Young Israel of Teaneck

Young Israel of Teaneck is a thriving and modern Orthodox Jewish congregation and community. As such, the nature and location of this Synagogue presented a set of unique design opportunities for its 14,000 SF expansion.

An existing sanctuary space sits on the site, which is bounded by a residential street to the east and residential properties to the north and south. Following a series of design iterations to meet the programmatic needs of the growing congregation while also creating an appropriate architectural gesture to the neighborhood, the decision was made to expand to the west and horizontally in order to provide a new social hall on the ground level as well as youth rooms and a Beit Medrash in the cellar level. The new addition, which is clad in a blend of stone, prodema, and stucco, complements and enhances the existing structure.

The new expansion's defining feature is a two-lane glass-roofed Galleria with stone cladding that connects the old and new buildings, serving as a public street and meeting space for all of the synagogue's members and activities. The Galleria will incorporate and represent the materials and scale of Jerusalem's ancient western wall, creating a connection to the sacred land.

SNS Architects & Engineers, PC collaborated with Young Israel of Teaneck's building committee to create a space that serves the functional needs of a growing community while also offering a feeling of place for everybody to share and identify with.