When the Eldridge Street Synagogue first opened in 1887 on New York City’s Lower East Side it was the first of its kind. Before that, Jews from Eastern Europe worshipped in modest tenements, storefronts and converted churches. In its heyday (1887-1920), Eldridge Street attracted members from every economic stratum and from all over Eastern Europe. This was in contrast to the smaller neighborhood synagogues, or “shteibele,” which drew members from a single province.