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LOWER EAST SIDE CONSERVANCY LTD
New York, NY · EIN 134107463 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE X99 · Religion-Related · Small ($100K-$1M) · nycjewishtours.org
revenue
$259K
expenses
$79K
net assets
$240K
employees
0
program ratio
60%
mission · from form 990

THE LES JEWISH CONSERVANCYS MISSION IS TO CELEBRATE, PRESERVE, AND SHARE THE JEWISH HERITAGE OF NYC NEIGHBORHOODS, STARTING WITH THE ICONIC LOWER EAST SIDE, THE CRADLE OF AMERICAN JEWISH CIVILIZATION.

profile · synthesized from sources

Organization preserving and sharing the Jewish heritage of New York City's Lower East Side and other historic neighborhoods through guided walking tours, virtual experiences, and educational programs. Focuses on diverse Jewish communities including Ashkenazi, Sephardic, and Hasidic populations. Offers themed tours on history, food, entertainment, and cultural landmarks across NYC.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Hasidic Williamsburg Tours
Walking and virtual tours of Hasidic Williamsburg exploring religious institutions, daily life, and cultural traditions of the Haredi Jewish community
Herz Heritage Trail
Virtual and augmented reality experience preserving Jewish historical sites on the Lower East Side, launched with educational and commemorative programming
Jewish Brighton Beach Tour
Walking tour tracing the transformation of Brighton Beach from luxury resort to "Little Odessa," focusing on waves of Jewish immigration and cultural development
Lower East Side Walking Tours
Guided walking tours exploring the history and culture of Jewish life on the Lower East Side, including themed tours on food, entertainment, gangsters, and religious institutions
Sephardic Heritage Tours
Tours highlighting the history of Sephardic Jews in New York from the colonial era to the 20th century, including visits to cemeteries, synagogues, and cultural landmarks
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Historic Site Designation Advocacy 1 activity
    • Advocate for historic landmark designations and protections
      Successfully advocated for the designation of a 32-block area as a historic district and secured listings on the New York State and National Registers for multiple individual sites, including synagogues and cultural institutions. Provided testimony at NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission hearings and supported efforts to prevent demolition or alteration of threatened buildings such as the Mezericher Shul.
  • Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
    • Deliver educational programs for students and teachers
      Provides an interdisciplinary educational program for elementary school students centered on the experiences of immigrant children on the Lower East Side, including pre-visit materials for teachers, onsite 2-hour tours of relevant historic sites, and public remembrance events such as the Yahrtzeit Kiddush at the Stanton Street Shul.
  • Local History Museum Operations 1 activity
    • Host public exhibitions and cultural events
      Hosts public exhibitions at its visitor center, such as "The Ruins Of The Borscht Belt" by Marisa Scheinfeld, to promote awareness and engagement with Jewish cultural history.
  • Guided Historic Site Tours 1 activity
    • Operate guided walking tours focused on Jewish heritage and Lower East Side history
      Offers public and private walking tours of historic synagogues, cultural sites, and immigrant history on the Lower East Side and surrounding areas, including specialized tours such as food-focused itineraries, Sephardic Jewish history, Hassidic Williamsburg, and the journey of early Jewish refugees to New Amsterdam. Tours last 2.5 to 3 hours and are led by professionally trained guides, with customized options available for schools, families, and community groups.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Build institutional capacity through partnerships and technical assistance
      Has collaborated since 1998 with cultural, religious, and community organizations on the Lower East Side, conducting needs assessments, establishing relationships with over two dozen synagogues, and providing technical assistance to historically significant structures to strengthen preservation and programming efforts.
    • Support preservation of historic sites through funding and restoration
      Secured over $2 million in public and private funding for historic structures on the Lower East Side, including a $2,500 emergency grant to repair the Beth Hamedrash Hagadol synagogue. A portion of proceeds from guided tours is allocated to support the restoration and conservation of sacred sites visited.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$259K
Contributions & grants$217K84%
Program service revenue$38K15%
Investment income$4K1%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$79K
Program expenses60%
Admin / overhead34%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$240K
Cash$56K
Investments$184K
Liabilities$0
Net assets$240K
Liquid reserves36.5 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +246.1%
relationships · 41

Who they work with

  • 1199 Bread and Roses Gallery Partner — Collaborates with the Conservancy on cultural programming.
  • 6th Street Community Center Partner — Collaborates with the Conservancy on community and visitor programming.
  • American Jewish Committee (AJC) Partner — Co-organized a diplomatic walking tour of the Lower East Side.
  • American Sephardi Federation Partner — Provides access to cultural treasures for inclusion in educational walking tours.
  • Angel Orensanz Cultural Foundation and Center for the Arts Partner — Collaborates with the Conservancy on cultural programming and site access.
  • Anti-Defamation League Partner — Collaborates with the Conservancy on educational and community programming.
  • Bialystoker Synagogue Partner — Recognized partner in the Herz Heritage Trail initiative.
  • Bialystoker Synagogue Partner — Site visited during public tours; receives financial support from tour proceeds.
  • Center for Jewish History Partner — Collaborates to provide behind-the-scenes access to collections from the American Sephardi Federation during walking tours.
  • Center for Jewish History Partner — Collaborates with the Conservancy on educational and cultural initiatives beyond the Lower East Side.
  • City Lore Partner — Collaborates on historic preservation efforts in the Lower East Side.
  • Community Synagogue Partner — Partners with the Conservancy on religious and cultural programming.
  • Educational Alliance Partner — Collaborates with the Conservancy on cultural and educational initiatives.
  • Gotham Center for New York City History Partner — Collaborates on historic preservation efforts in the Lower East Side.
  • Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation Partner — Collaborates on historic preservation efforts in the Lower East Side.
  • Henry Street Settlement Partner — Collaborates with the Conservancy to support community-based programming.
  • Historic Districts Council Partner — Collaborates on historic preservation efforts in the Lower East Side.
  • Historic Houses Trust Partner — Collaborates on historic preservation efforts in the Lower East Side.
  • Joyce Mendelsohn Partner — Historian and author who professionally trained LESJC tour guides.
  • LESJC Partner — Organization for which a Conservancy tour guide has previously conducted walking tours, indicating collaboration.
  • Lower East Side Business Improvement District Partner — Collaborates with the Conservancy to support community and visitor programming.
  • Lower East Side Tenement Museum Partner — Collaborates with the Conservancy to provide value-added programming for visitors.
  • Max & Sunny Howard Memorial Foundation Funder — Previously provided funding for the educational program.
  • Municipal Arts Society Partner — Collaborates on historic preservation efforts in the Lower East Side.
  • Museum at Eldridge Street Partner — Collaborates with the Conservancy on historic preservation and public education efforts.
  • Museum at Eldridge Street Partner — Former employer and affiliated institution of a Conservancy tour guide, indicating a professional relationship.
  • Museum of Jewish Heritage Partner — Collaborates with the Conservancy on educational and cultural initiatives.
  • Museum of the City of New York Partner — Collaborates on historic preservation and cultural programming in the Lower East Side.
  • NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission Government — Engaged in public hearings with the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission to advocate for landmark designation of historic buildings.
  • NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Government — Works with the Conservancy on state-level historic preservation designations.
+ 11 more
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.