Founded in 1906, Congregation Mount Sinai is the oldest continuously operating synagogue in Jersey City. Our distinctive building with its copper cupolas is a historic landmark and a symbol of our deep roots in the neighborhood. Services are held 10 a.m. Saturday and are conducted in Hebrew.
Men and women sit separately, and children are welcome. Join us for Shabbos or a holiday or contact [email protected] for more information.
Congregation Mount Sinai, founded in 1906, is the oldest continuously operating synagogue in Jersey City. Our distinctive building with its copper cupolas is a historic landmark and a symbol of our deep roots in the neighborhood.
We are a warm, welcoming, and traditional congregation with a modern perspective on Jewish life and learning. Members include longtime Jersey City families as well as newcomers of all ages who are participating in the economic and cultural revival of Jersey City and Hudson County.Visitors are likely to hear a wide variety of
languages and accents as our congregation is exceptionally international. Page numbers are always indicated, and we offer a welcoming environment for people to express, deepen and rediscover their Jewish heritage.
Founded largely by Jewish merchants who anchored the Central Avenue retail district, Congregation Mount Sinai flourished in the mid-20th century. At the time, The Heights was home to many first and second-generation American Jews.
During the 1960s and 1970s, many members moved to the suburbs but the area is being rediscovered by a new generation.
We are walking distance from Journal Square, Hoboken and Union City. During the week, The Heights is a quick commute to New York with easy access to the Light Rail, PATH trains, buses, jitneys, and Uber. Other highlights include the Central Avenue shopping district, Pershing Field, and stunning panoramic views of Manhattan from Fisk Park/Riverview Park.
A welcoming synagogue with a fine rabbi and a commitment to progressive issues
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The Young Israel of Brookline is one of the largest Orthodox congregations in New England. The congregation was founded in 1953 and our earliest services were held in a small house on Fuller Street. When we quickly outgrew the space, member families purchased a larger site a few blocks away, on Green Street. In January 1994, when an electrical fire destroyed our shul building, our services and programs moved down the block, to a re-converted office building which we used while our new shul, shown above, was under construction. With great joy, the Young Israel community dedicated the new synagogue in November, 1996. The new facility hosts a main sanctuary which seats 525 congregants, beit midrash and Judaica library, banquet hall, kosher catering facilities, bridal room, classrooms, offices, keilim mikveh, and permanent sukkah structure.
Our members are a diverse group consisting of student couples, individuals, and families. Since Brookline is within walking distance of area hospitals, and a short drive to many universities and high-tech companies, it’s a popular destination. Many of our members are trained in the sciences, including the medical, software and engineering fields, and play leadership roles within their respective organizations. Also, since Boston is home to many top hospitals, we tend to see people from around the world, including many from Israel.
Historic Shaare Zedek Synagogue
For over a century, Congregation Shaare Zedek has served the Orthodox Jewish community
of northern Hudson County in New Jersey, including West New York, Guttenberg, North Bergen, Weehawken and Union City.
In 2012 we celebrated our Centennial. Some of our families have been with us since the beginning over a hundred years ago.
If you are part of our history, we invite you to contribute your story to our virtual book.
If you are new to Shaare Zedek we welcome you with open arms.
The synagogue is temporarily closed while we fix some building code violations and settle some fines.
When we reopen, we have services on Shabbat at 9:30 AM, and also on Jewish holidays.
We often have maariv on Friday – call us to check on the status: (201) 867-6859
Congregation Ohab Zedek, or OZ, as it is fondly known, is more than just a synagogue. Under the leadership of Rabbi Allen Schwartz, the Shul is known for its open doors and big heart. OZ has broad ties with the surrounding Jewish community and its Upper West Side neighborhood as a whole. A random visitor could easily encounter an up and coming scholar from Israel, or members of the local fire station. It is an informal, comfortable, inclusive community.
OZ is a modern Orthodox congregation, but any individual is welcome, regardless of background or means. It is a Shul of interlocking communities–young families who find a relaxed setting on Shabbos morning to introduce their toddlers to services; singles, who famously crowd the steps on Friday night; and seniors, many of whom have been members of OZ for decades. It is home to those tentatively exploring Judaism as well as the most learned, who are stimulated by a broad array of lecturers and classes.
