NEW YORK—After a six-month renovation, Jehovah’s Witnesses reopened the historic Stanley Theater in Jersey City, New Jersey, on April 13, 2013. The Witnesses have used the Stanley as an Assembly Hall for large public Bible seminars for almost 30 years. The renovation has improved the theater’s functionality as a center for free Bible education.

New seats have made the theater more comfortable for the more than 250,000 who attend programs at the theater annually. The main auditorium and adjacent rooms have also been fitted with a state-of-the-art video system designed principally for American Sign Language presentations.

The renovations were completed almost entirely by Jehovah’s Witnesses who volunteered to work on this project. The volunteers came from various parts of the United States to share in improving an antique building with a unique history.

The Stanley Theater has been a fixture in New Jersey since the late 1920s. It was one of the largest movie theaters ever built in the United States. The theater had to close in 1978, but in 1983, Jehovah’s Witnesses rescued the historic theater from disrepair. The Witnesses have been using the theater as a venue for Bible education since reopening its doors in 1985.

Commenting on the most recent renovation, J. R. Brown, a spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses, states: “The Stanley Theater primarily functions as a house of worship, where people from over 15 language groups can come to learn about the Bible. But the theater is also cherished by the New Jersey community, and our organization is glad to help preserve that history.”

Media Contact(s):

International: J. R. Brown, Office of Public Information, tel. +1 718 560 5000