Bialystoker Synagogue

The Bialystoker Synagogue is the oldest building currently serving as a synagogue in all of New York City. It was constructed in 1826 as the Willett Street Methodist Episcopal Church, a purpose that is still visible in its architecture. The structure is built from Manhattan schist, a hard, durable stone excavated from a quarry that once operated nearby on Pitt Street. It is one of only four surviving religious buildings from the late Federal period in Lower Manhattan, giving it a rare, stark appearance that stands out from the surrounding urban landscape.