Percival Goodman: Architect, Planner, Teacher, Painter

By Kimberly J. Elman and Angela Giral

Contributions by Taylor Stoehr, Rabbi Martin Freedman, Robert Fishman, Raymond Lifchez and Chiu-Hwa Wang, and Naomi Goodman


In a career that spanned more than sixty years, Percival Goodman achieved renown as one of the most prolific synagogue architects in the United States, and as an instrumental voice in the development of modern religious architecture. In his efforts to establish a vocabulary for the modern synagogue, he synthesized abstract modern forms and traditional Jewish symbolism, creating a unique style that resonated with people struggling to maintain their religious community in an increasingly secularized culture.

Percival Goodman: Architect, Planner, Teacher, Painter situates the architect's work within the modernist movement and offers a personal and critical assessment of his sustained commitment to the power of architecture as a vehicle for social change.