New York Historical Synagogues Map

Poel Zedek Anshe Eli
Address: 126 Forsyth Street, New York, NY 10002
Year Organized: 1885
Associated Towns: Ilya (Belarus)
Aux Societies: Sick Benefit, Free Loan
Notes: Or organized in 1882 or 1884, according to the 1939 WPA survey. "Previously: (1882), used shop Ludlow, 7 Hester Street, 31 Norfolk, 9 Bayard, 20 Orchard St.; (1886) 412 Grand St., 79 Essex; (1900) 209 East Broadway, Birmingham corner Henry St. 'This syn. whose yr. of origin is variously given as 1882 (cornerstone) and 1884 (anniversary year) was begun as a 'Landsmanshaft' or fellow-countrymen's organization about that year by Jewish immigrants on the lower East Side of N. Y. C. who came from the town of Illia, of the province of Vilna, in Lithuania, then a part of Russia, but now belonging to Poland. This town was celebrated for its famous Rabbis and Gaonim (wise men or prophets) in particular for its Rabbi Menasheh of Illia who was a personal pupil of the famous Gaon of Vilna. On the basis of such a spiritual heritage the townsmen here in N.Y.C. hoping to continue such a celebrated tradition organized into a cong. which took the name 'Chebra Poel Zedek Anschei Illia'... But though such a mighty bond held them together, the place of worship could not be fastened long, for in the brief period of about 18 years, and in fact till 1900, when the present building was bought from the '14th St. Presbyterian Church' corporation, the cong. had held worship in no less than 9 different places, and had even been under a threat of dissolution. This was because some few of its members who had prospered comparatively, were desireous of a more sumptuous synagogue, like those on Madison St. & Pike St. which had a cantor, choir, and a place of daily worship, or Beth Hamidrash, and for this they were prepared to merge the Cong. of Illia with that of another town, and were ready to sacrifice the name of their native town ... and these did leave! ...At Last, in 1900, after extensive alterations to suit it for traditional Jewish Orthodox ritual, the erstwhile church.... was converted into a synagogue with a daily chapel, or Beth Hamidrash on the lower floor. In 1902 the City of New York ordered the synagogue to remodel the Delancey St. side for the sake of street improvement for the approach to the bridge across Brooklyn. Then stores were built, which are rented from the synagogue.' Present Rabbi: I. Shnaidman (graduate Yeshiva of Slobodka, ordained by Rabbis of Warsaw and Vilna), 1933--. Cemetery: 10 plots, Washington, 20 plots Mt. Judah, 60 plots, Montefiore." (1939 WPA Survey)
Name: Poel Zedek Anshe Eli
Alternate Name: Beth Hak'nesseth Poalei Zedek Anshei Olia; Chevrah Poel Zedek Anschei Illia; Men of Righteousness, People of Illia
Address: 126 Forsyth Street, New York, NY 10002
Borough: Manhattan
Type: Orthodox
Year Organized: 1885
Year Established: 1900
Associated Towns: Ilya (Belarus)
Aux Societies: Sick Benefit, Free Loan
Notes: Or organized in 1882 or 1884, according to the 1939 WPA survey. "Previously: (1882), used shop Ludlow, 7 Hester Street, 31 Norfolk, 9 Bayard, 20 Orchard St.; (1886) 412 Grand St., 79 Essex; (1900) 209 East Broadway, Birmingham corner Henry St. 'This syn. whose yr. of origin is variously given as 1882 (cornerstone) and 1884 (anniversary year) was begun as a 'Landsmanshaft' or fellow-countrymen's organization about that year by Jewish immigrants on the lower East Side of N. Y. C. who came from the town of Illia, of the province of Vilna, in Lithuania, then a part of Russia, but now belonging to Poland. This town was celebrated for its famous Rabbis and Gaonim (wise men or prophets) in particular for its Rabbi Menasheh of Illia who was a personal pupil of the famous Gaon of Vilna. On the basis of such a spiritual heritage the townsmen here in N.Y.C. hoping to continue such a celebrated tradition organized into a cong. which took the name 'Chebra Poel Zedek Anschei Illia'... But though such a mighty bond held them together, the place of worship could not be fastened long, for in the brief period of about 18 years, and in fact till 1900, when the present building was bought from the '14th St. Presbyterian Church' corporation, the cong. had held worship in no less than 9 different places, and had even been under a threat of dissolution. This was because some few of its members who had prospered comparatively, were desireous of a more sumptuous synagogue, like those on Madison St. & Pike St. which had a cantor, choir, and a place of daily worship, or Beth Hamidrash, and for this they were prepared to merge the Cong. of Illia with that of another town, and were ready to sacrifice the name of their native town ... and these did leave! ...At Last, in 1900, after extensive alterations to suit it for traditional Jewish Orthodox ritual, the erstwhile church.... was converted into a synagogue with a daily chapel, or Beth Hamidrash on the lower floor. In 1902 the City of New York ordered the synagogue to remodel the Delancey St. side for the sake of street improvement for the approach to the bridge across Brooklyn. Then stores were built, which are rented from the synagogue.' Present Rabbi: I. Shnaidman (graduate Yeshiva of Slobodka, ordained by Rabbis of Warsaw and Vilna), 1933--. Cemetery: 10 plots, Washington, 20 plots Mt. Judah, 60 plots, Montefiore." (1939 WPA Survey)
1907-1908 American Jewish Year Book: Listed
Jewish Communal Register (1917-1918): Listed