Congregation Shaaray Tefila. West End Synagogue… Ceremony of Laying the Corner Stone.

The order of ceremonies include choral performances of Mah Tovu, English hymns, and prayers and addresses by New York area rabbis and dignitaries. A history of the congregation from its inception is included. Congregation Shaaray Tefila (“Gates of Prayer”) was founded in 1845. Over a period of many decades, shifts in the traditional service were introduced, and by 1921 it had fully journeyed away from Orthodoxy and joined the American Reform movement. Since 1958 the congregation has occupied a former theater, located at East 79th Street at the corner of 2nd Avenue.