Congregation Kol Israel

{{short description|Historic Modern Orthodox synagogue in Brooklyn, New York, United States}}

{{Infobox religious building

| name =

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| image = Kol Israel Synagogue on St Johns Place Brooklyn IMG 6708.jpg

| image_upright = 1.4

| alt =

| caption = The synagogue in 2018

| religious_affiliation = Modern Orthodox Judaism

| tradition =

| sect =

| district =

| prefecture =

| province =

| region =

| deity =

| rite =

| festival =

| organisational_status = Synagogue

| ownership =

| governing_body =

| leadership = Rabbi Ben Keil

| bhattaraka =

| patron =

| consecration_year =

| functional_status = Active

| religious_features_label =

| religious_features =

| location = 603 St. John's Place, Brooklyn, New York City, New York 11238

| locale =

| municipality =

| cercle =

| state =

| country = United States

| map_type = New York City

| map_size = 250

| map_alt =

| map_relief = 1

| map_caption = Location in New York City

| grid_name =

| grid_position =

| sector =

| territory =

| administration =

| coordinates = {{coord|40|40|29|N|73|57|29|W|region:US-NY_type:landmark|name=Congregation Kol Israel|display=it}}

| coordinates_footnotes =

| heritage_designation =

| architect = Tobias Goldstone

| architecture_type = Synagogue architecture

| architecture_style = Moorish Revival

| founded_by =

| creator =

| funded_by =

| general_contractor =

| established = 1924 {{small|(as a congregation)}}

| groundbreaking =

| year_completed = 1928

| 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 = Stone, brick

| elevation_m =

| elevation_footnotes =

| nrhp =

| designated =

| added =

| refnum =

| delisted1_date =

| website = {{url|ckibrooklyn.org}}

| module = {{Infobox NRHP

| embed = yes

| name = Kol Israel Synagogue

| nrhp_type =

| added = December 2, 2009

| area = Less than one acre

| refnum = 09000966

}}

| footnotes = {{NRISref|version=2013a}}{{cite web |author=Howe, Kathy |url=https://anthonywrobins.com/National%20Register%20nominations/Kol%20Israel%20Synagogue%20NR.pdf |title=Registration Form: Kol Israel Synagogue |work=National Register of Historic Places |publisher=National Park Service |date=October 13, 2009 |access-date=March 9, 2024 |via=Anthony W. Robins }}

}}

Congregation Kol Israel is a historic Modern Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located at 603 St. John's Place in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City, New York, in the United States.{{cite web |url=http://ckibrooklyn.org/about |title=About us |work=Congregation Kol Israel |date= |access-date=2020-02-03}}{{self-published-inline|date=March 2024}}

History

The congregation was established in 1924 as an Orthodox congregation. The synagogue was built in 1928 and is a vernacular "tenement synagogue." It is a small, two story rectangular building faced in random laid fieldstone. It was designed by Brooklyn architect Tobias Goldstone.{{cite web |url=http://www.oprhp.state.ny.us/hpimaging/hp_view.asp?GroupView=102990 |work=National Register of Historic Places |title=Registration Form: Kol Israel Synagogue |date=October 2009 |accessdate=2011-02-20 |author=Howe, Kathy |publisher=New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019070537/http://www.oprhp.state.ny.us/hpimaging/hp_view.asp?GroupView=102990 |archivedate=2012-10-19}} See also: {{cite web |url=http://www.oprhp.state.ny.us/hpimaging/hp_view.asp?GroupView=102977 |title=Accompanying 11 photos|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019070550/http://www.oprhp.state.ny.us/hpimaging/hp_view.asp?GroupView=102977 |archivedate=2012-10-19}} The western side of its midblock lot overlooks the open cut of the Franklin Avenue Line of the New York City Subway.{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Congregation+Kol+Israel/@40.672216,-73.9584951,116a,35y,39.52t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c25b9fe1235a0b:0xa9529fd84f002f39!8m2!3d40.6727376!4d-73.9582404|title=Congregation Kol Israel|work=Google Maps}}

The synagogue building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20091211.htm|title=National Register of Historic Places|date=2009-12-11|work=WEEKLY LIST OF ACTIONS TAKEN ON PROPERTIES: 11/30/09 THROUGH 12/04/09|publisher=National Park Service}}

