It's hard to encapsulate the beauty and excellence of the experience I had here in words. It truly is a treasure, to be enjoyed not just by those of Jewish heritage, but by all people.We decided to hike on over here just because we had a few hours to kill, and we were so thoroughly glad we did. As soon as we walked through the door, we were greeted by friendly people. We signed up for the tour, which was very reasonably priced at only $14 per person. Then we were asked if we would like to view a short film while we waited the 30 minutes for our tour to begin. We accepted of course, and were treated to a private showing of a very nice video that explained the background of the Eldridge St Synagogue, its lapse into disrepair, and its glorious restoration into the breathtaking museum it is today. After the film was over, we perused a small gallery until the tour began, and that was the start of the REAL magic.

Our tour guide's name was John, and he really made the experience fantastic. He was very knowledgeable and eloquent, very polite and never condescending to us, which I especially appreciated because I know next to nothing about Orthodox Judaism. Yet he was there to educate me, and explain everything in a way that was concise, easy to understand, and respectful to all. Our tour took us through the basement, which was where the congregation worshipped when the main sanctuary was closed down, up the stairs to the main floor, now painstakingly restored to its original handcrafted grandeur, and finally up into the balcony level, from which we could survey the building in its entirety. I won't repeat here any of the interesting information I learned while I was at the Eldridge St Museum, as I could never do justice to the perfection that was John's tour. All I can say is that I strongly suggest that you go and take the tour yourself.

In closing I would like to state that I am not a religious man, and I'm a Gentile to boot. I rarely visit sacred spaces. But while I was here, the beauty of the building, the quality of John's oration, and the sense of history that saturated the entire monument instilled in me a very strong spiritual feeling. Even now, recounting the experience, I feel a bit emotional. The importance of history, the understanding and overcoming of obstacles, and the unity of all humankind are showcased in a very tangible way here. Bravo to John, and long live this marvelous place.