By 2003, the Y's budget had grown to $43 million and served 300,000 annually less than a decade later, it had revenues of $80 million. The Y responded by cutting Jewish life and cultural offerings and expanding its class offerings. In the 1990s, the decline of classical music programming and rising real estate costs threatened the Y's finances. Adler had worked for the Y for 11 years, hired by the previous executive director. In 1988, the Board elevated Sol Adler to executive director. In 1972 the YM-YWHA rebranded itself as the 92nd Street Y. In the 1960s, the Clara de Hirsch Home for Working Girls merged with the Y, and a new building on the southern part of the block was constructed to house it and new spaces for programming and the arts. In 1945, the YMHA merged with the Young Women's Hebrew Association and became the YM-YWHA. 75% of revenue was spent on 25% of programs. The Y opened an arts center, jewelry center, dance center, poetry center, and nursery school throughout the 1930s. Kolodney opened the Y's concert hall and events to nonmembers its excellent acoustics helped land the Y on the map as a performing arts venue. While the board was concerned that this shift would transform the Y into a secular institution and harm its finances, Kolodney argued for not catering to the lowest common denominator in pursuit of crowds, and to keep charges minimal so that activities were within reach of salaried workers. The Y's director, William Kolodney, argued that the arts were central to the Jewish religious tradition of learning for learning's sake. The YMHA primarily catered to Jews until the mid-1930s. The original YMHA building would be replaced by a new building, completed in 1930. Brunner, who produced many turn-of-the-century synagogues, the new building would open in 1900. Initially donating a rowhouse at 65th Street and Lexington Avenue to the Y, Schiff would finance the construction of a new building at 92nd Street and Lexington. The Y would find a permanent home through the munificence of businessman and philanthropist Jacob Schiff. In the 1886 the YMHA moved from 42nd Street to 721 Lexington Avenue near 58th Street, and in 1895 to 111 East 59th Street. : 70–2 Former YMHA building at 92nd and Lexington Streets, built in 1900 These were soon followed by regular Friday evening services that grew in average attendance from 172 in 1901 to more than 400 in 1903, though secular activities remained far more popular. Celebrations of the High Holidays began in 1900. The secularized celebration of Jewish holidays like Hannakuh and Purim, according to historian Jonathan Sarna, helped save the holiday from obscurity and was part of the creation of an American Jewish identity and culture. In 1878, the YMHA held its first Hannakuh Festival, which became an annual tradition. : 76 Īs the organization grew, it began integrating more Judaism into its programming. This branch would later merge with other organizations to become the Educational Alliance. A few years later, the organization would move to larger accommodations on 110 West 42nd Street the Y also operated a downtown branch, where Emma Lazarus taught English to immigrants. : 58–9 Officially incorporated on September 10, 1874, the YMHA would initially operate out of rented premises on 112 West 21st Street. The YMHA itself was a secular organization intended to serve as a social and literary fraternity. The founders were predominantly members of the Temple Shaaray Tefila, or synagogue, and New York's YMHA and other across the country grew out of existing Jewish congregations. In 1874, a group of German-Jewish professionals established the New York Young Men's Hebrew Association (YMHA). Founded in 1874 as the Young Men's Hebrew Association, the 92nd Street Y (often simply called " the Y") transformed from a secular social club to a large arts and cultural center in the 20th century. 92nd Street Y, New York (New York) Show map of New Yorkġ395 Lexington Avenue, Manhattan, New YorkĤ0☄6′59″N 73★7′10″W / 40.7830°N 73.9527°W / 40.7830 -73.9527ĩ2nd Street Y, New York ( 92NY) is a cultural and community center located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City, at the corner of East 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue.
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