gallin Remembrance of Synagogues Past - The Lost Civilization of the Jewish South Bronx
Synagogue Organized Dedicated
Hunts Point Chevra Bikur Cholim 1929 1934


Non-Synagogue Type
Iglesia Pentacostal Casa de Dios church


823 Faile
at Lafayette
Bronx, NY 10474
The building is currently a church.


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Personal Impressions

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Temple Bikur Cholim was on Faile Street between Gilbert Place and Lafayette Avenue. It was an orange-bricked building, 2 floor, with an iron staircase on the outside leading to the Junior Congregation Service upstairs.


Rabbi Gorelick was our rabbi; a Rabbi Goldman used to assist in Hebrew School. I remember that Mr. Lifshitz was our Hebrew School teacher and that a Mr. Newman was a volunteer helping us incorrigibles at the service. I was one of those incorrigibles.


I was Bar Mitzvahed at the shul on Thursday, May 3, 1934 - with no formal lessons on how to read the haftorah. The reason it was on a Thursday was that my grandfather died less than two months before. So, promptly after the First Minyan was over, at 8:00 A.M., I walked to James Monroe High School about half an hour late for class, but happy. There was no such thing as a fancy bar mitzvah at that time. Sponge cake and honey cake were the prizes that morning.