Jewish Lower East Side — Synagogues, Tenements, Schools

Saturday June 14, 2025 —11 am - 1:30 pm
Manhattan

How to Find Us: Meet outside the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, 97-103 Orchard Street (southwest corner of Delancey Street). Nearest subway stations are Grand Street for the D train and Delancey Street/Essex Street for the F, J, M and Z trains. Toilets are available in the museum's basement. We’ll stop for lunch (bring your own) around noon in M'Finda Kalunga Garden (Rivington Street between Chrystie and Forsyth Streets). Toilets are also available in the Seward Park Public Library (around 12:45 pm).

Details: Limited to 25 walkers. $5 for non-members of the Outdoors Club.

NOTE: This walk focuses on the Jewish presence in the Lower East Side south of Houston Street — not to be confused with the East Village. We’ll view several current and former synagogues, as well as some of the neighborhood’s tenements that housed generations of Jewish and gentile immigrants. Schools and settlement houses are also on the route, along with sites associated with other immigrant groups — and with today’s hipster residents.
The walk will cover about four miles because some of the stops are a few blocks away from one another. Those preferring a shorter distance can leave the walk at the Museum at Eldridge Street, which is closed on Saturdays. We'll reach there around 12:30 pm. Energetic walkers can continue with me to view additional historic sites. We end at Saint Mary’s Church, 438 Grand Street. It’s a few blocks from the Delancey Street/Essex Street station for the F, J, M and Z trains.

Kevin J Kelley
802-989-1669