Rabbi Allen Schwartz became the spiritual leader of Congregation Ohab Zedek in 1988. He is an alumnus of Yeshiva College and received his Master of Arts Degree in Bible, Rabbinics and Halacha from Yeshiva University's Bernard Revel Graduate School, where he continues to work on his doctoral thesis on Rashi's methodology. Rabbi Schwartz was granted Smicha from the University's affiliated Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. He currently holds the Raymond J. Greenwald Chair in Jewish Studies at Yeshiva University, where he has taught since 1983.
Rabbi Schwartz and his wife Alisa moved to the Upper West Side in 1985, where he served as rabbi at Congregation Ohav Shalom before moving to the pulpit at Ohab Zedek. Rabbi Schwartz's major focus at OZ is to foster connections within and among the many different age groups and constituencies of Jews living on the Upper West Side. Seeking to make all kinds of religious opportunities available to Ohab Zedek members, he brings information to the community regarding such subjects as Chesed, Tzedakah, Torah learning, Shatnes testing, Tefillin and Mezuzah service, and assistance with Mitzvah and Shabbos observance. Rabbi Schwartz's goal for the community is to make every OZ attendee a member of the larger community family.
Rabbi Schwartz gives weekly classes on a variety of subjects at OZ and also taught fifth through eighth grades at Manhattan Day School. He has lectured extensively for the Board of Jewish Education of New York at elementary and high schools in the New York area. Rabbi Schwartz has published curricula on Biblical themes for Jewish day schools nationally and has written Bible curricula for Yeshiva day schools and high schools. He serves on the executive board of the Rabbinical Council of America and has also served as President of the Council of Orthodox Jewish Organizations of Manhattan's West Side. Rabbi Schwartz was the camp rabbi and educational director of Camp Morasha from 1996 to 2000 and then served as the educational director of Camp Mesora from 2002 to 2005 and continues to dedicate time during the summer months to serve its educational staff.
Rabbi Schwartz recently completed a scholarly edition of the Commentary of the Rokeach to the Book of Proverbs.
Rabbi and Alisa Schwartz have six children and eleven grandchildren.
מיטל וצבי וילור צידון נישאו זה לזו בניו-יורק ב-2006. לצד ההחלטה על חיים משותפים רקמו השניים החלטה נוספת: לעשות משהו טוב למען הקהילה הישראלית בניו-יורק. מיטל וצבי רצו לחבר בין הישראלים הרבים שחיים בעיר ולספק להם מקום של חוויה יהודית וישראלית אותנטית. מזה שמונה שנים שמיטל וצבי מזמינים מידי יום שישי ישראלים רבים לארוחת שבת חגיגית אצלהם בבית בקווינס, פרויקט המוכר בתור "שישי אצל צבי".
"התחלנו מיד כשהתחתנו", מספר צבי. "אנשים תמיד אומרים, 'אל תתחבר עם ישראלים! ישראלים, במיוחד כאלה שחיים בחו"ל, הם אנשים קשים'. אבל אנחנו רצינו להראות צד אחר של הישראלים, להראות שאנחנו אנשים טובים ויפים. רצינו לחבר ולאחד את הישראלים, להוציא את הצד הטוב והיפה, שיהיה ישראלי מאוד. כשהתחלנו את 'שישי אצל צבי' גרנו בבית ממש קטן, עם מטבח קטנטן, אז התחלנו בקטן. בהתחלה היו באים רק שישה אנשים ומיטל התלוננה שלא מגיעים מספיק אנשים. אבל ידענו שאם נחכה ונתמיד בסוף זה יתפוס. ובאמת, לאט לאט, חבר הביא חבר וזה התחיל לתפוס. פתאום היינו שמונה אנשים ואחרי זה עשרה. היום, כל שבת, ברוך השם, יש אצלנו בבית בערך שלושים אנשים. בחורף, זה נע בין עשרים לשלושים איש, ובקיץ יושבים גם בחצר ומגיעים בין שלושים לארבעים איש. בראש השנה יושבים אצלנו בסלון, בחדר האוכל והחצר ביחד גם חמישים-שישים איש. ובל"ג בעומר האחרון היו אצלנו שבעים איש, שחגגו על-האש בחצר".
