Riverdale Jewish Center

Riverdale Jewish Center
Riverdale Jewish Center
Religion
Affiliation	Modern Orthodox Judaism
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Synagogue
Leadership	Rabbi Dovid Zirkind; Rabbi Tzvi Benoff (Assistant Rabbi);
Status	Active
Location
Location	3700 Independence Avenue, Riverdale, The Bronx, New York City, New York 10463
Country	United States
	Location in the Bronx
Geographic coordinates	40°53′17″N 73°54′46″W / 40.88806°N 73.91278°W
Architecture
Founder	Yeshiva University
Date established	1954 (as a congregation)
Website
	rjconline.org

The Riverdale Jewish Center, abbreviated as RJC, is a Modern Orthodox synagogue located at 3700 Independence Avenue, in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx, New York City, New York, United States.^[1]

History

The synagogue was founded by the Communal Services Division of Yeshiva University and has always identified itself as a bastion of that institution.^{[citation needed]}

Its rabbis included its founder Jacob Sable, Irving Greenberg, Yehezkel Hartmann, Joshua Shmidman, Abner Weiss, and Jonathan Rosenblatt.^[2]^[3]

In May 2015, the New York Times claimed that Rosenblatt had a history (in the 1980s and 1990s) of inviting teenage boys to play squash or racquetball often accompanied by sitting in a sauna naked together.^[4] There were no allegations of sexual touching or criminal conduct;^[5] and Rosenblatt retained his position as rabbi of the RJC.^[6]^[7]

The Senior Rabbi is Rabbi Dovid Zirkind and the assistant rabbi is Rabbi Tzvi Benoff.^[8]^{[self-published source?]}

The charter school Atmosphere Academy uses part of the building during the week for 8th grade classes.^{[citation needed]}

Attacks on the synagogue

In the 2009 New York City bomb plot the New York City Police Department foiled a plot by American Muslims to bomb the synagogue.^[9] On May 30, 2009, New York Governor David Paterson announced he would give the Center and the Riverdale Reform Temple $25,000 each to improve their security.^[10]

In 2021, the synagogue was subject to vandalism, including rocks thrown through the synagogue's windows.^[11]^[12]

Notable members

Irving Greenberg^{[citation needed]}
Joseph Lieberman^{[citation needed]}

References

^ Freedman, Samuel G. (May 30, 2009). "Two Rabbis Find They're Separated Only by Doctrine". The New York Times.
^ Ohlheiser, Michelle; Boorstein, Abby; Larimer, Sarah (November 18, 2014). "American victims of synagogue attack include rabbi from 'family of princes'". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
^ "RJC: Rabbi Rosenblatt to Step Down". The Jewish Link of Bronx, Westchester & Connecticut. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
^ Newman, Andy; Otterman, Sharon (May 29, 2015). "Debate over the Rabbi and the Sauna". The New York Times.
^ Shahrigian, Shant (March 2, 2016). "DA found no criminal conduct by Rabbi Rosenblatt". The Riverdale Press. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
^ Newman, Andy (June 29, 2015). "Rabbi Who Had Naked Chats in Sauna Intends to Keep His Job at Riverdale Jewish Center". The New York Times. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
^ Yoffie, Eric H. (August 21, 2015). "By Keeping 'Naked Sauna' Rabbi, Riverdale Jewish Center Is Failing Its Community". Haaretz. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
^ "Leadership". Riverdale Jewish Center. n.d. Retrieved December 26, 2022.^{[self-published source?]}
^ Hernandez, Javier C.; Chan, Sewell (May 21, 2009). "N.Y. Bomb Plot Suspects Acted Alone, Police Say". The New York Times.
^ "Targeted Bronx synagogues to get security funds". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. June 2, 2009. Archived from the original on May 10, 2012.
^ "Bronx synagogue vandal strikes again at Riverdale Jewish Center". The Jerusalem Post. April 27, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
^ Silow-Carroll, Andrew (April 28, 2021). "Bronx synagogue vandal strikes Riverdale Jewish Center in latest attack". The Times of Israel. Retrieved December 8, 2023.

External links

Official website

[Freedman-1] Freedman, Samuel G. (May 30, 2009). "Two Rabbis Find They're Separated Only by Doctrine". The New York Times.

[2] Ohlheiser, Michelle; Boorstein, Abby; Larimer, Sarah (November 18, 2014). "American victims of synagogue attack include rabbi from 'family of princes'". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved March 29, 2016.

[3] "RJC: Rabbi Rosenblatt to Step Down". The Jewish Link of Bronx, Westchester & Connecticut. Retrieved March 29, 2016.

[4] Newman, Andy; Otterman, Sharon (May 29, 2015). "Debate over the Rabbi and the Sauna". The New York Times.

[5] Shahrigian, Shant (March 2, 2016). "DA found no criminal conduct by Rabbi Rosenblatt". The Riverdale Press. Retrieved March 30, 2016.

[6] Newman, Andy (June 29, 2015). "Rabbi Who Had Naked Chats in Sauna Intends to Keep His Job at Riverdale Jewish Center". The New York Times. Retrieved December 8, 2023.

[7] Yoffie, Eric H. (August 21, 2015). "By Keeping 'Naked Sauna' Rabbi, Riverdale Jewish Center Is Failing Its Community". Haaretz. Retrieved December 8, 2023.

[8] "Leadership". Riverdale Jewish Center. n.d. Retrieved December 26, 2022.^{[self-published source?]}

[9] Hernandez, Javier C.; Chan, Sewell (May 21, 2009). "N.Y. Bomb Plot Suspects Acted Alone, Police Say". The New York Times.

[10] "Targeted Bronx synagogues to get security funds". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. June 2, 2009. Archived from the original on May 10, 2012.

[11] "Bronx synagogue vandal strikes again at Riverdale Jewish Center". The Jerusalem Post. April 27, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2023.

[12] Silow-Carroll, Andrew (April 28, 2021). "Bronx synagogue vandal strikes Riverdale Jewish Center in latest attack". The Times of Israel. Retrieved December 8, 2023.

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