3. Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester

Photo by Ronni Diamondstein

Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester is a Reform Jewish congregation in Chappaqua, New York. Founded in 1949, the synagogue building was designed by Louis Kahn and was the only one of his synagogue designs that was ever built. Kahn was commissioned to create the synagogue in 1966, and plans were completed six years later.

The building was modeled after the wooden synagogues of Eastern Europe that were destroyed during the Holocaust. The synagogue was made of poured concrete, wood, and glass, and it contains a light-filled lobby connected to a newly added structure that includes six classrooms, a large library, a social hall, a pre-function room, and a kitchen. The synagogue also offers a view of the lush Chappaqua landscape.