Long Island's 150 years of Jewish history highlighted in Riverhead museum exhibit

Long Island’s first Jewish congregation was established in 1875 in Breslau, modern-day Lindenhurst, where the group purchased a half-acre of land in a cemetery.

The Island’s first synagogue was built in Setauket in 1896,  where dozens of Jews lived because of a rubber factory where many of them were employed.

And in 1955, a woman named Betty Robbins became the first female cantor in Jewish history. She sang at Temple Avodah in Oceanside and the news of her appointment made headlines across the country, including on the front page of The New York Times.

These are some of the historical accounts presented in an exhibit at the Suffolk County Historical Society's museum in Riverhead.

The exhibit's opening ceremony was June 8 and it will be available to the public until Nov. 30, from Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Long Island has the fourth-largest Jewish population in the United States. But Brad Kolodny, of Woodbury, who is the curator of the exhibit, said he feels local Jewish history has long been overlooked.

Kolodny is the president of the Jewish Historical Society of Long Island, which he said aims to teach people about Jewish history "right in our backyard." The exhibit documents the accomplishments of ordinary Jews through the years on Long Island. 

"In Breslau for instance ... 10 men were the founders of that [first] congregation. If you think about the expense of a synagogue, it’s not only purchasing land, but it’s also building a synagogue itself," he said. "In many cases, choosing the cemetery was a less expensive option."

Kolodny said one of the highlights of the exhibit is a Torah, on loan from Congregation Tifereth Israel in Glen Cove, which still uses the religious text today. It is the oldest Torah in continuous use on Long Island and was brought over from Germany by Isaac Bessel, who settled in Glen Cove in the 1880s, Kolodny said.

Victoria Berger, executive director of the Suffolk County Historical Society, worked with Kolodny to bring the project to life.

"There have been exhibits in the past that are attributed to Jewish history, but they typically focus on the Holocaust and the trials and tribulations of the Jewish people," Berger said. "What makes this exhibit different is that it is a true celebration of all of their accomplishments, all of their contributions to Long Island."

An appreciation of local history

Kolodny said although the Holocaust and the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, in Israel are infamous, historical benchmarks in Jewish history, his organization’s goal is to bring a greater appreciation for local Jewish history in Nassau and Suffolk counties in particular.

On display in the exhibit is a poster from the group "Run for Their Lives," which organizes running and walking events for the "immediate release of the hostages held by Hamas," according to their website. Kolodny said the poster is recognized because it is an example of a Jewish community gathering on Long Island that exists outside of a synagogue.

Berger said one of the exhibit’s best features is an interactive oral history recording studio, where guests can tape themselves talking about their life experiences about what it's like to be Jewish on the Island. The footage will later be archived through the Jewish Historical Society of Long Island.

When asked about his favorite part of the exhibit, Kolodny joked that the question is like asking "who’s your favorite child."

The exhibit tells of Long Island’s first congregation in 1875, established in modern-day Lindenhurst. They purchased a half-acre of land in a cemetery, Kolodny said, to be set aside for Jewish burials. The congregation was called Neta Szarschea, which translates to "planting of the seed," he said.

It also documents how a fire broke out in the rubber factory in 1904, forcing the business to close. After the incident, many Jews left Setauket in search of job opportunities elsewhere. The synagogue eventually closed in 1918 due to a declining Jewish population. The building was left unused for 30 years until 1948, when a new congregation started up after World War II.

Challenges of Jewish communities on LI

Gary Klein, of Hauppauge, said the synagogue he used to attend, Temple Beth Sholom in Smithtown, closed last fall. He said this is because of declining membership and people moving or dying.

Klein said he thinks many young Jewish people cannot afford to live in Suffolk County due to high housing costs.

There are several Torahs on display at the exhibit, including one from Klein's old temple. Klein said he was president of the congregation in Smithtown for about 15 years.

"Most people, unless you're Jewish, have never seen a Torah scroll open, and the writing on it," he said.

Alexander Steinberg, of Huntington, attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony on opening day.

Steinberg said there are big challenges for Jewish communities on Long Island, with synagogue memberships shrinking and cost-of-living challenges.

Both men commented on the police presence during the exhibit's opening day.

"You get a reminder ... of the times we’re in and the importance of this exhibit because there were about six or seven cop cars ... and it’s a real shame that that’s needed," Steinberg said. "It wasn’t like that even 15 years ago."

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misidentified the location of the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas in Israel.