Former Members Rescue Synagogue Memorial Plaques
Volunteers are working to recover 320 memorial plaques from a former Bronx synagogue before construction is completed.
Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Judaism
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Former members of the Kingsbridge Center of Israel are systematically removing 320 memorial plaques from their former synagogue building in the Bronx. The effort aims to preserve these historic markers and return them to the families of the deceased following the building's recent sale.
Why it matters
The project ensures that decades of community history are not lost or discarded during the renovation of the site for a new owner. Returning these objects allows families to maintain a physical connection to their ancestors.
The recovered collection consists of 320 brown metal plaques featuring gold-lettered inscriptions in English and Hebrew. These items, found at 3115 Corlear Ave, represent deaths dating from 1899 through 2020.
The players
Fred Smith
An 83-year-old former member of the Kingsbridge Center of Israel who is currently leading the physical recovery of the memorial plaques.
Richard Baum
An 82-year-old Manhattan resident and former congregant assisting in the manual extraction and documentation of the synagogue artifacts.
Grace Tabernacle
The religious organization that purchased the building at 3115 Corlear Ave in May 2026 and is overseeing its transition and construction.
The details
Volunteers Fred Smith and Richard Baum are manually unscrewing the plaques from the sanctuary walls and organizing them into cardboard boxes for storage. A comprehensive spreadsheet has been established to track the names and details of the deceased to facilitate the return process to surviving relatives.
Timeline
1899 is the earliest date inscribed on a memorial plaque.
Memorial plaque dates span from 1899 through the 1970s, with one outlier from 2020.
Grace Tabernacle completed the purchase of the building in May 2026.
Active removal of the plaques is occurring throughout October 2026.
Culture Shift
The recovery effort reflects a broader societal push to honor ancestral heritage as legacy religious properties transition to new owners. It highlights the tension between preserving community history and the inevitable repurposing of aging urban infrastructure.
Residents and former members may reach out to the volunteer group to inquire about specific plaques associated with their families. The recovery process ensures these personal artifacts are preserved rather than lost to construction demolition.
The takeaway
This effort demonstrates the importance of documenting community artifacts before a building changes ownership. Families interested in reclaiming heirlooms should prioritize reaching out to former congregation leadership immediately.
Further reading
Learn more about local religious heritage and preservation efforts on the New York City Judaism section page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Riverdale Press.
Live Poll
Is it important to physically preserve memorial plaques from closed community or religious sites?
