Congregation Beth Israel

A vibrant Jewish community needs an eruv to bind it together. In Manhattan, an eruv covers almost all the neighbourhoods on the island up to Columbia and Harlem - except one! The area around the Hudson Yards Synagogue (also known as the West Side Jewish Center) on West 34th Street is currently outside the eruv but, with the assistance and approval of the Bais Din Machon L’Horaah, the Manhattan Eruv Board and our Rabbi Herman, there is a plan to extend it!

The Hudson Yards eruv extension will cover an area between 26th street and 45th Street, stretching to either 11th Avenue (in certain places) or 12th Avenue (in others) that was previously uncovered. This includes the Hudson Yards Synagogue and the areas around it, like Penn South, the famous High Line park, important hotels like the New Yorker and the Hotel Pennsylvania, the Javits Center and the new (rapidly building) Hudson Yards area. The map of the extension has been approved and we have received a construction cost quote. Once the contractor is paid, the eruv extension could be up within a couple weeks!

An eruv is for the benefit of our community and for neighboring communities! To let Jews fully participate on Shabbat in our area of Manhattan! So we are reaching out to our neighbours to help us raise the amount needed. The first few thousand dollars have been raised, help us raise the rest!!

Please help our campaign to raise $20,000 to extend and maintain the eruv and to help the shul refresh its old and venerable building. This will let the community sustain itself and attractive new activity in the years to come.

Proposed eruv extension map (note: the eruv already extends to 45th street, which is not shown on this map)



Of the $20,000 we are raising:

Just over half of that amount is need for eruv construction and the first year of maintenance. This will be the first priority of funds.

Once the eruv is paid for, we have identified a few low-cost repairs and renewal projects that will help give our synagogue a fresh face. This is what the remaining funds will be used for. These repairs and projects include:
- Replacing the lights in the sanctuary and stairwells
- Replacing  the worn bima covers and ark curtains (parochets)
- Giving the shul entranceway a fresh coat of paint where needed
- New lobby wash stations, improving the ambiance in our beautiful lobby
- Cleaning and potential restoration of our historic and unique wood-carved light fixtures
- New siddurim and chumashim, replacing old and worn seforim

Help us reach this goal to set a renewal of a growing revived community

About the Hudson Yards Synagogue / West Side Jewish Center (www.westsidejewishcenter.org):

For almost 93 years, the Hudson Yards Synagogue has served its community at its location on 34th street in Midtown Manhattan. Famous for being on the same street as Macy’s and the Empire State Building, and around the corner from Penn Station, the Hudson Yards Synagogue is also close to many communities that through its doors every day and every year. From professionals who work in the area, shoppers and employees at B&H, residents of the Penn South housing development, hundreds of people choose the HYS as a place to daven, learn or spend a Shabbos or holiday.

With the Hudson Yards building a new city center just steps away from our shul building, it is time for a renewal of the Hudson Yards synagogue for the new generation and new comers, including observant Jews that want to fully enjoy this new vibrant part of Manhattan on Shabbat!