3. The Synagogue Faces West Instead of East
Synagogues are usually oriented to face Jerusalem, so in New York City, the prevailing direction should be east. However, Central Synagogue faces west. Like all things New York City, this was a real estate decision. “We wanted that plot of land,” says Goldberger. There may have been pressure from the construction of Temple Emanu-El, an impressive Moorish style synagogue which was located at 43rd and 5th Avenue, also designed by Fernbach. The surrounding area near the future Central Synagogue site had a sizable German-speaking population, so the synagogue hedged its bets.
The real estate deal was too hard to turn down and it was determined that it would be best to still keep the entrance along Lexington Avenue. And so, the ark was put on the east wall with the congregants facing west. “We towered over everything that was in this neighborhood. Clearly, we no longer tower over anything,” jokes Goldberger.
The reverse orientation of the synagogue is just one among several elements that makes Central Synagogue part of the Jewish reform movement. In the early days of the synagogue, services were done in German and were shortened to make it more accessible to the local population, and later services were conducted in English. The traditional separation between the clergy and congregants was removed and the pews in the front section of the synagogue are angled 45 degrees towards the front to provide a greater sense of community. In the last ten to fifteen years, another shift has taken place where Hebrew is spoken in the prayers and blessings.