= Eruv =

In 2015, "after several failed attempts to bring in new members," the board hired Rabbi Sam Reinstein to "transform his ailing Modern Orthodox synagogue into a place young people consider cool." In addition to adding monthly art shows and after-parties to its programming,{{cite news |first=Britta |last=Lokting |url=https://forward.com/culture/380339/can-this-28-year-old-rabbi-save-a-landmark-brooklyn-synagogue/ |title=Can This 28-Year-Old Rabbi Save A Landmark Brooklyn Synagogue? |date=2017-08-31|work=Forward| access-date=2020-02-03}}

the synagogue in 2016 hosted "the first Jewish Comic Con," which featured comics artists Isaac Goodheart of Postal and Jordan B. Gorfinkel.{{cite news |first=Ben|last=Sales |url=https://www.jta.org/2016/11/15/united-states/at-first-jewish-comic-con-artists-and-geeks-revel-in-tradition |title=At First Jewish Comic Con, Artists and Geeks Revel in Tradition |date=2016-11-15|work=Jewish Telegraphic Agency| access-date=2020-02-03}}

In June 2016, an eruv built to benefit the Kol Israel congregation "increased sixfold the area in which observant Jews can carry items, and, most importantly, push strollers during Shabbat," but was opposed by Hasidic Chabad neighbors who believed the neighborhood was geographically and halakhically impossible to enclose in an eruv.{{cite news |first=Amy Sara |last=Clark |url=https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/fight-over-new-eruv-erupts-in-crown-heights/ |title=Fight Over New Eruv Erupts In Crown Heights |date=2016-06-22 |work=New York Jewish Week |access-date=2020-02-03}} Chabad's Crown Heights beth din rabbinical court issued a ruling rejecting the eruv as a "devastation of the Shabbat."{{cite news |author=

|url=https://www.jta.org/2016/06/24/united-states/crown-heights-lubavitch-rabbis-issue-edict-against-new-eruv |title=Lubavitch Rabbis Issue Edict Against Modern Orthodox Eruv in Crown Heights |date=2016-06-24 |work=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |access-date=2020-02-03}} A few months after the eruv was repeatedly vandalized and its organizers allegedly harassed,{{cite news |author=Holliday Smith, Rachel |last=|url=https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160725/crown-heights/newly-built-eruv-repeatedly-vandalized-amid-uproar-crown-heights/ |title=Newly Built Eruv Repeatedly Vandalized Amid Uproar in Crown Heights |date=2016-07-25 |work=DNAinfo |access-date=2020-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203193742/https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160725/crown-heights/newly-built-eruv-repeatedly-vandalized-amid-uproar-crown-heights/ |archive-date=2020-02-03 |url-status=dead }} two Chabad members were arrested and charged with criminal mischief, although the New York City Police Department had previously said that they would be charged with criminal mischief as a hate crime and criminal tampering.{{cite news |first=Rachel |last=Holliday Smith |url=https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20161027/crown-heights/crown-heights-eruv-vandal-under-arrest-police-say/ |title=Crown Heights Eruv Vandals Under Arrest, Police Say |date=2016-10-27 |work=DNAinfo |access-date=2020-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203193742/https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20161027/crown-heights/crown-heights-eruv-vandal-under-arrest-police-say/ |archive-date=2020-02-03 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |first=Sam |last=Kestenbaum |url=https://forward.com/news/352853/2-hasidic-jews-charged-with-vandalizing-controversial-brooklyn-eruv/|title=2 Hasidic Jews Charged With Vandalizing Controversial Brooklyn Eruv |date=2016-10-28 |work=Forward |access-date=2020-02-03}}

References

External links

{{official website|http://www.ckibrooklyn.org}}
{{cite web |url=http://www.nylandmarks.org/advocacy/preservation_issues/conservancy_guides_historic_brooklyn_synagogues_towards_state_national_regi/ |work=The New York Landmarks Conservancy |title=Conservancy Guides Historic Brooklyn Synagogues Towards State, National Register Listing |date= }}

Category:1924 establishments in New York City

Category:1920s architecture in the United States

Category:20th-century synagogues in the United States

Category:Jewish organizations established in 1924

Category:Modern Orthodox synagogues in New York (state)

Category:Moorish Revival architecture in New York City

Category:Moorish Revival synagogues

Category:Properties of religious function on the National Register of Historic Places in Brooklyn

Category:Synagogues completed in 1928

Category:Synagogues in Brooklyn

Category:Synagogues on the National Register of Historic Places in New York City