“Looking for a friendly place to celebrate the holidays?” Congregation Bnai Jacob Joseph of Brooklyn is calling. Its story is one of faith and community. It has adapted through changing times.
Congregation Bnai Jacob Joseph first bought its building in 1932. The Orthodox Jewish congregation purchased a former church. This was in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. The area was becoming more Jewish.
Before Congregation Bnai Jacob Joseph, Trinity Baptist Church used the building. It was constructed in 1876 at 1006 Greene Avenue.
By the mid-1960s, the neighborhood changed again. B’nai Adath started using the synagogue for services. When B’nai Jacob Joseph decided to sell, B’nai Adath seized the opportunity. They wanted a permanent home.
In 1967, B’nai Adath purchased the building. Leading members mortgaged their homes. This secured the purchase. The synagogue became central to their lives.
Maintaining the historic building proved challenging. Costs skyrocketed over 50 years. The working-class congregation struggled.
In response, B’nai Adath worked with Landau|Zinder. They reimagined their sanctuary. Fundraising began to modernize their home.
Tragedy struck on November 14, 2017. A devastating fire hit B’nai Adath. The need to rebuild became urgent. A contractor was repairing the roof. A blowtorch sparked the blaze. It quickly grew out of control. Firefighters tried to extinguish the flames. The beautiful stained-glass windows shattered. They depicted the menorah and Star of David.
Mercifully, no one was seriously injured. Courageous firemen rescued all the Torah scrolls. The synagogue was severely damaged. It stood proudly since the 1800s. Rabbi Baruch A. Yehudah declared, “We will rebuild. Our congregation will rise again!”
News spread quickly. Television and newspapers showed the inferno. One rabbi said, “This tragedy is the nearest experience in our lifetime to what our ancestors must have felt during the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.”
B’nai Adath Kol Bet Yisrael was founded in 1954. Rabbi Yirmeyahu Yisrael, a disciple of Chief Rabbi W.A. Matthew, established it. The building has a long history. Ashkenazi Jews once owned the property. They built B’nai Jacob Joseph. As the neighborhood became more African American, White Jews moved away. Black Jews acquired some synagogues. They kept the lights burning. B’nai Adath acquired the building in 1967.
The Israelite Board of Rabbis and Rabbinical Academy met there. B’nai Adath Kol Beth Yisrael is the parent congregation to many others. These include congregations in Brooklyn, Guyana, Baltimore, Atlanta, and Charlotte.
B’nai Adath was also where Chief Rabbi Capers S. Funnye, Jr. was elected in 2015. He was inaugurated the following year. Representatives from Ethiopia, Uganda, Nigeria, and South Africa attended.
With a seating capacity of 1500, B’nai Adath was one of the oldest and largest congregations. Countless events took place there. These included weddings, bar mitzvahs, ordinations, and circumcisions. The building held years of precious memories.
Today, Congregation Bnai Jacob Joseph’s doors are open. They welcome all Jews. They welcome all regardless of background. They offer a friendly place to celebrate holidays. They provide a kid-friendly synagogue. They offer a place to say Kaddish. They invite you to experience the beauty of Jewish tradition.