כשהוא לא מתפקד כבית חב"ד של איש אחד ואישה אחת, צבי מנהל חברה לשיווק באינטרנט ועוסק בהקמת אתרים וקידום בחיפושים. החברה שלו גם זכתה פעמיים ברציפות בפרס לקידום אתרים מטעם גוגל. אבל נראה שהמצווה של אירוח עשרות ישראלים לחוויית שבת מיוחדת מידי שבוע היא בעלת חשיבות לא פחותה מבחינת צבי, ובהחלט לא פחות תובענית מבחינת זמן ומשאבים.
איך אתם מכינים ארוחה לשלושים איש מדי שבוע?
"זה פרויקט שאנחנו עובדים עליו כל השבוע. ביום שלישי אני עושה את הפרסומים על מנת שזה יופיע בכל מקום וכדי שאנשים ידעו שיש להם לאן לבוא לשבת. אני מפיץ את הידיעה באינטרנט ובפייסבוק, ואני שולח הודעות טקסט לרשימת תפוצה של 200 אנשים. אחרי זה אנחנו עושים קניות בימים רביעי וחמישי. ביום חמישי אנחנו מתחילים את הבישולים. אנחנו כבר כל כך מיומנים בבישולים בכמויות האלה, שבדרך כלל אנחנו גם משלימים את הבישולים עוד לפני יום שישי. את הכל מיטל ואני מבשלים, לפעמים עם קצת עזרה מחברים".
למה יכול לצפות אורח בשישי אצל צבי?
"בארוחות 'שישי אצל צבי' הכי חשוב זה האווירה. יש אווירה נעימה ונינוחה, בלי ויכוחים ורעשים. יש אצלנו אווירה ביתית של שבת, עם קידוש ושירים, חלה ונרות דולקים. יש ארוחה גדולה, שהאורחים עוזרים להגיש, כמו בבית, ואחרי הארוחה הרבה מהאורחים נשארים לשבת, שרים ומדברים. מאז שהתחלנו כבר נוצרו אצלנו הרבה קשרים וחברויות וגם כמה חתונות שהתחילו אצלי בבית. מבחינת האוכל, אנחנו מכינים את הכל בעצמנו בבית. אנחנו משתדלים שלא להגיש שום דבר קנוי או מוכן מראש. בכל ארוחה אנחנו מגישים עשרה סוגי סלטים, חצילים וטחינה וחומוס שאנחנו מכינים. אנחנו מגישים מרק צמחוני, דג מרוקאי ובשר ועופות ותוספות לצמחונים, וקינוחים. כמעט לא קונים שום דבר תעשייתי. אנחנו רוצים שהכל יהיה ביתי וטרי ואורגני וכמה שיותר בריא".
איך מכלכלים ארוחה גדולה כל כך מדי שבוע?
"בשבע שנים הראשונות עשינו הכל לבד וכלכלנו כמעט את הכל מכיסנו. השנה אמרתי שנעשה ניסיון ונבקש סכום סמלי מכל אורח. כשהתחלתי לפרסם את הארוחות בתשלום, פנו אלי כל מיני אנשים ואמרו, 'צבי, עזוב אותך, אל תיקח כסף על הארוחה ביום שישי הקרוב, אני אשלם על הכל'. וככה יצא שאנשים טובים מכסים את ההוצאות כמעט בכל הארוחות מאז, ואנחנו יכולים להמשיך ולהזמין אורחים ללא תשלום".
בעמוד הפייסבוק של "שישי אצל צבי", חולקים צבי ומיטל בוידאו את המתכונים שלהם בעת ההכנה של הארוחות. אפשר למצוא שם בין היתר מתכונים מצולמים של עוגת תמרים פרווה ללא אפייה, חלות ארבעה דגנים או דג סלמון כבוש. הם גם חולקים עשרות מכתבי תודה והערכה משלל האורחים שביקרו בביתם.
איזה מין אנשים מגיעים לארוחות "שישי אצל צבי"?
"אני אוהב להגיד, 'בשישי אצל צבי, כל אורח הוא VIP'. מגיעים ישראלים מכל הבא ליד – סטודנטים, רופאים, בנקאים ואנשי נדל"ן. לפעמים מגיעים תיירים ישראלים שנמצאים בסביבה, או דיילות של אל-על. כל מי שרוצה לבוא מוזמן. אני רוצה להפיץ את הידיעה על 'שישי אצל צבי' כדי שעוד אנשים ידעו על זה שיש להם מקום לבוא בסוף השבוע לארוחת שבת ישראלית ולהיחשף לצד היפה של הישראלים כאן".
