17 Eastern Pkwy., Brooklyn, New York. County/parish: Kings.
Added to the National Register of Historic Places May 18, 2015. NRIS 15000232.
1 contributing building.Also known as:
The Union Temple of Brooklyn was a Reform Jewish synagogue located at 17 Eastern Parkway between Underhill Avenue and Plaza Street East in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City, across the street from the Brooklyn Public Library, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Union Temple was the result of the merger of two nineteenth century congregations, K. K. Beth Elohim and Temple Israel. Most recently, the synagogue was led by Rabbi Stephanie Kolin.
The building was designed by Arnold Brunner and completed in 1929 as the community house for a planned temple next door, which was never built because of the Great Depression; the 11-story building has been used for the congregation's worship since, except, in the past, on High Holy Days, when the Brooklyn Academy of Music was utilized. In 1942, a theatre in the building was remodeled to be a sanctuary.
In 2015 the Union Temple building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2020 Union Temple engaged in merger talks with Congregation Beth Elohim, resulting in a merger on March 26, 2021.
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