6. Spot the Original Stained Glass
Most of the original stained glass in Central Synagogue was replaced in the 1940s and 1970s or destroyed in the 1998 fire, but there are a few pieces remaining if you know where to look. First, there are three pieces above the ark. They had been covered up in World War II to avoid the building being targeted in air raids, much like other buildings with glass details such as the original Penn Station, the Ansonia Hotel, even the skylights of the now-decommissioned City Hall subway station. These three six-foot square stained glass pieces in Central Synagogue were rediscovered in a restoration. Another section of original stained glass is located in the stairwell between the ground level of the sanctuary and the balcony.
In the restoration after the fire, the northeast roundel in the sanctuary was recreated from glass salvaged from the fire and then dedicated to the firemen who saved the building. The main rose window, though not original to 1872, did survive the fire, with the firemen expertly piercing a hole through the center in order to get a hose through. “We were very, very lucky with the firefighters,” says Goldberger, “because they were very respectful. Our neighbors were so nice and allowed the firefighters on their balconies to shoot water [onto the synagogue].”