Minyan Times:
Shacharis Sun: 8:15 AM
Shacharis Mon/Thu: 7:15 AM
Shacharis T/W/F: 7:15 AM
Shacharis Rosh Chodesh: 15 minutes earlier than normal
Mincha: 10 minutes before Shkia
Maariv: Follows Mincha Friday
Mincha: Between 10-15 minutes before shkiah
Shabbos Shacharis: 9:00 AM in winter 9:15 in summer Shabbos
Mincha: candle lighting time Motsei Shabbos
Maariv: aproximately 50 minutes after shkiah
Daf Yomi
Monday through Friday at 6:30 am
Edit Shiur
Daf Yomi
Shabbos
(45 min. before Mincha)
Boyaner Rebbe Shlit"a Speaking at Tish commemorating the Yohrtziet of his Alter Zeide The Pachad Yitzchock of Boyan Zatza"l at Mannhatan Day School on the Upper West Side, Feb 20th 2011. Hosted by the Boyaner Shtiebel of the West Side.
SpatzShulPhoto tinyWe are an independent, historic Orthodox synagogue that serves a diverse congregation and the broader community.
Our little shul is a great place for davening (prayer), learning, and spiritual growth; and a social environment where we celebrate holidays and life-cycle events together.
We are a warm, caring, welcoming community where everyone can contribute and be active in the life of the congregation, build on the traditions of our founders, and link the Jewish past to the future.
The Adams Street Shul is an orthodox synagogue located near Boston, Massachusetts. The congregation was founded in 1911 — and the shul built in 1912 — by immigrants who had been settling there since the 1890's, mostly from Hungary and the Ukraine.
The synagogue is located in the Nonantum neighborhood of Newton, less than five miles from downtown Boston. Newton is famously safe, and extremely convenient to all the Boston attractions, colleges, high-tech employment, and world-class medical centers.
The Adams Street Synagogue is also convenient to mikvaot and day schools, enjoys having an eruv, and often partners with the three other orthodox synagogues within walking distance.
In the last decade of the 20th century, the antique synagogue was physically restored, and its small, vibrant congregation has been growing ever since.
The shul's members benefit from Newton's excellent municipal services. The shul's Nonantum neighborhood has more homes for rent, more two-family homes, and lower cost houses than can be found in Brookline, Sharon, or other parts of Newton. And there is an eruv.
Individuals and young families relocating to the Boston area for its job market or educational opportunities find the Adams Street Shul to be a place where they can become active and really make a difference in a welcoming, haimish community.
The synagogue is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the congregation has been housed there continuously for over a century.
For more information, explore the synagogue's website or contact to arrange a tour or Shabbat hospitality.
Join our diverse congregation, over one hundred years old and still going strong!
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are powerful tools for improving schools, classrooms and informal learning spaces. PLCs (and their equivalent Communities of Practice for communal workers) allow education professionals to network with their colleagues, share insights and provide support for each other. CJE convenes participants with shared expertise and experience to collaborate and ensure maximum efficiency.
CJE currently facilitates the following professional learning communities for Baltimore Jewish Day Schools:
- Guidance Counselors/Psychologists
- Facility Managers
- Information Technology Specialists
- Librarians
- Marketing Professionals
In addition, CJE facilitates a Community of Practice for Baltimore Jewish communal professionals working with families with young children.
The Queens Jewish Center, also known as Queens Jewish Center and Talmud Torah or QJC, is a synagogue in Forest Hills, Queens, New York known for its significant contributions to the Jewish community. The synagogue was established by a dozen families in 1943 to serve the growing central Queens Jewish community.The current spiritual leader is Rabbi Simcha Hopkovitz.
The Queens Jewish Center building won honorable mention in the 1955 Queens Chamber of Commerce, Annual Building Awards. The architect was David Moed of Manhattan and the Builder was the LeFrak Organization.
