The author hangs out with, a guy that everyone calls “Joe Louis” who lives in the Central neighborhood in Cleveland. Earlier in the day, I had been shooting the home in which he lived on East 57th. The large structure behind us is from the days when he’s 55th was heavily Jewish and was lined with beautiful homes and very large synagogues. This one became friendship Baptist Church like all the other ones as well. Unfortunately, they had to shut the church down in 2014 and a lingered until it was burned down by urban explorers in 2026.
I photographed it often on since the 90s including the interior in 2023. Have photographed a lot of church interior and it was one of the best. And, being Jewish, most synagogues are that ostentatious or ornamental, but this one was unlike many other synagogues.
“Joe’s” Home is long gone as well, ns he is.
Are you detecting a pattern here?