Welcome to Stephen Wise Free Synagogue!
Join us for Shabbat services!
Fridays 6 p.m. | Saturdays 10 a.m.
Welcome to Stephen Wise Free Synagogue!
Join us for Shabbat services!
Fridays 6 p.m. | Saturdays 10 a.m.
In These Times with Rabbi Ammi Hirsch
Featured Sermons
The Torah is a Mirror
“There are plenty of other texts in the Torah that we would also prefer to ignore, reject, explain away. As modern Jews,what do we do with sacred text that does not resonate with our values?”…
Re-CHARGING Reform Judaism 2024
“This is an existential moment, not only for Israel, but for us in North America. We are in the midst of a great ideological struggle, the outcome of which will determine whether liberal Judaism will…
Humanity in the Pause
“How often have we reacted instinctively and immediately regretted it?” asks Rabbi Dalia Samansky. Recognizing our weaknesses, the Torah prescribes rest periods and mitzvot to encourage us to pause and reflect. “When we take that…
I Don’t Know
“How many of us say something and then curate and filter information to support our position – and prove we are right rather than diving into learning about facts and complexities of the situation in…
Dancing with a Broken Heart
Rabbi Tracy Kaplowitz explores a pressing debate in Israel: Should Yom Ha’Atzmaut — a day traditionally filled with fireworks, dancing and barbecues – be celebrated amid the ongoing trauma facing Israel and Jews worldwide? “As…
Campus Chaos
Rabbi Ammi Hirsch has been warning for years that America’s campuses have been devolving into hotbeds of radical and illiberal theories. “The reason that the protests have descended into outrageous anti-Zionism and antisemitism is that…
Climate Change on American Campuses
“Our Sages teach: ‘Fire does not ignite in a lone stick of wood, but in a pile of kindling.’ American campuses have been drying up for a long time,” says Rabbi Ammi Hirsch. “Some saw…
Ma Nishtanah
People are asking how this year’s Seder will be different, says Rabbi Samantha Natov: “How do we celebrate freedom with so many in captivity? How do we sing of redemption when there is war on…
While Picking Strawberries in Israel
On our recent mission to Israel, Rabbi Ammi Hirsch scheduled time for our congregation to pick strawberries. But he didn’t expect that morning to be among the most moving of his experiences in Israel. Looking…
Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch at Rally for the Hostages
Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch, senior rabbi at New York City’s historic 116-year-old Stephen Wise Free Synagogue and one of America’s foremost Reform Zionist leaders, delivered remarks at a rally on April 7, 2024, marking the six-month…
Upcoming Events
Last Day of ECC for 2s and 3s
Lunch and Learn: A Year in Review 🙋
Strife and Reconciliation: How the Joseph Story Informs Our Time 🙋🖥
ECC 4s/5s Graduation Ceremony
Community Mahjong 🙋
Upper West Side Religious School Fair 🙋
In These Times With Rabbi Ammi Hirsch
Kabbalat Shabbat Evening Service + Special LGBTQ+ Pride Reception
Emergency Food Program
Virtual Lay-Led Torah Study 🖥
Explore Our Early Childhood Center
Apply Now And Take A Virtual Tour!
Our Early Childhood Center provides children ages 18 months through five years with a nurturing, welcoming, and stimulating environment. Based on the Reggio Emilia approach to education, our philosophy values children as rich with wonder and knowledge — and we infuse our classroom experiences with Jewish values and traditions.
Discover Our Religious School
Looking for an enriching Jewish education? Stephen Wise Free Synagogue’s Religious School is the perfect place for you to deepen your child’s Jewish identity and Hebrew knowledge, engage with core Jewish values and traditions, and become part of a caring synagogue community.