Khal Adath Jeshurun

40°51′12″N 73°56′07″W / 40.85336°N 73.93520°W / 40.85336; -73.93520ArchitectureFounderRabbi Dr. Joseph BreuerDate established1939 (as a congregation)Completed1952Websitekajinc.org

Khal Adath Jeshurun, officially K'hal Adath Jeshurun,^[1] abbreviated as KAJ, is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue located at 85-93 Bennett Avenue in the Washington Heights neighborhood, Manhattan, in New York City, New York, in the United States.

The congregation includes a high proportion of Ashkenazi German Jews and follows the Western Ashkenazic rite, unlike most Ashkenazic synagogues in the United States, that follow the Eastern Ashkenazic (Poilisher) liturgical rite.^[2] The Western Ashkenazic rite covers the congregation's liturgical text, practices, and melodies. The congregation uses the Rödelheim Siddur Sfas Emes, though the congregation's rite varies in some places from Rödelheim.

The congregation has an affiliated synagogue in the heavily Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Monsey.

History

The community is a direct continuation of the pre-Second World War Jewish community of Frankfurt am Main led by Samson Raphael Hirsch. Khal Adath Jeshurun bases its approach, and structure, on Hirsch's philosophy of Torah im Derech Eretz; it was re-established according to the protocol originally drawn in 1850, to which the congregation continues to adhere.

K’hal Adath Jeshurun was founded in 1939 in Washington Heights by refugees from Germany, following Kristallnacht. The community is colloquially called "Breuer's" after Rabbi Dr. Joseph Breuer, founder of the congregation and its first rabbi. He was a grandson of Samson Raphael Hirsch.^[3]

The current synagogue building was completed in 1952, renovating initial premises at 90 Bennett Avenue.

Full service community

True to the "full-service community" as originally established in Frankfurt, the community includes a synagogue, an elementary school (located at 85 Bennett Avenue), various educational facilities, a social hall, a high school, a Beth Midrash (these are several blocks north, where Bennett Avenue meets 190th or 191st St). The Kehilla also offers its members a mikveh, Kashrut supervision and Shechitah.^[4] The yeshivas go under the name Yeshiva Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch. It also offers an independent Chevra kadisha. The members of the community tend to live in the buildings on Bennett Avenue, Overlook Terrace, and the adjacent cross streets towards the west and Fort Washington Avenue.

Clergy

• Rabbi Joseph Breuer (1939 – 1980): founded the congregation and led it until his passing.
• Rabbi Shimon Schwab (1958 – 1995): joined the congregation in 1958, and served as senior rabbi from 1980 until his passing.
• Rabbi Zechariah Gelley (1987 – 2018): joined the congregation in 1987, and served as senior rabbi from 1995 until his Petira.
• Rabbi Yisroel Mantel, previously of Lucerne, Switzerland, joined the congregation in 2006, and served as senior rabbi from 2018, on Rabbi Gelley's Petira.^[5]

Gallery

• 
  Synagogue
• 
  Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch
• 
  186th Street school

See also

• Yekke
• Torah Lehranstalt

References

Further reading

• Lowenstein, Stephen M. (1989). Frankfurt on the Hudson, The German Jewish Community of Washington Heights, 1933-82, Its Structure and Culture. Wayne State University Press.

External links

• Official website