The structure actually consists of two separate buildings. On October 3, 1946 an option was taken on the vacant plot where both Synagogue buildings now stand. Ground was first broken for the first building (also referred to as the Talmud Torah building or Bais Hamedrash building) during an elaborate ceremony on June 5, 1949, by Judge Paul Balsam and Center President Herman A. Levine. The ground-breaking for the Main Synagogue building took place on June 21, 1953 and was made possible by generous benefactor, Mr. Harry
Neighborhood
· Forest Hills was once the home of the US Open tennis tournament, played at the West Side Tennis Club before it moved to the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Park. When the Open was played at the tennis stadium, the tournament was commonly referred to merely as Forest Hills just as the British Open was referred to as Wimbledon.
· The neighborhood boasts a beautiful aura of old English infrastructure.
· The feeling of the neighborhood is a safe one. Conclusive for a healthy lifestyle , in mind body and spirit.
· It’s pretty picturesque scenery make it perfect surrounding for simply, better living.
· Only minutes away from the Mile long Austin street Shopping strip. As well as the large array of shopping opportunities of Queens Blvd and the boutique style antique shops of Metropolitan Ave. Truly a garden , to live in.
Temple Beth Shalom, also known as the Tremont Street Shul, is a warm, friendly, traditional Jewish synagogue located near the center of Cambridge, Massachusetts. We embrace a wide variety of ages, backgrounds, and styles of worship. On Shabbat evening and morning we have two styles of services. Shabbat morning services are followed by a sit down Kiddush lunch to which everyone is welcome.
HISTORY
Temple Beth Shalom was formed when Temple Ashkenaz and Congregation Beth Israel merged in 1962. The merged Shul chose to use the Temple Ashkenaz building at 8 Tremont Street because it was newer. The name was changed to Temple Beth Shalom, in part to mark a new spirit of community cooperation.
As members of the original Cambridge Jewish community migrated to the suburbs, the synagogues in Cambridge consolidated in stages. The Tremont Street Shul was the last of original Shuls to remain in operation. In the 1970’s, all the local colleges decided to have a joint Simchat Torah celebration at TBS. Helped by the success of this annual event, the Shul began to attract new members from the young professionals in the greater Cambridge area and has grown steadily since then.
Our Shul underwent a major renovation in 1987. The basement vestry was made suitable for the Alef Bet child care center, which was founded at that time. A second renovation in 1994 transformed our balcony into a convertible classroom. A new office was added in 2004. Meticulous care was taken during each renovation to conserve our building’s historic character. We think our main sanctuary is one of the Jewish architectural jewels of the greater Boston area. Come and see for yourself!
The ancestors of Temple Beth Shalom include:
Congregation Anshai Sfard, organized 1896, chartered 1898, building at 83 Webster Ave., Somerville, merged into Beth Israel 1957
Congregation Beth Israel, organized 1900, building at 238 Columbia St.
Temple Ashkenaz, split off from Beth Israel over the issue of Ashkenazic vs. Sephardic ritual 1908, building at 8 Tremont St.– originally the home of Joshua Kaplan, house torn down and a new building erected 1924
Congregation Yavneh, chartered 1918, building at 8 Howard St. erected 1920, closed 1934.
For more information on our history and the history of Jews in Cambridge, see our on-line exhibit Centennial of the Jewish Community in Cambridge, an event we celebrated in 1996.
Temple Beth Shalom is a member of the Synagogue Council of Massachusetts.
ABOUT US
Reflecting the diverse population of Cambridge, Temple Beth Shalom represents a unique, creatively traditional approach to Judaism. Our goal is to make Jews of every affiliation feel at home. Impossible? Try us.
We have three styles of worship every Shabbat and two styles of weekday services. See the worship services page for more information on the styles available. Our minyanim come together later Saturday morning for a sit-down Kiddush. Our Kiddush includes a light lunch, singing, and much fellowship. All holidays are celebrated with services and appropriate observances.
We have an active 20s and 30s group that runs several social events every month.
The Temple hosts a number of educational activities, including the Alef-Bet Child Care, a Talmud class, and other adult education programs. Along with two other local congregations we support the Kesher after-school Hebrew School program.
A unique event at Beth Shalom is our famous erev Simchat Torah celebration which draws as many as 500 or more people. Part of the fun-filled service is the Hakafot, which takes the congregation out onto Tremont St. for singing and dancing well into the night. This service attracts a wide cross-section of the Greater Boston community, including special participation of local college Hillels.
