JCKGH -- Jewish Center of Kew Gardens Hills

I was in NY on business and I decided to visit the old neighborhood this past weekend. I was curious about my old synagogue, JCKGH, so I went to Sabbath services. Very distressing for the most part, but not unexpectedly so.

What was a vibrant congregation of 1200 families has shrunk tremendously, not surprising given the shift in the neighborhood from Conservative to Orthodox Jewish.
For most of the service, I was the youngest person there (and I'm 50!). And I don't think the place has had a paint job since we moved away in 1975! Unfortunately, all of its Torah scrolls were stolen only a week before. One wonders how long the place will last as a Conservative synagogue. The shul needs an infusion of youthful members and money.

Then again, that so many things have remained the same was somehow refreshing: they still use the Silverman prayer book (now two generations old) and the melodies have, for the most part, remained unchanged. And the photos of Rabbi Kirshblum, Dr. Kutin and teachers like Mr. Agranovich bring back many memories.

Walking to Continental to pick up a cab, I noticed that Angelo's is still there. And there is a Kosher Subway's (closed for the Sabbath, of course). Didn't eat at Angelo's, though; when I go to NY, it is virtually a religious requirement to eat at White Castle, there's one in Elmhurst.

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Permalink Reply by Ruben G. Perlmutter on September 5, 2008 at 1:56pm

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The Torahs have been Found.

"Police arrested a maintenance worker at the Jewish Center of Kew Gardens Hills in Queens, New York and an alleged accomplice on Thursday in connection with the disappearance of eight Torah scrolls from the synagogue in August. The two have been charged with criminal possession of stolen property.

"Police have recovered the Torahs, which are valued at around $500,000. Many of the congregants are Holocaust survivors, and the Torahs had been dedicated to their families."

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Permalink Reply by Howard Goldman on September 5, 2008 at 2:02pm

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Outstanding!

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Permalink Reply by Stewart Koenig on October 9, 2008 at 12:13am

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I come down to KGH numerous times a year from Syracuse to see the Mets and NEVER miss going to Angelo's. Angelo is gone but his son is there and it's the exact same cheese oizza. Nothing like it!

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Permalink Reply by Andrea Brandon Gelb on October 22, 2008 at 12:24am

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My parents are still members of KGH. It's sad to see how its membership has shrunk. Luckily, the torah scrolls were recovered. Apparently, it was the janitor. The state of conservative Judaism is not good on the south shore of LI where I live. I am a member of Merrick J.C. where Rabbi Charles Klein has been our Rabbi for over 25 years. (He used to work at KGH.) Our temple has been able to hold its own so far, but many other conservative temples have merged or are contemplating merger. Apparently, many conservative Jews do not feel that it is important to affiliate with synagagues and drop their memberships after the kids are bar mitzvahed. In addition, Chabad has moved into the area whose offer of free membership tends to undermine an established Jewish community with seven synagogues. Demographics on the south shore has also been changing.

Many years later, I can really appreciate all that KGH taught us. Mr. Agranovich, Dr. Kutner and others really provided us with an excellent Hebrew education. Remember the plays we used to put on? That room with the stage and basketball hoops was huge. My synagogue would love to have a space like that for its youth programs.

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Permalink Reply by Ruben G. Perlmutter on September 20, 2013 at 12:56pm

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Hi Andrea. Nothing like replying to this chain 5 years later. So, as a member of Merrick JC do you see Charlie Skop from JCKGH but not PS164? I went to a service at Merrick JC a couple of years ago (I was visiting next town over, Belmore) and saw him. I hear that bnei mitzvot are off 50% over the last 2 years. Fortunately, I belong to a growing, vibrant Conservative shul - solely because of demographics. Many younger Jews are moving from the NE to Dallas, where I live (more jobs, lower costs, higher quality of life) - and our community, particularly the group 1/2 to 1 generation younger is bringing life and activity to the shul. We also have numerous Mexican and South African Jews who, though Orthodox by birth, are active participants. There are 3-4 Chabads that do cut into our membership (and that of other shuls), but we manage (although it's always difficult to make ends meet). But I am worried about the next generation. The shul Hebrew School is not what ours was - children have other things to do (and parents don't establish Jewish studies as a priority), and it's difficult to get kids to come 3 times a week (let alone the 4 times a week we went to JCKGH). Unfortunately, they emerge barely reading Hebrew, not speaking any of it (frankly, we didn't learn to speak Hebrew at JCKGH at more than a first grade level; we learned to speed read the Siddur - which has actually been an invaluable skill for me), and not knowing enough about our history, culture or ritual practice.

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Permalink Reply by Stewart Koenig on June 3, 2009 at 1:53pm

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White Castle is a chain and can be found here and there. You can even purchase frozen WC hamburgers. BUT!!! -- there is only one Angelo's. I live in Syracuse and come down for Mets games and almost always go to Angelos. Of course there is nothing like it in Syracuse but it has to be among the best in NYC as well. I think Angelo's son maintains the tradition. The receipe for cheese pizza is the same as when I first had it (for a quarter a slice) in the 1960s and it's spectacular!. They have great pizza with lots of stuff on it, but as a friend of mine said when I broght her to Andgelo's, "You can cover up any pizza with loads of extras but excellent cheese pizza is hard to find, and this is wonderful."

It would be weird to walk into JCKGH after almost 40 years. The neighborhood has changed so much, I imagine Conservative Jews are hard to come by. I've even gone Reform.

Wow - I am getting old. I just realized I replied to this 7 months ago. Oh well this is a bit more detailed.

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Permalink Reply by Janet R. Perlmutter/Schwartz on June 3, 2009 at 2:27pm

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LOL! A Senior Moment? :-)

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Permalink Reply by Paul Rubinfeld on June 3, 2009 at 8:51pm

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I read the update on the Jewish Center of KGH with a mixture of nostalgia and sadness. I attended Hebrew School for 6 years and my parents coerced me into finishing the Hebrew school year after my February, 1958 Bar Mitzvah. Once I left home I fled from Conservative Judaism, nor did a find a "home" in the Reform movement. Long after moving to San Francisco I "returned" to Judaism. I never found a spiritual dimension in Conservative Judaism. IMHO this is why Conservative Judaism is fading. Religious was more about technique instead of intention. We sat in the pews and watched the Rabbi and Cantor. The richness of the concept of Tikkun Olam was not discussed. I don't think I am alone, read Michael Lerner's book "Jewish Renewal," specifically the research he cites. All this said JCKGH was a great asset to the community.

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Permalink Reply by Estelle Zatania nee Ansorge on June 4, 2009 at 12:08pm

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When my parents passed away, the house I grew up in, located at 141-39 73rd Avenue, was torn down and a synagogue was built in its place. This is just around the corner from the Main St. movie theater.

Estelle Ansorge

JCKGH -- Jewish Center of Kew Gardens Hills

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