Did you know that our neighborhood contains what was once New York’s first reform Jewish synagogue? That the descendants of the very first Jews to settle in North America have their final resting place in our neighborhood, and built some of Greenwich Village’s most iconic and beloved landmarks? That Yiddish theater in America was born in our neighborhoods, and that many of the great Jewish American writers, politicians, activists, artists, sports figures, musicians, and thought leaders of the last two centuries called our neighborhoods home?

Here’s a few ways to explore our neighborhoods’ Jewish History:

You can also read about some of the many historic but often overlooked synagogues of our neighborhoods HERE and explore all our Jewish history–themed blog posts HERE.

Our neighborhoods also contain a rich array of sites connected to Asian American history. Leading figures such as Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, Isamu Noguchi, Mine Okubo, Yoko Ono, and Yun Gee utilized art and activism to transform our culture, while architects like I.M. Pei transformed our neighborhoods.

Here’s a few ways to explore Asian American history in our neighborhoods: