This is an interesting item from the Jewish Heritage E-Report Edited by Samuel D. Gruber (For more info contact samuelgruber_at_gmail.com ):

Jay Waronker Continues Documentation of Sub-Saharan Africa Synagogues

(ISJM News) American Architect Jay Waronker, who documented synagogues in India in the 1990s, will be in East Africa this summer (2008) continuing his documentation of the synagogue architecture of Sub-Saharan Africa begun with a Fulbright grant in 2006. A trained architect, Waronker is especially known for his highly detailed by evocative watercolor paintings of Indian Synagogues which have been
exhibited widely. His choice to supplement more conventional means of building documentation with paintings links him to a long traditional of architectural illustrators who have recorded synagogue architecture since the 17th century. This summer's work is supported by a grant from the Lucius N. Littauer Foundation.  read more »

Brooklynites concerned about Bruce Ratner's overdevlopment plan for Brooklyn might want to pay attention to a lawsuit MIT has filed against Ratner's architect, Frank Gehry.

Frank Gehry is a controversial figure, though I have always kind of liked his architecture. He has been criticized for wasting space and designing buildings that are too large and inconvenient for the people who use them. But to me his architecture always had a touch of the same playfulness I always have liked in the archtecture of Antoni Gaudi. Of course Gaudi was ridiculed early in his career, too.  read more »

Open House New York which will be held this coming Saturday and Sunday gives New Yorkers who love their built environment the chance to get up close and personal with buildings and constructed spaces.

Guides to the house, powerhouse and walking tours will be included in Wednesday's New York Times as well as online . There are 300 places to visit which have been opened up for free for the weekend. Many require reservations. For example, the High Line; (the elevated rail tracks overgrown with weeds and rusted with disuse on the west side of Manhattan.) Many of those are already filled completely -- tours of the broken down small pox hospital on the south end of Roosevelt Island are completely booked. But many sites require no reservation.

My favorite places after the jump:  read more »

The Eagle has landed Do you love tall sailing ships? The US Coast Guard training ship The Eagle has docked at the foot of pier 17, at the South Street Seaport. The ship is great (no signs of its Nazi origin), the coast guardsmen and women charming; tours from 9:00-6:30 Sat & Sun. If you go Sat. morning, check out the asbestos decontamination exercise run by Fire at the Sanitation garage at the foot of Montgomery Street.

After years of torture and harsh confinement, US officials have decided to allow some "high value" Guantanamo detainees to lawyer-up . (Although at least one of them, already represented by counsel, has not been allowed to get letters from her).

The poor get sicker than the rich. Great and serious congratulations are due to Comptroller William Thompson who (I guess with staff support) has produced a really smart interesting and important analysis of the NYC health impacts of class and cash. Surpise!  read more »

Brooklyn Matters is a critically acclaimed documentary about the proposed Atlantic Yards project. Screenings have been ongoing throughout the city, particularly (not surprisingly) in Brooklyn.

“A powerful documentary by a well-respected filmmaker, Brooklyn Matters is a must see for all New Yorkers who care about the future of their neighborhoods and the role that public policy and process plays in determining that future.”
-Marilyn Gelber, Former Commissioner, New York City Department of Environmental Protection

“Of all the protesting voices and hundreds of thousands of words in opposition to the proposed Atlantic yards development, nothing is as convincing as isabel hill's excellent film."
-- Stuart Pertz, FAIA, Former Member of the New York City Planning Commission

Brooklyn Matters is the must see documentary about the "Atlantic Yards" project. Here are your chances to see it.

Upcoming Screenings of Brooklyn Matters:

Friday, June 15, 7pm.
Spoke the Hub Recreation Center
748 Union Street (btwn 5th and 6th avenues, closer to 6th), Bklyn
RSVP: 718-408-3234

Tuesday, June 19, 7pm.
Fifth Avenue Committee  read more »