At New Holland Church Furniture, our team handcrafts custom Bimah furniture for synagogues, including reading tables, lecterns, rabbi and cantor chairs, and Torah Arks (Aron Kodesh). Each piece combines time-honored craftsmanship with modern technology and is available in your choice of hardwood. For more than 70 years, New Holland has served congregations throughout North and South America.
Discover All the Possibilities for Your Shul Furniture
Your synagogue is unlike any other. The furniture on your Bimah should reflect your tradition, your architecture, your congregation’s identity. Whether you are planning a full sanctuary renovation or replacing a single piece, our team at New Holland guides you through every decision with clarity and craftsmanship.
Bimah Furniture Examples:
Ready to Design Your Bimah Furniture?
Are you ready to take the next step in designing your Bimah furniture? New Holland Church Furniture is here to guide you through the process with ease and expertise. Our team specializes in creating custom synagogue furniture that meets your specific needs and preferences. Find your local rep today to get started.
What Synagogues Has New Holland Served?
Hundreds of congregations across the United States and beyond have trusted us at New Holland to furnish their worship spaces. Here are a few examples:
Temple Adath Shalom – Morris Plains, NJ
Congregation Kol Emeth – Palo Alto, CA
Temple Beth El – South Bend, IN
Whether you are looking to enhance the traditional charm of your sanctuary or introduce a more contemporary design, we can help bring your vision to life. Partner with us to explore the full range of furniture designs that can transform your worship space into a place of reverence and inspiration.
Explore Our Bimah Furniture Gallery
What’s The Significance of the Bimah and Choosing Your Bimah Furniture?
The word Bimah is Hebrew for “platform.” The term refers both to the platform in the synagogue and to the reading table from which the Torah is read. Interestingly, the location of the Bimah is typically situated so that the reader faces toward the front of the sanctuary. However, its relation to the Torah Ark may be the most significant consideration, and it varies based on different traditions.
For instance, modern Conservative and Reform congregations have moved the Bimah to the front of the congregation immediately before the ark. The Sephardi tradition often places the Bimah and ark at opposite ends of the room, with the congregation seated between them.
No matter your tradition, your Bimah furniture should express a lot about your unique congregation and be functional, beautiful, and inspiring. At New Holland Church Furniture, our capabilities in building Bimah furnishings, as well as synagogue seating in a range of styles and configurations, are unmatched. Contact us today to learn more and tell us about your project goals.
How New Holland Builds Your Custom Bimah Furniture
Your congregation deserves Bimah furniture that is as meaningful as the worship it serves. At New Holland Church Furniture, we believe exceptional craftsmanship is all in the details. We take great pride in custom building top-quality Bimah furniture, synagogue seating, and other worship furniture pieces that are as durable as they are beautiful.
Every custom Bimah project at New Holland follows a clear, guided process from your first conversation to your final installation. Here is what that looks like:
1: Start with a Design Conversation
Your project begins with a conversation, not a quote form. Your New Holland rep takes the time to understand your synagogue’s space, your existing interior, your budget range, and your vision. Bring a photo, a drawing, or simply a description of what you want the space to feel like.
2: Choose Your Wood and Finish
Once your design direction is set, you select the materials. New Holland crafts Bimah furniture in a wide range of hardwood species:
- Red Oak
- Maple
- Cherry
- Sapele Mahogany
- European Beech
- White Oak
From there, your finish and stain are selected to either match your existing Bimah pieces and interior woodwork or introduce a new tone that refreshes the entire worship space.
3: Customize Every Detail
This is where your furniture becomes truly yours. Our team at New Holland builds to your exact specifications, including:
- Dimensions and height — custom sizing for your Bimah platform, reading table height, and chair proportions
- Carved details and emblems — congregation logos, Hebrew lettering, Star of David, or traditional decorative elements
- Upholstery — fabric color and material for seating that is both beautiful and durable
- Combination seating — mix radius-curved pews, defined-radius seating, and chairs for a fully integrated sanctuary design
We’re here to bring your vision for your worship space to life. We’ll work with you to customize your bimah furniture with as little or as much detail as you like.
4: Handcrafted and Custom Built for Your Congregation
Your Bimah furniture is built by New Holland’s craftsmen using time-honored old world craftsmanship with modern technology. Every joint, every carved detail, and every finish coat is applied with the same standard New Holland has held since 1919.
5: Delivered and Professionally Installed
At New Holland, we’ll manage delivery and professional installation. We’ll be coordinating directly with your facilities team to minimize disruption to your congregation’s schedule. Your team does not have to manage multiple vendors or guess at logistics. Our team handles it.
– Rabbi Robert T. Gan | Temple Isaiah – Los Angeles, CA
What Sets New Holland’s Bimah Furniture Apart?
Your congregation deserves furnishings built to last and designed with intention. Here is what you get when you work with New Holland.
✓ Handcrafted in the USA
Every piece is made in America using old-world craftsmanship and time-honored joinery. Quality is built in and not added on.
✓ Traditional Construction with Modern Technology
Combining traditional construction methods with modern technology creates Bimah furnishings that honor time-tested craftsmanship while achieving exceptional precision with the strength and longevity your investment deserves.
✓ Full Customization
Custom height specifications, carved details, added emblems or congregation logos, and custom wood finishes. Your vision drives every decision.
✓ Design Support Included
Our team at New Holland works directly with you or your design team on layout, materials, and specifications so nothing gets lost between concept and installation.
✓ Delivery and Installation
From manufacturing to final placement, New Holland coordinates delivery and professional installation to keep your project on track and your sanctuary undisrupted.
Ready to Design Your Bimah Furniture?
Your Bimah deserves furnishings that reflect the spirit of your congregation and stand the test of time. Our team at New Holland Church Furniture is here to guide you, from the first design conversation to final installation.
Your next steps are simple:
- Find your local rep using the Rep Locator on the New Holland website.
- Share your project goals
- Work with New Holland’s design team to plan your Bimah furniture.
- Receive a custom quote and project timeline.
Whether you need synagogue seating in New York or custom Bimah furniture in Texas, New Holland is ready to help. Made in the USA. Built to last.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bimah Furniture
Here are answers to the questions synagogue committees, administrators, and project leads ask most often about Bimah furniture.
What furniture is included in a Bimah?
A Bimah typically includes a reading table (Shulchan), lectern, rabbi and cantor chairs, and can include a Torah Ark (Aron Kodesh). At New Holland, we custom-build each piece to match your synagogue's existing furnishings.
What does 'Bimah' mean?
Bimah is a Hebrew word meaning 'platform' or 'stage,' referring to the raised area from which the Torah is read during services. Its placement varies by tradition — centrally in Orthodox and many Conservative synagogues, or at the front near the ark in Reform congregations.
Can New Holland build a Torah Ark (Aron Kodesh)?
Yes. New Holland handcrafts custom Torah Arks alongside reading tables, lecterns, and rabbi chairs as part of a complete Bimah furniture package.
What wood species are available for Bimah furniture?
Bimah furniture is available in Red Oak, Maple, Cherry, Sapele Mahogany, European Beech, and White Oak, using the same quality construction New Holland uses across all worship furniture.
Does New Holland work with synagogues outside the United States?
Yes. At New Holland, we serve congregations across the United States, Canada, Bermuda, the Caribbean, and South America.
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