Kesher Israel: The Georgetown Synagogue in Washington, D.C., announced plans for historic renovations of the building that has served as a staple of Orthodox Jewish life for locals and guests across the globe for decades as the lone full-service Orthodox synagogue downtown.
The synagogue has needed substantial upgrades for years, as the building has largely remained unchanged since it was built in 1931.
The synagogue has struggled for years to petition local government officials to allow new construction, as its Georgetown location subjects it to strict building codes.
That issue was compounded by the fact that to make substantial changes, Kesher Israel needed to buy a privately owned house next door. That was a lost cause for years until they finally raised enough money and had their offer heard in the spring of 2022, according to Aaron Tessler, a synagogue vice president and the de facto project manager.
“There have been conversations over the past probably 40 or 50 years with the homeowner to purchase that land and our requests for conversation and understanding were rebuffed for literally decades,” Tessler said.
Renovating was important because the synagogue lacked in space, had minimal accommodations for people with disabilities and didn’t have enough bathrooms or the safety and security features needed for a modern-day congregation.
Notably, the main sanctuary is located on the second floor, and there are no elevators or ramps for the disabled, according to Kesher’s head rabbi, Hyim Shafner.
“Buildings, I don’t believe, are the most important thing. What’s important is building community and the people. But at Kesher, it’s hard to welcome people because it’s so crowded,” Shafner said. “We like the sanctuary — there’s a lot of character — but everything else is really lacking. There’s no accessibility. The bathrooms aren’t sufficient. The social hall doesn’t have enough room, there’s no office space, there’s no rooms for study.”
The synagogue hired architect Steven Kleinrock in 2021 to conduct a feasibility study for potential changes, given the restrictions set out by regulatory bodies.
But despite that hiring, Tessler said that in various congregational meetings, people almost unanimously expected little or nothing from these efforts because of the regulations and a long history of unsuccessful renovation plans.
The purchase of the neighboring house kicked things into gear, and the team spent the next two years working on a plan that received final approval in early May.
“Now, we need to bring together our congregation, our city, our community, nationally and globally to say let’s really make this a reality,” Tessler said.
Despite the approval, the renovations won’t begin immediately, as the synagogue needs to fundraise a significant amount to afford the project and to find housing for services while the building is under construction — a process that could take about 18 months, Shafner estimated.
Shafner said that the fundraising will need to generate around $18 million before the plans become financially achievable. He said they’ve already gathered $5 million from a large donation.
“My feeling is that once we have 75-80% of what we’re totally trying to raise, we can really start building. I’m not an expert in these things, but that’s my sense of what a lot of people do,” Shafner said.
Once that goal is achieved, the hope for the renovations lies in improving the building, while maintaining its historic, intimate and important feel that has made it special to people.
“My driving consideration is that we don’t lose the sense of intimacy that we have which I think contributes considerably to the atmosphere of prayer,” David Epstein, a long-tenured member and former congregational president, said. “Hopefully, we’ll have the same flow of people coming in and wanting to be there because it’s a vibrant congregation.”
Shafner said Kesher Israel hosts thousands of tourists a year, and the synagogue’s status as the only full-service Orthodox synagogue downtown is why they didn’t want to move.
“Downtown Washington, D.C., is, in many ways, the center of the world. It’s the crossroads of the world. And it’s important to have Jewish representation there, an outpost of Jewish life there, and serious Jewish life where people coming through can be connected to their Jewish values and bring those Jewish values to their work in the world and their work for our nation,” Shafner said.
These changes will be crucial to Kesher maintaining that role and expanding its ability to provide the warm and welcoming environment that sits at the heart of what it stands for.
“It’s just vital for a synagogue that’s as old as ours, in this heart of the nation’s capital, to persevere in a healthy way, in a way that is safe, in a way that’s growth oriented, in a way that builds cohesive and joyous community,” Shafner said.