Mikdash Eliyahu prior to expansion
Within a few years of its founding, there was a need for a major expansion to fit all of the congregants. Murray became part of a luxury condominium complex and using funds from the sale of these condos, Mr. Dweck's plan was to build a structure that was more than triple the size of the original synagogue. The community has responded with support for both the condos, and of course the expansion of the synagogue. The New York Times wrote a piece on this development, praising the ingenuity of integrating residential and religious edifices. This is
a tribute to the Syrian Jewish community – a community that dedicates itself to Torah, while at the same time possessing unparalleled resourcefulness and creativity.
Today, under the leadership of Rabbi Dr. Raymond Harari, Rabbi Avi Harari and president
Eli M. Dweck, Mikdash Eliyahu is home to hundreds of
families, provides daily classes, has world renowned Hazzanim leading the Slah,
a booming young adult minyan, an ever-growing father-son minyan and a Shabbat girls program that attracts dozens. May we only see more growth in the future.
The story of Mikdash Eliyahu, established October 1998, is a good example of how the Syrian Jewish Community functions at its best. It starts with Mr. Murray Dweck, who would occasionally attend an Ashkenaz synagogue on East 3rd Street on a snowy Friday night. Surprised to see that this minyan was half Sephardic, Mr. Dweck soon decided that there was a necessity for a new Syrian knis in the Gravesend area. This idea immediately found its supporters, among them Maney Douek, who was enthusiastic about the project from the start. Although there were the usual difficulties of raising funds and obtaining a property, the project eventually got off to a running start. By using his ingenuity in real estate to procure a lot, and with
the help of Ezra Massry who brought his family to start a daily minyan, Murray Dweck created a synagogue in the Syrian-Halabi tradition that is now thriving as a place of worship and study.
Mikdash Eliyahu is named after Eli F. Dweck A"H, the father of Murray. In many ways, the synagogue is a tribute to his memory. Living in Puerto Rico for 19 years, Mr.
Dweck faced the challenge of raising a family in a Catholic country with practically no Jews. Never wavering from his dedication to Judaism, he built a mikveh for his wife, brought in a mohel from America for each of his three sons, and built a succah every year. When the time came for his oldest child's Bar Mitzvah, Mr. Dweck decided to move to America where his sons could receive the proper Torah instruction. Mikdash Eliyahu continues this tradition of unwavering commitment to Judaism.
l-r Mr. Maney Douek, Rabbi Avraham Benhamu, Rabbi Nissim Elnekaveh, Mr. Eli M. Dweck, Mr. Murray Dweck
NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: GRAVESEND; A Recent Influx of Syrian Jews Alters a Neighborhood Yet Again
For decades, residents of Gravesend knew the building at the southeast corner of East Second Street and Avenue U as a place to gas up their cars. For six months, it was a place to eat. For the last three years, the one-story structure, whose large glass-paned bays still recall its automotive past, has been Mikdash Eliyahu, an Orthodox synagogue that serves the area's fast-growing Syrian Jewish community.
If synagogue elders have their way, the corner of this residential area is about to be radically altered yet again. As the congregation has swelled with a stream of immigrants from Syria and Lebanon, plans have been drawn up for a new synagogue to be built where the current one stands. At five stories, it would include not only space for a recreation room, classes for young people and a women's balcony (women are now separated from men by a wooden screen), but also 20 condominiums on the three upper floors.
''It hits the needs of this community in two different areas,'' said Stephen B. Jacobs, the project's architect. ''The congregation is expanding, and since it's an Orthodox community, there is a need for more housing within walking distance of the synagogue.''
The project would also help the synagogue financially. Sales of the apartments would help finance the costs of expansion.
Despite its unusual dual function, the synagogue would follow a traditional design for Sephardic synagogues.
''It has a central bimah,'' said Mr. Jacobs, referring to the raised platform from which the service is conducted. ''The torah is read in the middle of the house. That's the tradition in Italy, Greece and Spain as well as the Middle East.''
First, however, the city's Board of Standards and Appeals must rule on the new construction, which meets current height limits but would include more floor space than is allowed under the current zoning. Next month, Community Board 15 will vote on whether to approve the project. In January, the city is due to decide whether to allow the project to go forward.
