Forest Hills shul takes a storefront

Congregation Havurat Yisrael, a modern Orthodox synagogue in Forest Hills, has found a temporary home while their new synagogue is being built.

Since a construction accident by their neighbor damaged their 70th Avenue building in 1998, Havurat Yisrael has been a shul without a home.

Over the past decade, the congregation hop-scotched to different locations around Forest Hills. Since 2005, the congregation shared space with Agudas Achim, a shtiebl at 108-11 69th Road, while holding Shabbat services at the Touro College building at 71-02 113th Street.

Now, they have a one-stop site at 68-60 Austin Street for all their classes and services, at the heart of the neighborhood’s commercial hub. In the meantime, construction continues on its original address.

“We hope the building will be done by Passover or the summer of 2012. Construction and excavation have already begun,” said the Argentinian-born Rabbi David Algaze, who has been with the shul since its inception.

The new synagogue will be 6,000-8,000 feet in a 6-floor building, sharing space with condominiums, storefronts, and a garage.

Zoned for mixed-use, the site underwent several designs over the past decade, offering hope and disappointment. Rabbi Algaze insists that the current work on the site is final. “We’ve signed the contract and the construction work has begun.”

Havurat Yisrael was created in March 1981 by congregants from the nearby Forest Hills Jewish Center. The shul kept the diversity of the Conservative synagogue alongside an adherence to halacha. “It offers the atmosphere and inspiration that people need,” Rabbi Algaze said.

Services were first held at a former movie theater while the synagogue on 70th Avenue was being built, according to President Jack Goldhaber.

Havurat Yisrael “is a place of inspiration, welcoming of everybody, acceptance and of teaching,” Rabbi Algaze said.

Havurat, as it is called, “has nice, generous people who always invite me for Shabbos. Very important are the kind people. They have many activities, including going to camp during the summer,” said Albert Yusupov who has been coming to the shul since 2000.

Havurat Yisrael is presently located at 68-60 Austin Street, store number 7.