Central Synagogue

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The Ahawath Chesed congregation was founded in 1846 on Ludlow Street in Manhattan by German-speaking Jews from Bohemia. It merged in 1898 with Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, which was founded by German Jews in 1839 on Albany Street. The combined congregation bought the lot at Lexington Avenue and East 55th Street and engaged Henry Fernbach, the country first prominent Jewish architect, to design it. After a fire in 1886, the building was restored by Ely Jacques Kahn. original style after an accidental fire in August 1998, which occurred just as a major renovation was being completed. The creation of architect Henry Fernbach was commissioned by the Jewish community of New York in 1872. The basis of the community was immigrants from the Czech Republic. After lengthy discussions about the choice of style for the synagogue building, it was decided to build a monumental building in the Moorish style. The five-pointed stars on the domes of the synagogue symbolize the Pentateuch.