Religion > Reform Judaism

Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center welcomes Raphael Warnock

Why would a center for Jewish study host an avowed antisemite who despises America?

Eileen F. Toplansky | May 3, 2026

Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center in New York dates back to 1845, when 37 German-speaking Jewish immigrants came together on the Lower East Side in New York City to establish the first Reform congregation in the city. In 1906 Louis Marshall, later to become the temple's president, along with fellow members Felix Warburg, Adolph Lewisohn, Daniel Guggenheim, and Rabbi Judah L. Magnes, helped create the American Jewish Committee as a response to pogroms in Eastern Europe.

In 1995 the congregation celebrated its 150th anniversary with a year-long series of religious, educational and musical events around the theme "A Celebration of Understanding: Our Selves, Our Friends, Our City, Our Future."

In 2017 the Skirball Center became the Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center.

The Streicker Center has hosted three past presidents, Supreme Court justices, and a multitude of speakers.

In 2025 the Temple kicked off their 180th anniversary celebration with a special Shabbat service.

Interfaith dialogue is a large part of the Temple. Furthermore, at their site they state that:

We recognize that certain groups have been and continue to be marginalized by society and excluded from full participation in the Jewish community. Our tradition teaches that human beings are b’tzelem elohim -- created in the image of God -- which commands us to affirm the dignity and worth of each individual. We, therefore, welcome and embrace you because of who you are. Your race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, visible or hidden disabilities, socio-economic status or any other aspect of your identity is sacred and affirmed in our community. And we also welcome every family -- Jewish, interfaith, multifaith, with children or without, same-sex, two-parent or single parent. Further, we are committed to ongoing learning and growth as we continue to build a truly inclusive community that serves all our members. Advertisement if (publir_show_ads) { googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.pubads().addEventListener("slotRenderEnded", function(event) { if (event.slot.getSlotElementId() == "div-hre-Americanthinker---New-3028") { googletag.display("div-hre-Americanthinker---New-3028"); } }); }); }

We recognize that certain groups have been and continue to be marginalized by society and excluded from full participation in the Jewish community. Our tradition teaches that human beings are b’tzelem elohim -- created in the image of God -- which commands us to affirm the dignity and worth of each individual. We, therefore, welcome and embrace you because of who you are. Your race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, visible or hidden disabilities, socio-economic status or any other aspect of your identity is sacred and affirmed in our community. And we also welcome every family -- Jewish, interfaith, multifaith, with........

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