Oct 1, 2003 -- During his lifetime, Edmond J. Safra provided much needed philanthropy to Jews everywhere, and his generosity is widely recognized within the Sephardic community. Mr. Safra’s vision in establishing the Jacob E. Safra Institute of Sephardic Studies at Yeshiva University in memory of his late father was indeed an historic event for Sephardim. Before his death in December 1999, Mr. Safra initiated a building project on East 63rd Street for the Sephardic community. Guided by Mr. Safra’s wife, Lily, who spearheaded the project after her husband’s death, construction of the Edmond J. Safra Sephardic Synagogue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side was completed in December 2002 under the religious guidance and supervision of Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie, Jeff Keil, a personal representative of Mrs. Safra, and Les Bohm, an associate of Mr. Safra. Mr. Safra’s dream of a thriving Sephardic presence in New York City became a reality when the newly-dedicated Edmond J. Safra Synagogue officially opened its doors in March 2003 under the spiritual leadership of Rabbi Dr. Abadie, ordained at the YU affiliated Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. A graduate of Yeshiva College and the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies, Rabbi Dr. Abadie, who also earned an M.D., was also a longtime consultant to the late Mr. Safra. The Edmond J. Safra Synagogue hosted a Hanukat Beit Haknesset on Dec. 8, 2002. Speakers included Rabbi Dr. Abadie, Dr. Norman Lamm, chancellor and former president of Yeshiva University who offered a keynote presentation, and the Rishon Le Zion, Hakham Eliyahu Bakshi Doron, Israel’s Sephardic Chief Rabbi. Mayors Michael R. Bloomberg of New York City and Ehud Olmert of Jerusalem both thanked Mrs. Safra for honoring her husband with this gift to the Jewish people and to New York City. The Synagogue The synagogue the Safras envisioned was to be of timeless and elegant beauty. The building’s façade features Jerusalem limestone quarried from the Judean Hills. The blocks, slabs, and columns were cut to measure and then transported to New York. The 18-feet-high double bronze doors depict the Tree of Life, which open to a lobby of a Jerusalem stone floor and walls. Hanging on the wall is a magnificent portrait of the late Mr. Safra. Behind the entrance is a small Sanctuary–Bet Midrash–used for daily Minyanim. The main second-floor Sanctuary is decorated with Jerusalem stone and pale American oak, topped off by an oval wooden dome canopy. Edmond J. Safra Born in Beirut, Lebanon, into a banking family, Mr. Safra and his family embraced Torah education and its values. Mr. Safra supported many Jewish causes, often giving anonymously or in honor of his father and mother. Through the dedication of his widow, Lily, Edmond’s charitable deeds live on via the Edmond J. Safra Philanthropic Foundation. Rabbi Abadie and his wife, Esti, have provided a warm and welcoming environment in the synagogue. The synagogue has hosted an array of events, including a meeting of Yeshiva University’s Sephardic Council of Overseers.