9730 Queens Blvd
1948, Frank Grad & Sons

After World War II, the Jewish population of Rego Park, Kew Gardens and Forrest Hills grew exponentially, thus increasing the need for synagogues to serve these communities. This was also a period when a new type of American synagogue, known as the Jewish Center, was developed. In addition to being a place of worship, these were places for community life, with social halls, classrooms, and athletic facilities.

Established around 1939, the Rego Park Jewish congregation purchased this lot on Queens Boulevard in 1942 to build a "temple and recreation hall". The ground- breaking ceremony in 1946 included remarks by Mayor O'Dwyer, who was also present at the dedication in 1948, noting the significance of the temple.

The design by noted architect Frank Grad was one of the first modern synagogues in NYC. With block massing, narrow slit windows and short projecting towers framing the main entrance, the building can be interpreted as late-Moderne or early-Modern. Over the next decade, modernism became the predominant style in American synagogue design.

The Center's façade is accented by a large mosaic designed by Jewish artist A. Raymond Katz, in collaboration with Vincent Foscato. Katz was famed for his ornamental treatment of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet interlocking with Jewish symbols, and also designed the sanctuary's stained-glass windows.

It remains as one of NYC most significant architectural, cultural and religious landmarks, for which it was listed on the National Register in 2009.