Photo Courtesy of the Church of the Resurrection
The Church of the Resurrection, on 118th Street between 85th and Hillside avenues, will be open to the public on May 20 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
By Forum Staff
Several borough religious institutions are set to open their doors to the general public next weekend to provide visitors a glimpse inside many of the state’s churches and synagogues, and an opportunity to view the artistic treasures of many faiths, styles, and periods.
On Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21, more than 60 sites in the five boroughs and over 150 statewide will participate in the New York Landmarks Conservancy’s 7th annual Sacred Sites Open House Weekend. In addition to the art, architecture, and history, congregations will also showcase the cultural and social service programs they provide the wider community with special tours, concerts, food fairs and other events.
As of Wednesday, the 10 Queens congregations participating in the Open House Weekend include, among others:
• Church of the Resurrection: 85-09 118th St. (Between 85th and Hillside avenues), Kew Gardens, May 20, 1 – 4 p.m.
According to the NYLC, as the oldest church in the Kew Gardens/Richmond Hill neighborhood, the church was founded by members who had migrated from the city when the new railroad station was established. In December 1874, architect Henry Dudley designed the small wooden frame church in the Gothic style for the newly incorporated Church of the Resurrection that remains the core of the existing building. Special, pre-booked guided tours: Saturday, May 20 at 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m.
• Rego Park Jewish Center: 97-30 Queens Blvd., Rego Park, May 20, 12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. and May 21, 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
According to the Landmarks Conservancy, the Rego Park Jewish Center was designed by Newark architects Frank Grad & Sons in 1946, and dedicated in 1948, formally opening in 1949. Grad (1883-1968) designed a number of major institutional buildings in Newark and Trenton, as well as the Essex House Hotel on Central Park South. The Jewish Center appears to be modeled on the Bauhaus-influenced European synagogues of the 1930s, in particular, the Oberstrasse synagogue built for a Reform congregation in Hamburg in 1931. The center will be open on Sunday, May 21 with a lecture by Rabbi Romiel Daniel from 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Additionally, the Sacred Sites Open House boasts a special Flushing landmark walking tour. The free event will begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 21 at the Friends Meeting House on Northern Boulevard. Participants will then visit St. George’s Episcopal Church on 38th Avenue; the Free Synagogue of Flushing on Sanford Avenue; and, time permitting, the Bowne Street Community Church.
For more information, visit sacredsitesopenhouse.org.
