says His Holiest Moment Was Becoming Public LGBTQ Ally|url=https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2018/11/09/orthodox-rabbi-lgbtq-ally|access-date=2021-02-23|website=www.wbur.org|last=Young|first=Robin|date=November 9, 2018 |language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2018-06-12|title=Rabbi Mike Moskowitz, Scholar-in-Residence for Trans and Queer Jewish Studies|url=https://cbst.org/content/rabbi-mike-moskowitz-scholar-in-residence-for-trans-and-queer-jewish-studies|access-date=2021-02-23|website=Congregation Beit Simchat Torah|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Sales|first=Ben|date=July 3, 2018|title=This ultra-Orthodox rabbi just took a job at an LGBT synagogue|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/this-ultra-orthodox-rabbi-just-took-a-job-at-an-lgbt-synagogue/|access-date=2021-02-23|website=www.timesofisrael.com|language=en-US}}
Cynthia Nixon (born 1966), actress and activist{{cite web |url=https://forward.com/culture/film-tv/397020/the-secret-jewish-history-of-cynthia-nixon/ |title=The Secret Jewish History of Cynthia Nixon |first=Seth |last=Rogovoy |date=March 20, 2018 |work=The Forward |accessdate=July 8, 2018 }}
David L. Reich (born 1960), president and chief operating officer of Mount Sinai Hospital and president of Mount Sinai Queens{{Cite book |url=https://www.cbst.org/sites/cbst.org/files/images/image_content_type/CBST%20booklet%20%287.5X10%29PPPPspreads%2002.28.19.pdf |title=Make For Me a Holy Place |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730010204/https://www.cbst.org/sites/cbst.org/files/images/image_content_type/CBST%20booklet%20%287.5X10%29PPPPspreads%2002.28.19.pdf |archive-date=July 30, 2021 |url-status=dead}}
Janet Weinberg (1955–2018), advocate for people with HIV/AIDS and disabilities{{Cite web|url=https://www.gaycitynews.nyc/stories/2018/24/weinberg-remembrance-2018-11-22-gcn.html|title=Janet Weinberg's Life Celebrated|last=Andy Humm|date=November 14, 2018|website=Gay City News|language=en|access-date=2019-06-27|archive-date=June 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627104249/https://www.gaycitynews.nyc/stories/2018/24/weinberg-remembrance-2018-11-22-gcn.html|url-status=dead}}
Randi Weingarten (born 1957), president of the American Federation of Teachers{{cite web | title=The Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum and Randi Weingarten Fund for Social Justice | website=Congregation Beit Simchat Torah | date=11 June 2024 | url=https://cbst.org/social-justice/the-rabbi-sharon-kleinbaum-and-randi-weingarten-fund-for-social-justice/ | access-date=24 July 2024}}
Edith Windsor (1929–2017), successfully brought a federal lawsuit, United States v. Windsor, against the Defense of Marriage Act{{cite web|last=Hoffman|first=Allison|title=Jewish Organizations Join DOMA Appeal: The case of Edie Windsor finds allies in the Jewish community|url=http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/113151/jewish-organizations-join-doma-appeal|work=Tablet Magazine|accessdate=October 14, 2013|location=The Scroll: Tablet Magazine in the News|date=September 28, 2012}}{{cite web|last=Kampeas|first=Ron|title=Edie Windsor's lawyer and the daughters of Zelophehad (includes drash)|url=http://www.jta.org/2013/06/28/news-opinion/politics/edie-windsors-lawyer-and-the-daughters-of-zelophehad|work=Telegraph: Blogging Jewish News and Culture|publisher=JTA: The Global Jewish News Service|accessdate=October 14, 2013|date=June 28, 2013}}