4. Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue
Kehila Kedosha Janina is a historic synagogue on 280 Broome Street between Allen and Eldridge streets. Built between 1925 and 1927, it is the only Romaniote rite synagogue in the Western Hemisphere. Romaniote Jews are one of the oldest Jewish communities in existence and spoke a distinct language called Judaeo-Greek at locations such as Thessaloniki, Corinth, Thebes and Preveza.
The congregation was founded in 1906 by Greek Jewish immigrants from Ioannina. Between the building’s erection and World War II, there were three rabbis in the synagogue, and on the High Holidays, there was often only standing room for synagogue services. However, the success of the Romaniote synagogue was quite short-lived, since many congregants moved to other boroughs and more northern parts of Manhattan. Today, the synagogue has about 5,000 members but struggles to assemble a minyan, or 10 people, for Shabbat services.
Kehila Kedosha Janina is rather unusual for a Romaniote synagogue since it runs from north to south with the ark on the north side as opposed to east to west. The bimah is in the center of the main sanctuary and not on the west wall. Men and women do sit separately, a common feature of Orthodox synagogues. The second-floor women’s gallery contains a museum with artifacts, exhibits and Judaica on Jewish life in Greece. The building’s brick exterior contains a number of Stars of David, the Ten Commandments and a centerpiece above the main doorway.