Never Taken for Granted

Community Board 7, Landmarks Preservation Commission, New York Landmarks Conservancy, Spirit of the City, St Paul and St Andrew United Methodist Church, West End Avenue

​By Megan Fitzpatrick I met Rev. K Karpen on a bright Wednesday morning with a coffee in hand and a smile ready to start his day. Most likely not his start, but mine. The daily grind at St. Paul and St. Andrew United Methodist Church had already begun with...

A Musical Connection: Senior Cantor Shayna De Lowe

Central Park West, Spirit of the City, Upper West Side

By Megan Fitzpatrick I catch Shayna’s attention in the golden-hued lobby of the historic synagogue of Congregation Rodeph Sholom, walking past a myriad of smiling children beaming with excitement on a Friday morning. She has just finished her morning Shabbat...

An UWS Community’s Robust Commitment to Spiritual Needs and Social Responsibility

adaptive reuse, Spirit of the City

By Claudie Benjamin The West End Synagogue, at 190 Amsterdam Avenue, is distinctive in its commitment to combine traditional Jewish spirituality while addressing such immediate contemporary concerns like interpersonal relationships, the environment and antiracism,...