Gift Allows Restoration of Oldest Queens Synagogue
A major gift from philanthropist Arnold Goldstein provided the final funding necessary to allow major restoration work on Congregation Tifereth Israel in Corona. The landmark 1911 wooden building is a rare survivor of the earliest, vernacular synagogues built in Queens and the oldest synagogue in the borough.
The synagogue, which has been revitalized in recent years by Bukharan Jewish immigrants, had garnered major support from Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, and several other sources. Another $275,000 was needed, however, to fully fund the project. Mr. Goldstein, the president of Samson Management, pledged up to that amount to provide the equity needed to enable the project to proceed.
“It’s a worthwhile endeavor and I believe these places of worship should be preserved,” Mr. Goldstein said.
“Tifereth Israel is an important piece of Queens history,” said Marshall. “I am delighted that Arnold Goldstein has recognized its value and is working with us to ensure its survival.”
The New York Landmarks Conservancy has worked with the synagogue for over a decade providing $30,000 in direct grants and an additional $100,000 in pass-through funding. The congregation also secured funding from the State Environmental Protection Fund, The New York Community Trust and the families of Ronald and Leonard Lauder. The Conservancy helped the congregation secure pro bono legal services from the firm of Bryan Cave. The Conservancy now will help the congregation manage the restoration work. The project is currently out to bid.
To view the bid invitation click here.
Restoration will remove the present stucco coating and restore the original wood clapboard siding, wood windows and doors, Moorish-style metal domes and finials, and historic paint colors to this important building, returning it to its appearance of a century ago.
“Tifereth Israel demonstrates again that landmark religious buildings are important to their communities and can serve different generations,” said Peg Breen, president of The New York Landmarks Conservancy.
