01In brief
Congregation Tifereth Israel was an Orthodox Jewish synagogue documented in 1958 at 31-30 88th Street, near Burnside, in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York. A later recollection linked the congregation to comedian Don Rickles: the author's father remembered Rickles as a boy at the synagogue, and the author recalled seeing a memorial stained-glass window there in 1994 that named Don and Max Rickles.
02Overview
A 1958 survey listed Congregation Tifereth Israel of Jackson Heights as an Orthodox Jewish congregation at 31-30 88th Street, near Burnside, within the Woodside–Jackson Heights–Elmhurst–Corona community of Queens.[1] The entry verifies the congregation's address and denomination at that time, but does not provide a founding date, membership figure, or further institutional history.
03History and Don Rickles Connection
A published recollection connects the synagogue with American comedian Don Rickles. The author wrote that his father attended the congregation and knew Rickles as a boy; Rickles, who was five years older than the author's father, was remembered as a "smart aleck."[2]
The author also wrote that he first visited the synagogue in April 1994 to host a kiddush for its aged congregants on the 50th anniversary of his father's bar mitzvah there. In the sanctuary, he recalled seeing a stained-glass window with an inscription that read "something like": "In memory of Max Rickles, from your loving son Don."[2] If accurately remembered, the inscription suggests that Don Rickles funded or dedicated the window in memory of Max Rickles; the available sources do not establish Max Rickles's congregational status.
Sources
- 1Berman Jewish Policy Archive, Community Council of Greater New York, Queens Communities (1958), accessed on October 1, 2026.
- 2National Library of Israel, accessed on October 1, 2026.
- 3Berman Jewish Policy Archive, UJA-Federation of New York, Evreiskiye Uroki: Resources, Contacts, and Strategies, accessed on October 1, 2026.
IsraelPedia Question & Answers
What was Congregation Tifereth Israel in Jackson Heights?
Congregation Tifereth Israel was an Orthodox Jewish synagogue located at 31-30 88th Street, near Burnside, in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York. The congregation is documented in a 1958 survey that lists it within the Woodside–Jackson Heights–Elmhurst–Corona community of Queens, though the survey does not provide a founding date, membership figure, or further institutional history.
What is the connection between Congregation Tifereth Israel and Don Rickles?
A published recollection connects the synagogue to American comedian Don Rickles. The author's father attended the congregation and knew Rickles as a boy, remembering him as a "smart aleck." The author also recalled visiting the sanctuary in April 1994 and seeing a stained-glass window with an inscription reading "something like": "In memory of Max Rickles, from your loving son Don," suggesting Rickles funded or dedicated the window in memory of Max Rickles.
Why did the author visit Congregation Tifereth Israel in 1994?
The author first visited the synagogue in April 1994 to host a kiddush for its aged congregants on the 50th anniversary of his father's bar mitzvah there. It was during this visit that the author recalled seeing the stained-glass window naming Don and Max Rickles.
Is the Corona Jewish Center–Tifereth Israel Anshei the same congregation as the Jackson Heights Tifereth Israel?
The available sources do not establish whether the two are related or identical. A 2003 directory lists "Corona Jewish Center–Tifereth Israel Anshei" at 109-18 54th Avenue in Corona, New York, but the directory does not state its denomination or history, and the sources provide no basis for connecting it to the Jackson Heights congregation documented in 1958.