Harmonie Club

40°45′53″N 73°58′20″W  /  40.764665°N 73.972127°W  / 40.764665; -73.972127 The Harmonie Club's facade fronting East 60th Street in Manhattan , designed by Stanford White For the 1894 building in Detroit, Michigan, see Harmonie Club (Detroit, Michigan) .¹ The Harmonie Club is a social club in New York City .² It was founded in 1852 as a singing and dining association for New Yorkers of German Jewish descent. The club was reportedly formed in response to the inability of some prominent Jews to be admitted to the major social clubs of the day, which had tacit policies of discrimination . It was so successful that by 1884 the New York Times could report that "many of New-York's leading German citizens are connected" with the Club. In 1905 it moved into new premises at 4 East 60th Street; the new building was designed by Stanford White with lighting by Edward F. Caldwell & Co. , and later alterations, inside and out, by Benjamin Wistar Morris . The earlier building was designed by Herts and Tallant , who had also designed the Brooklyn Academy of Music and Coram Library at Bates College. The membership was originally entirely Jewish, and it served as the location of the meetings of the American Jewish Committee for several years, especially in the tumultuous 1930s ; it took a leading role in resettling refugees from the Nazis and in ensuring their contribution to the Allied war effort. Albert Einstein and other prominent Anti- Nazi figures of the day sponsored events at the club to raise awareness of the persecution of Jews by the Nazis. Over the years its political role in the community appeared to have moderated, and it became more of a social centre, as well as extending its membership to include non-German Jews; In 1987 it was the location of the world's 'most charitable' bridge game, which raised $62,000 . The club currently has approximately 1,000 members and is host to various cultural, political, and entertainment events throughout the year.³