Romemu Jewish Congregation is Buying UWS Building; Plans Community Center
Romemu, a unique Jewish congregation that has worshiped and held events in various spaces throughout the neighborhood, just announced that it is buying a building on 105th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. That building at 176 West 105th Street now houses the Grosvenor Neighborhood House YMCA.
Romemu will continue to share space in the West End Presbyterian Church across the street from the YMCA where it currently holds services. But it will be able to expand its programming by also owning the Grosvenor building, which it plans to call the Romemu Center.
Romemu announced that it had just “secured” the new building in an email sent Friday to the congregation. “The Romemu Center is both a real estate anchor and an essential piece of our larger vision,” wrote Rabbi David Ingber. “Soon it will house our Seekers Holistic Hebrew School, The Well lifelong learning classes, the Romemu Yeshiva (debuting for six weeks this summer), Romemu’s offices, and it will allow us to expand our simhas and community gatherings in a larger space. The Romemu Center will complement the facilities we have across the street, which are equally important.”
Romemu has been around for a decade and has grown considerably, now serving hundreds of families. It offers a different spiritual experience than a traditional synagogue, with yoga and meditation among other practices. The congregation is planning an online town hall about the building on October 24.
So what happens to Grosvenor House which has served the neighborhood for decades?!
What’s going to happen to that YMCA?