Brooklyn N.Y. • Rabbi Eli J Mansour
Our Story
The Edmond J Safra Synagogue
The Edmond J Safra Synagogue (EJSS) is a Jewish Orthodox Sephardic synagogue in Brooklyn, New York.
We established in 2005 and maintain and conduct our Synagogue in accordance with the dictates of the Written and Oral Torah, the Shulchan Aruch, Poskim, and in accordance with Sephardic Laws and Customs of Aleppo (Aram Soba), as perpetuated by Chief Rabbi Jacob S Kassin A”H and Hacham Baruch Ben Haim A”H.
Our congregation is comprised of participants of Sephardic and Middle Eastern descent, including immigrants from: Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Israel, Yemen, and Turkey, along with their 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation descendants.
Rabbi Eli J Mansour currently serves as the head Rabbi to the congregation and shul. He gives daily classes in Gemara, Halacha, Torah, Musar and a variety of subjects relevant to the community, many of which are recorded and available online.
The congregation has previously resided at Ahi Ezer Torah Center, Har Halebanon, and Ahav veAhba. Until September 2013, we were known as Congregation Bet Yaakob.
In 2011, the Congregation formed a partnership with The Edmond J Safra Foundation, and is currently in its new permanent Sanctuary at the corner of Ave U & Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn, New York.
The Edmond J Safra Synagogue is an IRS approved non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
Edmond J Safra o.b.m.
When one tries to define righteousness, compassion, care and charity the name Edmond J Safra comes to mind. A man whose name is synonymous with giving and getting the job done from start to finish.
Edmond J. Safra (b: August 6, 1932 – d: December 3, 1999; 24 Kislev 5760) was a Jewish Lebanese born banker and Brazilian-naturalized citizen. He continued the family tradition of banking in Lebanon, Brazil, Switzerland, United States and Europe. He founded the Republic National Bank of New York. Safra supported educational, religious, medical, cultural, and humanitarian causes and organizations around the world, and the Edmond J. Safra Philanthropic Foundation carries on this work today in his memory. He married Lily Watkins. He died in a fire in his Monaco mansion at age 67. His parents were Jacob and Esther Safra. He is brothers with Joseph Safra and Moise Safra.
Lily Safra o.b.m.
Mrs. Lily Safra shared her commitment to caring for the less fortunate with her husband, Mr. Edmond J. Safra, one of the twentieth century’s most accomplished bankers and founder of the Edmond J. Safra Philanthropic Foundation. She chaired the Foundation for over 20 years, supporting projects related to education, science and medicine, religion, culture, and humanitarian relief in over 40 countries.
Mrs. Safra faithfully pursued her husband’s support of Jewish religious life around the world, building and sustaining dozens of synagogues and schools in his memory. In particular, she devoted herself to the construction of the Edmond J. Safra Synagogue of Manhattan and the Synagogue Edmond J. Safra of Monaco. She also took a leading role in the reconstruction and renovation of the magnificent Edmond J. Safra Synagogue of St. Petersburg, built in the late 19th century as the Grand Choral Synagogue.
Lily Safra (née Watkins; also Cohen, Monteverde and Bendahan; b: December 30, 1934 – July 9, 2022) was a Brazilian-Monegasque billionaire, socialite, art collector and philanthropist. She became strongly engaged with philanthropy when she married the banker Edmond Safra, and this continued through their Foundation after his death in 1999.