History
Our synagogue is an active Conservative center for religious life, Jewish education, and community outreach and involvement.
The Conservative Synagogue of Riverdale was founded in 1954 with Rabbi Max Kadushin serving as its first rabbi. Significantly, the first building to be erected by the new congregation was its Hebrew school. In 1962, a new sanctuary, designed by renowned architect Percival Goodman, was dedicated and the community started to grow.
In 1973, the Conservative Synagogue merged with Adath Israel of the Grand Concourse, one of New York City's greatest Conservative institutions. When the two joined, a plaque was dedicated that still conveys the spirit of CSAIR: "We loved our house of worship. It enriched our lives and uplifted our souls."
In 2003, on the Jubilee Anniversary, CSAIR launched a community-wide Capital and Endowment Campaign to help ensure a sound financial future for the new flourishing of what was formerly the oldest synagogue in the Bronx. We now worship in a beautifully renewed sanctuary, where people enter through a handsome, handicapped-accessible entrance to enjoy the thriving Jewish life inside.
Our Neighborhood
Riverdale is a relatively small neighborhood along the western edge of the Bronx, running along the Hudson River, east to the Harlem River and north to the Westchester County line. The nearly 50,000 residents here represent different ages, religions, races, and backgrounds. The greater Riverdale Jewish community, consisting of ten synagogues, really is a community, with people from different shuls regularly collaborating, cooperating, and living together.
We'd be happy to share more with you about our community. If you would like to visit us, please let us know by calling the office so that we can offer Shabbat hospitality or a weekday tour. Find out more about us by browsing this web site or by calling us at 718-543-8400 ext. 0.
Visiting Riverdale?
If you are planning to visit Riverdale and would like to find out about attending services at CSAIR, hosting for a Shabbat lunch, or home hospitality during your visit, please let us help you.
Join us for the High Holidays
New to Riverdale? Visiting for the High Holidays? Please consider joining us at services on Rosh Hashanah and/or Yom Kippur.
For more information, contact CSAIR's office at 718.543.8400 ext. 0 or info@csair.org.
Thu, November 21 2024 20 Cheshvan 5785