Author, tour guide and veteran teacher Ellen Levitt has created and conducted two bicycle tours for the Brooklyn Jewish Historical Initiative. A lifelong resident of Brooklyn, and the author of the trilogy The Lost Synagogues of New York City (Avotaynu), Levitt conducted her tour “Lost Synagogues of Greater Brownsville”, on Sunday, June 14; and her tour “Lost Synagogues of Flatbush and East Flatbush,” on Sunday, August 2.
Levitt led groups of bicyclists through Brooklyn neighborhoods that used to be heavily Jewish, and showed the riders several former or “lost” synagogues and Jewish schools. The group was able to visit inside a few of the sites, so that they could see remaining Judaica on the exterior as well as interior of these buildings.
The tour brought together interested history buffs and avid bicyclists, fans of architecture and nostalgic Jews as well as non-Jews. Stay tuned for future repeats of these tours, as well as a tour that will go through Bed-Stuy and parts of Williamsburg! If there is interest Levitt will also put together a tour of East New York-New Lots lost synagogues.
Please note that the Flatbush/East Flatbush Lost Synagogues Bike Tour will be given again– on Sunday, October 25 at 10AM! $15 for one rider, $25 for two. For more info, contact Ellen Levitt at bigsis464@yahoo.com or the Facebook page “The Lost Synagogues of New York City and New Jersey.” See you!
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