קהילה קדושה יאנינה הוא בית כנסת הנמצא ברחוב ברום (Broome) 280 בין רחובות אלן (Allen) ואלדרידג' (Eldridge) בלואר איסט סייד במנהטן ניו יורק. הוא נבנה בשנים 1925-1927 ותוכנן על ידי סידני דאוב. הוא בית הכנסת היחיד בחצי הכדור המערבי שנוהגים בו בנוסח הרומניוטים השונה גם מנוסח אשכנז וגם מנוסח ספרד.
לקהילה קדושה יאנינה יש ייחוד בהיותו בית הכנסת הרומניוטי היחיד בחצי הכדור המערבי הקהילה נוסדה ב-1906 על ידי מהגרים יהודי יוונים מיואנינה, אבל בית הכנסת לא הוקם עד 1927. השנים מאז ועד מלחמת העולם השנייה היו שנים של שפע לקהילה הרומניוטית בלואר איסט סייד. כיהנו בבית הכנסת שלושה רבנים ובימים הנוראים היה בית הכנסת מלא מפה לפה. אחרי מלחמת העולם השנייה עבר חלק גדול מבני הקהילה לרבעים אחרים וחלקים אחרים של מנהטן כולל הרלם, ברונקס וברוקלין. קהילות אלה כבר אינן פעילות היום. למרות שהקהילה התמעטה באופן קבוע מאז ימי הזוהר שלה לפני המלחמה הרי עדיין מתקיימות תפילות בבית הכנסת בשבתות ובחגים. למרות שיש לבית הכנסת רשימת תפוצה של 3,000 אנשים הרי, לעתים קרובות, חסרים אנשים למניין בתפילות השבת. סיורים מודרכים מתקיימים בכל יום ראשון למבקרים. לקהילת יאנינה יש חלקה בבית העלמין בוולווד (Wellwood). שם יש גם מצבת זיכרון ליהודי יאנינה שנספו בשואה.
הבניין נוסף לרשימה הלאומית של מקומות היסטוריים ב-30 בנובמבר 1999 וצוין כנקודת ציון של העיר ניו יורק ב-11 במאי 2004 . הוא עבר שיקום נרחב ב-2006.
Congregation Kehila Kedosha Janina
A small synagogue in New York City's Lower East Side is reaching out to make people aware of its congregation's heritage through a museum that familiarizes people with its customs and history.
The synagogue is virtually unchanged since being built in 1927 by Romaniote Jews from Janina, Greece. In 2004, it was designated a landmark by the City of New York.
Both memorabilia and the museum's tour guides describe the story of the Romaniote Jews, from their entry into Greece in the first century to their current life in America.
Differences between Greek Romaniote Jews and the Greek Sephardic Jews who fled from Spain to escape the Inquisition are featured: The two groups speak different languages and have distinct customs.
The synagogue is open for Shabbat services at 9:00 a.m. and on holidays. Look for the schedule of "Holiday Services" on our sidebar menu.
The Museum is open from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sundays, or please contact us if you wish to have a special appointment.
Welcome to Congregation B’nai Avraham, the Orthodox synagogue in Brooklyn Heights. As the only Orthodox synagogue in the neighborhood, we serve a unique role in accommodating people with divergent religious backgrounds and at varying levels of observance. We welcome all!
Our goal is to increase the level of Jewish awareness, knowledge and observance by providing a warm, welcoming community with activities to appeal to people at all levels and with varying interests. We provide a daily morning and evening minyan and more than ten classes a week for adult learning, as well as beginner’s services and children’s services on Shabbat. Our Mei Menacham Mikvah is perhaps the most beautiful mikvah in the City.
Our membership includes both Ashkenazim and Sephardim, and our members’ first languages include Hebrew, Russian, Yiddush, French, Spanish and Arabic, as well as English. Our spiritual leader, Rabbi Aaron L. Raskin, is a member of the Chabad movement, and during services most people use the RCA ArtScroll Siddur and the Stone Chumash, although other Siddurim and Chumashim are readily available.
Come to Saturday services and enjoy a sociable kiddush afterwards, or stop by at one of our many classes, or come to a Friday night dinner with singing, joy and a guest speaker. Whether you are a yeshivah graduate, baal teshuvah, considering conversion or totally new to matters Jewish, we welcome you, and you will find a comfortable place in our vibrant community.
