Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Woman Claims Synagogue Fired Her For Having Pre-Marital Sex
By
Ben Yakas
Published Sep 23, 2015
Modified Apr 11, 2018
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Ben Yakas
Published Sep 23, 2015
Modified Apr 11, 2018
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A 36-year-old woman claims in a lawsuit that the synagogue she worked at for over a decade fired her this summer after finding out that she had pre-marital sex. Apparently her employers found out because she had the nerve to get pregnant with her fiancé.
Alana Shultz worked as program director at the Modern Sephardic Orthodox Congregation Shearith Israel on the Upper West Side since 2004. The Post reports that before leaving for her honeymoon, she confided to supervisor Barbara Reiss that she was 19 weeks pregnant when she married her husband on June 28th.
Upon returning on July 21st, she was told her position had been suddenly eliminated and her last day would be August 15th. She claims that Rabbi Meir Soloveichik and Reiss broke the news to her while not looking her in the eye, treating her like a pariah: "When Ms. Shultz entered Rabbi Soloveichik's office, he had his head turned to the side, looking away from her," the suit claims. "Callously, Rabbi Soloveichik thereafter intentionally refused to look at, speak to or acknowledge in any way Ms. Shultz throughout the entire meeting."
Congregation Shearith Israel, founded in 1654 and one of the oldest in the country, has a congregation "made up primarily of wealthy legacy memberships paid for by families who have not been Orthodox for decades, and sometimes for several generations," according to Failed Messiah.
Even though her position was "eliminated," Shultz was allegedly asked to train her replacement. The synagogue also offered her a severance package, with no medical benefits, for her assurance that she wouldn't take any legal action.
That obviously didn't work for her, and after she hired a lawyer, they tried to rehire her in a "thinly-veiled attempt to mitigate defendant’s exposure for their blatant discriminatory and unlawful conduct," the suit says.
"After working tirelessly at the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue [Shearith Israel] for the last 11 years, I am beyond saddened they've forced me to file this lawsuit, which I hope will help other women avoid what they did to me during what should be a time for celebration and joy," Shultz said in a statement.
Her lawyer noted that the lawsuit was filed just before the High Holy Days: "Filing this case on the eve of Yom Kippur will hopefully give the defendants some time to reflect on their atrocious conduct toward a pregnant loyal former employee," attorney Doug Wigdor told the Daily News.
Tagged
Alana Shultz
Congregation Shearith Israel
jewish
lawsuit
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. ET
Mamdani extends ban on permits for new street fairs due to NYPD overtime
Critics say the moratorium harms businesses in neighborhoods without a tradition of street fairs.
By
Carol Chen
News
Mamdani extends ban on permits for new street fairs due to NYPD overtime
Critics say the moratorium harms businesses in neighborhoods without a tradition of street fairs.
By
Carol Chen
Inside the Midtown Bus Terminal rebuild: Decks over Lincoln Tunnel approach, a new park
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Black couple seeking Queens apartment sues over racist text from broker
By
Brittany Kriegstein
NJ early voting begins Saturday. Here's everything you need to know.
By
Mike Hayes
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .