New York City, New York story
A Symbol of Aspiration
On the Lower East Side, there's a building that stands as a testament to the hopes of immigrants. The Museum at Eldridge Street is housed in a restored synagogue built in 1887. It…
Read the story
On the Lower East Side, there's a building that stands as a testament to the hopes of immigrants. The Museum at Eldridge Street is housed in a restored synagogue built in 1887. It was the first great house of worship purpose-built by Eastern European Jewish immigrants in the United States.
For years, the building nearly fell to neglect, but a twenty-year, twenty-million-dollar restoration campaign brought it back to life. Today, visitors can see a monumental stained-glass window by Kiki Smith and Deborah Gans, reminding us that this space was born from the realized aspirations of a community finding its footing in a new land.
Updated June 2026