Preservationists chain themselves inside oldest synagogue to prevent demolition

Two demonstrators chained themselves to a pole inside Buffalos oldest synagogue on Buffalos East Side shortly before demolition started this morning.

The demolition crew did not see the people go into the building, said Tom Wiley, superintendent for Regional Environmental Demolition.

We had to have them arrested. This building has been condemned, he said.

David Torke said he and Rabbi Drorah Setel were detained, not arrested, by police.

The brick synagogue at 407 Jefferson Ave. was designed in 1903 by A.E. Mink and was home to Congregation Ahavath Sholem, also known as Jefferson Avenue Shul.

This demolition of Buffalos oldest synagogue was an avoidable tragedy. The Jefferson Street Shul was structurally sound, with cosmetic repairs only needed on bricks that had become loose on the facade, Torke said in an email.

Wiley said there were about eight others standing outside the building in support of the two preservationists inside. He said he heard someone talking in the building early this morning.

Its lucky we did see them, he said, saying that demolition could have started without crews knowing someone was inside.

The synagogue was sold in 1960 to Saints Home Church of God and later to Greater New Hope Church of God in Christ, the owner for about 30 years. The church vacated the premises in 2005.

The Niagara Falls firm was awarded the demolition bid for $82,000 by the City of Buffalo.

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Preservationists chain themselves inside oldest synagogue to prevent demolition