Temple Emanu-El of New York (1930) Synagogue

Address: 1 E 65th St (Temple Emanu-El New York - 1930 building reference), New York, NY 10065, USA

Website: https://www.emanuelnyc.org

Admission: Museum and guided tour fees may apply; part of a religious institution’s property

Temple Emanu-El of New York (1930) is the landmark synagogue building on Manhattan’s Upper East Side completed in 1930 and notable for its large sanctuary and prominent Fifth Avenue address. The building serves a long-established Reform Jewish congregation.

The facility includes a very large main sanctuary used for major religious services and concerts, plus smaller chapels and communal spaces for education and events. The architectural scale and ornate interior features make it notable among New York’s religious buildings.

The present sanctuary building was completed in 1930 for the congregation and has since functioned as the principal ceremonial and religious space for Temple Emanu-El. Over the 20th century the building became identified with the congregation’s central role in New York’s Jewish communal life.

Located on Fifth Avenue at the Upper East Side near 65th Street, the synagogue sits close to Central Park and major cultural institutions in New York State’s New York City.

• Large 1930 building: Completed in 1930, the building is one of the largest synagogue structures in New York City and is commonly cited among the largest in the world.

What to See#

• Main sanctuary: The main sanctuary is a large domed auditorium noted for its scale and classical-influenced exterior and interior design.
• Chapels and community rooms: Smaller chapels and community rooms used for education, lifecycle events and congregational activities within the building complex.

Temple Emanu-El is on the Upper East Side near Fifth Avenue and 65th Street. It is accessible by subway (4/5/6 to 68th Street-Hunter College or N/Q/R/W to 57th Street with a short walk) and by multiple bus routes along Fifth Avenue.

• Check service times and public visiting hours - some parts of the complex are used by congregations and may be closed during religious services.
• The 1930 building is an example of interwar synagogue architecture in Manhattan - notice the facade details and ornamentation.
• Combine a visit with a walk through the Upper West Side to compare synagogue architecture across Manhattan.