OUR HISTORY
“It is not your duty to complete the work; neither are you free to desist from it.” - Pirke Avot 2:21
Brooklyn Heights Synagogue original entrance
Letter from Belle & Rubin Huffman
1959
In the fall of 1959 Rubin and Belle Huffman invited several people to their home to discuss establishing a synagogue in Brooklyn Heights. Twenty people attended. A second meeting brought together one hundred fifty enthusiastic and committed Jews, drawn from many different strains of Judaism. Thus, the groundwork was laid to establish the first synagogue in Brooklyn Heights. The first service was held on the first night of Chanukah, December 25, 1959, at the First Unitarian Church on Monroe Place. The Brooklyn Heights Synagogue was incorporated as a religious corporation one month later on January 25, 1960.
Belle & Rubin Huffman
1960s
For its first fifteen years, the synagogue was manifest only in the coming together of its members. Rapidly the synagogue developed a religious school, adult education programs, a pre-school, youth groups, and a Sisterhood. The congregation had no home of its own and was graciously welcomed in an ecumenical spirit into various churches in the neighborhood for services and programs. These included the Unitarian Church, First Presbyterian, Grace Episcopal, Spencer Memorial and, later, Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims which remains our ‘home for the holy days.’ BHS without a home was a state of mind and an aspiration of our efforts and activities, its members dedicated to creating an active religious community while searching for a home.
In 1963 the congregation acquired its first Torah scroll. Over the years BHS has acquired additional Torah scrolls, and more than 40 years after the congregation acquired its first scroll, BHS members acquired and lovingly restored a small Russian Torah scroll and brought it as a gift to a Jewish congregation in Lipetsk, Russia.
BHS Sisterhood
1970s
In 1974 the congregation found a home of its own at 117 Remsen Street, originally a Victorian-style mansion built in the 1850s. The members pitched in and provided expertise and labor to renovate the brownstone. The building was dedicated as the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue on September 8, 1974.
For nearly a decade after, the congregation operated with part-time rabbis, and cantorial soloists, among them Marion Cohen, in whose memory our Gift Shop is named. It took a huge amount of volunteer work to keep the congregation going and growing. Among the most ardent supporters and volunteers were the women of the Sisterhood.
1980s
In 1983 Brooklyn Heights Synagogue hired its first full-time spiritual leader, Rabbi Rick Jacobs (now president of the Union for Reform Judaism). Many of the programs and activities that have come to define BHS were launched in the 1980s. To live out its commitment to Tikkun Olam, in 1982 the congregation launched the homeless shelter that still continues today through every winter season. In 1987, the first prayer and study Chavurah met; and the first Tot Shabbat was held in 1989. Under the leadership of its first principal, Hara Person, now Rabbi Hara Person (and currently the Chief Executive of the Conference of American Rabbis) the Religious School flourished and doubled in size.
1990s
In 1991 Rabbi Sue Ann Wasserman became the second full-time spiritual leader to serve the members of BHS. The spirit and energy of the congregation attracted many new members. Soon the congregation was bursting at the seams with overflow at services, and the need for a larger home for its growing membership and activities became evident. BHS had grown to more than 200 families and member units.
When the Brooklyn Club at 131 Remsen Street became available in the spring of 1994, BHS mounted its first-ever capital campaign, and even before formal solicitations were started, significant pledges were made. A tremendous amount of work was required to transform 131 into our spiritual home, much of which was performed by congregants. The first mezuzah was hung on January 8, 1995, and 131 Remsen was dedicated, appropriately, on the first night of Chanukah, December 17, 1995. In 1996, Rabbi Wasserman decided to leave the congregational rabbinate; and in 1997 Rabbi Serge Lippe came to BHS as our current spiritual leader.
The 1990s saw BHS’ programs and activities expand again with the launching of interfaith programs, a book and film group, and a tradition of cultural programs that today includes lectures and concerts. BHS’ involvement with the wider Reform movement increased as BHS congregants began serving on URJ regional and national boards (which continues today).
Rabbi Serge Lippe with one of his first Bar Mitzvah students
2000s
The first decade of the 2000s saw yet more growth and evolution at BHS. In 2002, the congregation launched a Preschool, now thriving and fully subscribed, that has attracted many young families to BHS. An annual trip to Israel for ninth grade religious school students was initiated. BHS participated actively in the Re-Imagine Project for Jewish learning. The congregation established Beit Chaverim, a burial section available to members and their families at Maimonides Cemetery in Elmont, NY. Because of the generosity of the late Irving Weissler, BHS was also able to establish a small endowment. During this period, BHS began to draw many members not just from Brooklyn Heights but from many brownstone Brooklyn and lower Manhattan neighborhoods. By 2003, membership had passed 300, and, by 2010, BHS was comprised of more than 380 member units.
BHS Preschool
In 2010 the congregation celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special Jubilee celebration at Steiner Studios. Two years later, in 2012 when 127 Remsen St. (the building next door to our current home) became available the congregation through its first real capital campaign and a bequest from the late Irving Weissler, purchased the building. In 2017, the New Heights capital campaigned was launched and a multi-year planning process to join the two buildings into one began in earnest.
In 2019, Cantor Ayelet Porzecanski became the full time cantor of BHS. With her beautiful voice and dynamic personality, she quickly became a vital part of the congregation. Her deep experience as a Cantor and her focus on education and Torah helped to shape the continued growth of our congregation. The Preschool and Religious School experienced significant growth during this decade. Our social justice committee, membership committee, and many of the groups that we have in place today grew their membership and the founders vision for a thriving active community was fully realized.
2010s
Israel Trip
Associate Rabbi Bailey Romano
Rabbi Lippe Silver Celebration
By 2020 BHS was ready to undertake the construction project of merging two buildings into one larger home. While COVID paused the project for one full year, in the spring of 2021 we were able to start constructing our new home. Over the course of the next two years, engineers, architects, and construction personnel transformed and co-joined two buildings into one. This bigger home we imagined has dedicated space for our preschool and clergy, our educators, and a large social event space for Jewish holiday celebrations, lifecycle events and other gatherings. We also have a much bigger outdoor space for our preschool and member events, and worship services when the weather is nice. Our multipurpose room where we accommodate our shelter guests also was rennovated. In just a few years time since our reopening the building has been able to accommodate significantly more programming and it has allowed for continued growth to meet our members’ needs.
In 2022, we celebrated Rabbi Serge Lippe’s 25th Silver Anniversary with an overflowing crowd at Liberty Warehouse. The event, was not only successful as a major fundraiser for BHS, but was a testament to the strength of the community and the formidable ties that Rabbi Lippe has created among our membership in his two plus decades as our Senior Rabbi.
In 2023, we welcomed Associate Rabbi Romano to BHS. She works closely with our ECE and Religious School staff, supports our teens by teaching in Hebrew High and supports our teen youth group, BHGSY. Rabbi Romano also helps families connect with each other through B’Mitzvah family programs, Shabbat B’Yachad services, and more.
With more than 520 member families, 220 Religious School students, and 115 Preschool students, we are a thriving community with a very bright future and we share a commitment to becoming more, always more.
Much of the early history in this section is from our Jubilee booklet published for the event.