New York/Temple Emanu-El

Temple Emanu-El

I spent two days photographing the Temple Emanu-El on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Although the main sanctuary of Temple Emanu-El is impressive because of the sheer volume of uninterrupted space, highly detailed mosaics and intricately patterned ceiling painting compete with the large architectural gestures.


Chapel ark and mosaics

Adjacent to the sanctuary is a smaller chapel featuring Moorish arches and columns. The gem-studded ark, mosaic arch, and Tiffany window above, are spectacular.


Chapel from organ loft

I climbed up to the organist's loft and framed a shot of the chapel's chandeliers through one of the cuttouts in the wall. It's my "Casablanca" shot I told the architect from Beyer Blinder Belle, the firm that led the restoration of the temple. The main sanctuary is open to the public, and tours of the synagogue are also available.

Official temple website
nyc-architecture.com