{"nrhp_refnum":"04000293","name":"Magen David Synagogue","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"2017 67th St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Brooklyn","county":"Brooklyn","state":"NY","lat":40.614995373000056,"lon":-73.98624956699996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2004-04-15","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["European","Religion","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story neo-Romanesque Revival synagogue at 2017 67th Street in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, built in 1920-1921 and designed by Maurice Courland. The property also includes a 1925 brick school building and a ca. 1920 three-story house.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the synagogue is architecturally significant as an intact, representative example of early twentieth-century synagogue design in New York City. It is also historically significant for ethnic heritage and religion as the first synagogue built for New York's Syrian-Jewish community, still regarded as the community's \"mother\" synagogue.","narrative":"Built in 1920-1921 in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, this brick synagogue was designed by Maurice Courland for the Magen David Congregation, formed by Syrian Jews who moved from Manhattan's Lower East Side and Williamsburg. The two-story building rises from a granite basement and features Flemish-bond brickwork, round-headed stained glass windows, stone details, and a red tile roof with a star at its peak. Egyptian-style motifs above the entrance recall the Middle Eastern origins of the congregation and architect. Inside, the sanctuary keeps its original pews, stained glass, beamed ceiling, and a balcony with theater-style folding seats. A 1925 school building and a house acquired in 1952 for morning prayer complete the property. It was recognized as an intact example of early twentieth-century synagogue design and for its role as the first synagogue built for New York's Syrian-Jewish community. Many members have since moved away, yet the building remains a gathering place, including for funerals.","period_of_significance":"1920-1952","architect_builder":"Courland, Maurice","architectural_style":"Late 19th & 20th Century Revivals: neo-Romanesque Revival","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Still in use as a synagogue and school; the house is used for morning prayers. The building is also the location of funerals for community members.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:51:52.765421-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/04000293.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/04000293/d1b995cb9e-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/04000293/d1b995cb9e-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Smallbones","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Magen_David_Brooklyn.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Smallbones</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Magen_David_Brooklyn.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75318443","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magen_David_Synagogue_(Brooklyn)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6730094"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/new-york/brooklyn/magen-david-synagogue-04000293/"}