Guide to the Papers of Sampson Engoren ( 1929- )
1969-1988

Processed by Dianne Ritchey Oummia

Yeshiva University Museum

Center for Jewish History

15 West 16th Street

New York, NY 10011

Phone: (212) 294-8330

Fax: (212) 294-8335

Email: YUMinquiries@cjh.org

http://www.yumuseum.org

© 2006 Yeshiva University Museum. All rights reserved.

Center for Jewish History, Publisher.

Electronic finding aid was encoded in EAD 2002 by Dianne Ritchey Oummia in January 2006. Description is in English.

Biographical Note

Sampson Seymour Engoren is a Jewish artist and architect most well-known for his synagogue design. Although he also created metal sculpture of religious items, the stained glass windows he designed for synagogues are his most prominent work.

Engoren was born in Cincinatti, Ohio, in 1929 and received his education at Yeshiva Ohel Moshe in Brooklyn. He began creating synagogue art in 1960, mainly working with Jewish communities on Long Island. In 1969 he founded the company Sanctuary Design Corporation, together with his partner Harold Rabinowitz, in Lynbrook, New York. In 1993, Engoren's work earned him an International Visual Arts Award from IFRAA (Interfaith Forum on Religion, Art and Architecture).

Sampson Engoren has created artwork for many different synagogues. Among them are included the Congregations Beth Or and Beth David in Lynbrook, New York; Temple Judea, in Valley Stream, New York; Nassau Community Temple in West Hempstead, New York; Temple Isaiah in Stony Brook, New York; Temple Israel in Lawrence, New York; Beth El Congregation in Pikesville, Maryland; Beth Israel Congregation in Randallstown, Maryland; Temple Beth Israel in Warren, Ohio; Congregation Beth Israel in Portland, Oregon and other synagogues in New Jersey and Westchester County, New York.

Scope and Content Note

The Sampson Engoren Papers hold documents of the artist, and are largely concerned with his work. Among the documents in this collection are sketches, clippings, notes, photographs, and a log book.

Only a very small amount of biographical information on Sampson Engoren will be found in this collection, located in Series I. The same series also holds an excerpt from the magazine Faith and Forum, briefly describing the project for which the artist won an IFRAA International Visual Arts award in 1993. Finally, Series I contains a log book with notes and contact information for projects in which Engoren was involved.

The most prominent items in this collection are the unidentified sketches found in Series II. Sketches appear to mainly consist of representations of the stained glass windows the artist designed for the Beth Israel Congregation in Randallstown, Maryland, and depict various Jewish holidays, although there are also a few sketches of the synagogue's Eternal Light. There are also small sample paintings of the windows as well, which give an idea of what the windows may have looked like when completed. Other material relating to the sketches include photographs of the completed windows and Eternal Light, clippings describing these windows, and notes that seem to pertain to the construction of the windows.

Information on other artworks Engoren created will also be found in Series II. Items concerning his other projects include a collection of images of items he created as well as some clippings on them.

Arrangement

This collection has been divided into two parts:

• Series I: General, 1972-1988
• Series II: Projects, 1969-1984

Access and Use

Access Restrictions

Open to researchers.

Use Restrictions

There may be some restrictions on the use of the collection. For more information, contact:
Yeshiva University Museum, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011
email: YUMinquiries@cjh.org

Custodial History

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Identification of item, date (if known); Sampson Engoren Papers; box number; Yeshiva University Museum.

Processing Information

The collection was found unprocessed and without any folders or indication of original order. During processing, documents and smaller sketches were placed in acid-free folders, while larger sketches were placed in acid-free boxes.

Access Points

• Individuals:

  • Engoren, Sampson Seymour

• Organizations:

  • Beth Israel Congregation (Randallstown, Md.)
  • Sanctuary Design Corporation

• Subjects:

  • Art, Jewish
  • Fasts and feasts -- Judaism
  • Jewish architects
  • Jewish art and symbolism
  • Jewish artists
  • Metal sculpture
  • Synagogue art

• Places:

  • Randallstown (Md.)

• Document Types:

  • Clippings
  • Logs (records)
  • Notes
  • Sketches

Container List