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About
Riverside Memorial Chapel has provided funeral services to New York City's Jewish community since 1897, when the firm began as a livery business on Manhattan's Lower East Side. The Upper West Side location, an Amsterdam Avenue landmark, opened in 1926 and is revered for its majestic Neo-Renaissance architecture and ornate interior, which have been masterfully renovated.
Designed from the ground up for funeral services, the building features chapels of varying sizes, multiple exits and thick concrete walls that shield services from the noise of the city. It’s these thoughtful details that create a peaceful, dignified space for families. Riverside Memorial Chapel specializes in serving the Jewish community and is the only member of the Jewish Funeral Directors of America in Manhattan.
From traditional washing and shmira to the tearing of garments and the use of an unadorned wooden casket, our team is well-versed in Jewish funeral customs. We serve all sects of the Jewish faith, including Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and secular.
In order to help your family determine the correct dates for Yahrzeit, feel free to utilize this Yahrzeit calendar.
Your chapel choices
Whether you prefer a small group of close friends and family or a large gathering, our state-of-the-art funeral home facility can meet your needs. We have three chapels, all with traditional pew-style seating. The smallest, Charles S. Salomon Chapel, accommodates approximately 75 guests. The Modern Chapel holds about 140 guests. Both are simply decorated with cream-colored walls and elegant but tasteful light fixtures. We encourage families to personalize the spaces with photographs, mementos and keepsakes.
Our largest and most beautiful chapel is the Gothic Chapel. It seats 350 people and has a vaulted two-story ceiling painted to depict the night sky, arched stained-glass windows and three murals illustrated with religious themes.
Help here and away from home
Riverside Memorial Chapel is centrally located in Manhattan, at 76th and Amsterdam, just one block from the world-famous Beacon Theater and a few blocks from Central Park. Though Jewish funeral services are our specialty, we work with people of all faiths, cultures and backgrounds. We also work with any cemetery you choose.
If your loved one has died away from home, just call us. There is no need to contact a funeral home in the area where the death occurred. We can take care of everything needed to get your loved one back to New York—and should you or your loved one wish to be buried in Israel, we can handle that too.
We honor veterans
At Riverside Memorial Chapel, we understand the unique needs of America’s veterans and their families. Our team is committed to providing compassionate, respectful care and will guide you in creating a meaningful memorial service that honors the life and service of your loved one.
In addition, we host community events annually in honor of our veterans and work closely with local veterans organizations. With respect, integrity and dignity, we will walk you through the steps of creating a veteran’s memorial service that truly honors the life and sacrifice of your loved one.
Trusted funeral provider
As a member of the Dignity Memorial® network, Riverside Memorial Chapel gives you not only the warm, familiar attention you expect from a locally operated funeral home but also the value you deserve by way of the largest network of funeral, burial and cemetery service providers in North America. A licensed funeral director is available to take your call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please reach out whenever you need us.
Celebrating 100 Years on the Upper West Side
For a century, Riverside Memorial Chapel has been part of the fabric of New York's Jewish community. It is a place where generations of families have gathered to remember, mourn and honor those they love. As we mark our 100th anniversary, we've completed a five-year renovation and rededication that modernizes our historic chapels while preserving the sacred character that has made this building a beloved landmark for so long. And as we begin our second century, we remain committed to serving families with the same care, dignity and respect that has defined us since the beginning.
History
Like many funeral homes in the late 1800s, Riverside Memorial Chapel started out as a livery business. In 1897, Louis Meyers established Meyers Livery Stable on Manhattan's Lower East Side and helped transport the deceased. His daughter, Sarah, and her husband, Charles Rosenthal, also helped out with the livery business.
A few years later, the firm, which was renamed Meyers Undertakers, moved from the Lower East Side to East Harlem. In 1912, the name changed again and Meyers & Company moved to 228 Lenox Ave. in Harlem. In 1926, the Rosenthal family moved the firm to its present location on the Upper West Side and opened a majestic four-story funeral chapel inspired by Neo-Renaissance architecture.
Finally, in 1933, Meyers & Company was divided into two companies: Riverside Memorial Chapel and Park West Memorial Chapel.
Edward and Morton Rosenthal nurture a thriving business
Under the leadership of Charles Rosenthal's sons, Edward and Morton Rosenthal, Riverside Memorial Chapels opened and acquired more locations in New York City and across the country, eventually becoming the largest funeral service group in the nation. The entrepreneurial brothers, along with Edward’s son-in-law, Steven J. Ross, also formed separate rental car and parking businesses. As if that wasn’t enough, Morton, Edward and Steven got into the entertainment business and bought Warner Brothers, which is now a division of Time Warner Inc.
Restoration and renovations of the funeral home
Riverside Memorial Chapel is an architectural wonder, and we strive to preserve its history. Over the years, we've renovated and restored the building to keep it as close to the original as possible. From 1994 to 1998, the architectural firm Belmont Freeman completed an extensive restoration of the exterior and interior and upgraded the mechanical and electrical systems.
Most recently, as we approached our 100th anniversary, we undertook a five-year renovation and rededication of our three pew chapels. This work modernized the spaces for the comfort of today's families while carefully preserving the historic character and sacred purpose that make Riverside unique. The result honors the generations who have gathered here—and creates a meaningful place for the generations still to come.
Honoring our founders
One of the stained-glass windows in Riverside Memorial Chapel is dedicated to the Rosenthal family. Without them, our funeral home wouldn’t be what it is today. We are inspired by their legacy and continue to provide premier Jewish funeral services for New York families.
The Gothic Chapel
The most impressive space at Riverside Memorial Chapel is the Gothic Chapel, an ornate room with seating for 350 people. Its celestial arched ceiling rises two stories and is painted to resemble the night sky. One wall features three floor-to-ceiling stained-glass windows that stream natural light on sunny days, complemented by a wall of three murals depicting religious themes that enhance the symmetry of the space. For more than a century, this chapel has been a recognizable presence in the neighborhood and a familiar setting for the community's most meaningful moments.
The acoustics in the Gothic Chapel are remarkable. An organ sits at the back of the chapel, and we can arrange for an organist to play during a service. If you are expecting a very large crowd, the Gothic Chapel also has an enclosed balcony with ample seating for overflow guests.
View Other Riverside Chapels