Although they’re not Jewish, the Grillos have worked hard to keep their home looking like a synagogue. They have preserved most of the enormous stained-glass windows. They also house a collection of the temple’s abandoned artifacts: yarmulkes, plaques, furniture, and a wooden yad, the pointer the congregation had used to read the Torah. (They once had a number of historical documents, such as photographs of the rabbi, but those were lost during Hurricane Sandy.)
While the roles of caretaker and historian suit them nicely, the Grillos never expected to play receptionist to some of the building’s past congregants.
“In the beginning,” John said, “there were always people ringing the door because they got bar mitzvahed there. They’d just show up. People don’t realize that it’s no longer a synagogue.”
Read Full Article »