| Edmond J. Safra Synagogue | |
|---|---|
 Edmond J. Safra Synagogue in Manhattan | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Orthodox Judaism |
| Rite | Nusach Sefard |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Synagogue |
| Leadership | Rabbi Solomon Farhi |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 11 East 63rd Street,Upper East Side,New York City,New York |
| Country | United States |
  Location inManhattan | |
| Coordinates | 40°46′00″N73°58′13″W / 40.76655°N 73.97017°W /40.76655; -73.97017 |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Synagogue |
| Style | Beaux-Arts |
| Funded by | Edmond J. Safra Philanthropic Foundation |
| Established | 2003(as a congregation) |
| Completed | 2003 |
| Materials | Jerusalem stone |
| Website | |
| ejsny | |
TheEdmond J. Safra Synagogue, organized byCongregation Beit Yaakov, is anOrthodoxJewishsynagogue located on East 63rd Street offFifth Avenue on theUpper East Side ofManhattan inNew York City. The congregation practices in theNusach Sefardrite.
The synagogue is one of several that areeponymous withEdmond J. Safra (1932-1999), a banker and philanthropist, partially or fully funded by the Edmond J. Safra Foundation.[1][2][3]
The synagogue project was initiated by philanthropistEdmond Safra before his death in 1999, and dedicated in 2003. Safra's goal was to have aSephardic synagogue on Manhattan'sUpper East Side.[4]
During his lifetime, Edmond J. Safra was often in New York City and spent manyShabbats in Manhattan. Noting the absence of a formal synagogue and communal center for the Sephardic Jews of the Upper East Side of Manhattan, he expressed a desire to build a central house of worship in the area. The synagogue was completed in December 2002.
Dignitaries including the Chief Rabbi of Israel and the then MayorMichael Bloomberg attended an official inauguration of the building in October 2003.[5]
The synagogue, whose congregational name is "Congregation Beit Yaakov" after Safra's father's name, was designed by architectThierry Despont,[6] and has been described as a "sumptuous work of Beaux-Arts revival."[7] The interior and facade of the building is made ofJerusalem stone quarried inJudea.[4][6] The massive bronze doors with their Tree of Life motif are by American sculptorMark Beard.[8]
Due to its location in theUpper East Side Historic District, the synagogue design required approval from theNew York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, which called it an "artful synthesis of the composition, details and material palette of theBeaux-Arts style, which plays an important role in defining the special architectural character of the Upper East Side Historic District."[7]
On January 31, 2017, RabbiElie Abadie, the first rabbi of the Edmond J. Safra Synagogue, was fired from his position after failing to reach a financial agreement after his contract expired[9] and that negotiations with him started in 2015[10] had been unsuccessful.[10]
Following the rabbi's departure in January 2017, the synagogue's name was changed to Congregation Beit Edmond[10] and Rabbi Shlomo Farhi became the rabbi.[11]