Murray Dweck, who founded the synagogue in 1998, said attendance has swelled from 40 congregants to more than 100 families. ''There are 20 or 30 Syrian-Lebanese synagogues in Brooklyn, a dozen within walking distance of here,'' he said. ''They're all pretty full.''
Syrian Sephardim began arriving in New York in the early 1900's, moving from the Lower East Side to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, before migrating to Gravesend and Bay Parkway. Mr. Dweck's father, Eli, for whom the synagogue is named, arrived from Syria at 8, selling newspapers on the street to help his family.
Immigration in recent decades has made New York one of the world's largest Middle Eastern Sephardic communities. Mr. Dweck said that while only a few hundred Jews still live in Syria, New York City has about 25,000 Syrian Jews and 20,000 more from Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco and Iraq. Once they arrive, he said, ''Nobody moves out, so it grows pretty quickly.'' TARA BAHRAMPOUR
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LEARNING TORAH AT MIKDASH ELIYAHY
ON JANUARY 3RD, 2022, MIKDASH ELIYAHU CONGREGATION CELEBRATED A SIYUM OF MASEKHET ROSH HASHANAH. OVER 20 PEOPLE (OUT OF THE CLOSE TO 40 PARTICIPANTS) CAME TO TRASTEVERE FOR WORDS OF TORAH, DELICIOUS FOOD AND A NIGHT TO BOND WITH ONE ANOTHER. THIS MARKED THE CULMINATION OF LEARNING GEMARA EVERY MORNING WITH RABBI AVI HARARI FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
The night began with a speech from Rabbi Avi Harari, about what Rosh Hashahah is really all about. “If you think about it, the words Rosh and Hashanah are an oxymoron,” he said. “Shanah, in the simplest sense of the word, means to repeat something. If something is repeating itself, it has neither a beginning nor an end. It’s cyclical in nature. If this is the case, how can it have a “Rosh,” a head? Instead of envisioning the year as time that just repeats itself, without any change—from the very first Mishnah in the book we learn that you must inject within the cyclical nature of life something different on a consistent basis.” Meaning, instead of just going to class, reading the words and going through the motions, one should try to find new Torah insights. His speech encouraged the attendees to think about how they can make their mark on Torah.
Following Rabbi Avi Harari, his father, Rabbi Dr. Raymond Harari spoke, reflecting on the growth of the synagogue over the past year since his son (Rabbi Avi) had joined. “It’s remarkable to look around the room and see just how many people have joined our synagogue. It’s thrilling to know that our synagogue is really taking its place as a center of learning, which is always what our vision was.” He exclaimed, “This is what we dreamt about.”
Mikdash Eliyahu President Eli Dweck then spoke briefly about the impact this class has on the synagogue as a whole. “When Rabbi Avi Harari joined the Mikdash Eliyahu family, one of our goals was to build upon our daily learning and to establish a daily Gemara class. As the Rabbi said, we expected it to need time to take off, but all you have to do is look around the table to see how many congregants quickly joined the daily learning at Mikdash Eliyahu. It’s a testament to the success of Rabbi Avi Harari and his leadership.”
Jeffrey Gindi, who sponsored the night in memory of his father Ralph S. Gindi A”H, said he felt Hashem blessed Mikdash Eliyahu with both Rabbi Raymond Harari, and more recently, Rabbi Avi Harari. He also discussed the impact that they have had on his personal life, and the exciting future he sees for the congregation. He expressed his sincere gratitude to all the participants of the class and credited them for being an inspiration for him to learn each morning.
After a delicious dinner, Morris Catton taught the last passage of the Gemara and read the final prayers on behalf of all. The group then presented Rabbi Avi Harari and his wife Zahava with gifts as a token of their appreciation for everything they do for the class, the synagogue and the community as a whole. “We know how much time you put into preparing lessons for us every morning. This is just a small token of our appreciation. Use it in good health and success,” said one of the participants as the gift was being presented.
For those who would like to join this Gemara group, they recently began Masekhet Sanhedrin. Classes are Monday through Friday at 6:30 a.m. in the social hall of the synagogue located at 400 Avenue U, followed by Shahrit at 7:10 a.m. Congratulations to all those who finished and may we see many more siyumim in the future
