Talk:Stanton Street Synagogue

A Personal Bit of Stanton Street Shul Nostalgia
1952:  We arrived, an immigrant family of five (our dad Max, mom Frieda, two boys 7 and 5, and Malka our baba aged ~77) having flown into NYC, LaGuardia International Airport from Frankfurt Germany. Our Papa, Muttie and Baba were all holocaust survivors.

We settled into a small apartment on Stanton Street in Manhattan. Our German accents always pronounced the street’s name as “Stenten” Street, and names like Orchard St. was pronounced “Ochid” Street. Within months, my first recollection of getting back to our traditional Jewish roots as a family was going to the Stanton Street Shul every Shabbat or Shabis, as we would call it. We weren’t exactly strictly orthodox, but there was no such thing as Conservative or Reform Jewry in those days, we were just Jews.

I remember being overwhelmed by the spiritual energy of that Shul. I also recall the Shul’s familiarity to what I naturally thought a Shul should look and smell like from attending our Shul in Frankfurt. I still recall the smell of the old siddurs (prayer books), the raised bema with its various wooden structures and benches that we sat in.

Now aged 70, recollecting my religious experiences during the Stanton Street Shul days brings back fond and positive childhood memories. Unfortunately, within a year’s time our family moved away from that Shul, to Queens, and I have not been back there since. Seeing this website and the heroic resurgence of that iconic Shul plus its relevance in becoming an historic landmark, instantly jarred my memory of childhood and an unexpected positive bit of my past. Vogelhn (talk) 17:14, 9 December 2014 (UTC)

Rabbi Singer
I wanted to address the issues many had with the sale incident. It seems the Rabbi acted in an underhand fashion, trying to sell without consultation with the congregants.

In respect to The Rabbi, I wish to clarify the story as I remember it. The shul membership dwindled slowly as did the minyan required for services. The rabbi often had family come to services to ensure the minyan. On Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashana and Yomtov, he had family come to stay often at the expense of their families. Rabbi Singer arranged project Ezra food for the needy including congregants either too feeble or abandoned by their own families. His job at the council was not a luxury post, it was used for getting housing subsidies and basic necessities for the elderly. He took care of the mikvah on the corner of Broadway and Grand street, gratis. He hosted the homeless, fed and clothed them. He paid the synagogue repair and utilities bills, he did the hospital and homebound visits, all expenses out of his council salary. In the end, the tasks and expenses were overwhelming. He went to consult with Rav Dovid Feinstien, as to the viability of the synagogue. Rabbi Feinstien suggested the remaining members join the Litowiska congregation, which was closer to the remaining members homes. Regarding the actual building, it was determined that as a sanctified building, it could only be used for spiritual purposes, rabbi Singer spent some time looking for a suitable buyer, The home for the handicapped would not be a christian prayer site but rather a place where non faith based therapy would be advanced for children of any race creed or religion would be helped. This was acceptable by Halacha, as per Rabbi Feinstien. A list was drawn up of the recipients of the proceeds. (I know all this because I typed up the list) the list was a varied one from the home of the aged on bialistok street to schools in various areas were designated as recipients. The remaining board member were apprised and approved. One member ( a non- original but rather a member that had years previous joined from another kehilla) was behind the ruckus. He insisted the Synagogue remain open, even if there was rarely services. The congregant rallied some support for his cause and got the case to court, rather than Beth-Din. The court heard both sides and was willing to uphold the sale by the Rabbi if he would be willing to swear as to his testimony, having never sworn if his life, he refused. The court then awarded the case by default to the member. Supporters of the Rabbi were then barred from the synagogue and the lock were changed.

Rabbi Singer, once a respected pillar of the lower east was now shamed and demeaned in public. He sold his home and moved into his daughters home, to live out his years.

What a shame a giant of a human, a man who always welcomed and loved all, Jew and gentile alike, was so ignoble treated. He was niftar on Yom Kippur a few years later. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.219.241.26 (talk) 17:03, 27 February 2018 (UTC)