Iconic Stanton Street Synagogue Crowdfunding to Pay for Sandy Damages

Count the Stanton Street Synagogue amongst the ever-growing list of Hurricane Sandy victims. Just a few short months after being awarded $30,000 in grant money from the New York Landmarks Conservancy, the century-old icon reportedly took on “severe water damage.” Apparently there was already a leak in the ceiling, and the storm totally exacerbated the issue. Enter Lucky Ant to help in the time of need.

The Stanton Street Synagogue just announced a month-long partnership with the crowdfunding website. Its goal is to collect $10,000 to help “preserve and restore” this historic building at 180 Stanton. Money raised during this campaign will also go toward securing the payout from the aforementioned award. The caveat here being that it’s a matching Heritage Grant. Meaning, the Stanton Shul needs to raise $30,000 to receive that extra cash from the Conservancy itself.

Donation amounts are in multiples of “18,” a number deemed highly spiritual in Jewish tradition (letters in the hebrew word for “life” add up to 18).

Erected in 1913, the Stanton Shul is one of the few surviving “tenement synagogues” here in the city. For perspective, there were 700 such houses of worship in 1918.