Daily Classes
There’s always something happening at B’nai Avraham! Every day of the week Jewish education classes are taught for free in English.
If you want to pursue your Jewish education, there are no more excuses. See our *list of classes* for more particulars. Don’t see your topic on the list? Ask us!
History
In the Summer of 1988 Stephen and Penny Rosen, having recently become more observant, wanted to establish an orthodox Shabbat minyan. Together, they contacted Rabbi Shimon Hecht of B’nai Jacob in Park Slope, who supplied them with a Torah scroll, books, and a very young man to lead services and read from the Torah. Space was rented from a local theater group, signs posted, calls made, and the hope was that someone would show up for the scheduled Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. Initially, there were the Rosens, Drs. Walter and Brenda Molofsky, previous members with the Rosens of a local Conservative Synagogue, the young man (Rabbi Aaron L. Raskin) and Rabbi Raskin’s brother Shua, who was recruited to walk from Crown Heights with the Rabbi.
Amazingly enough, other people came so that there was a minyan, and the first and only Orthodox Synagogue in Brooklyn Heights began.
After Yom Kippur, holiday and Saturday morning services were held at the Rosen’s residence for the next nine months. The Congregation was officially founded as a religious corporation in December 1988. It was named B’nai Avraham in honor of Stephen Rosen’s grandfathers, both of whom had the Hebrew name “Avraham.” Rabbi Raskin noted that “B’nai Avraham,” literally, “children of Abraham” is the name given to converts, and the Congregation has had many converts among its members. After nine months at the Rosens’, the Congregation rented a parlor floor apartment on Clinton Street. As the landlady lived upstairs, the front door had to remain locked. Generally, Stephen Rosen waited at the front door to let people in. Latecomers tossed pebbles against a window and someone would come down to let them in.
We then moved to a commercial space at 100 Clinton Street, where at long last, we could leave the door open. Finally, in 1996, we moved to our current location at 117 Remsen Street, purchased from the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue (Reform), which acquired a larger building three doors away.
In 2000, the Mei Menachem Community Mikvah was built. It is one of the most beautiful and elegant Mikvahs in the New York area.
Congregation Talmud Torah Adereth El was established in 1857. It has the distinctionof being New York's oldest synagogue in its original location with continuous services. Founded four years before the Civil War, the history of Adereth El is intertwined with thatof New York City. Rabbi Sidney Kleiman OB"M served as the Rabbi of Congregation Talmud Torah Adereth El from 1939 – 1999. He continued attending services daily as Rabbi Emeritus until his passing at the age of 100 in the Spring of 2013. For more than a decade, Rabbi Gideon Shloush has infused the shul with his energy and creativity, and Adereth El is experiencing a wonderful renaissance. The Synagogue plays a vital role in New York's Jewish community. Adereth El serves the neighborhood through daily prayer services, weekly learning and outreach programs, an array of Shabbat activities, welcoming guests from around the world, providing assistance to those with loved ones in area hospitals
Adereth El's current membership reflects the diversity of its neighborhood, Murray Hill. During the work week, many Jewish businessmen with nearby offices pray at the synagogue. The congregation now includes a number of young, single members due to the growing popularity of Murray Hill with this population. Of note, many Adereth El members are students and faculty at the nearby New York University (NYU) medical center. The synagogue’s proximity to the hospital also brings in many hospital patients’ visitors as guests at Adereth El services. In fact, the synagogue typically has multiple weekly baby-naming ceremonies due to the large number of labor and delivery visitors. Additionally, due to Adereth El’s location near Yeshiva University’s Stern College for Women, many Stern students regularly attend the synagogue’s services.
The history of Congregation Adereth El is quite colorful and gives us an opportunity to look at the life and times of a Congregation as it struggles and grows in the most exciting city in the world. It is a reflection of the progress and accomplishments of New York Jews for 150 years. It is also an opportunity to look at and remember the names of men and women who have come and gone and yet whose mark lives on in the energies they gave to the Synagogue they loved.
The Text was written by Rabbi Sidney Kleiman and Andre S. Marx to be included in the 100th Anniversary Journal that was distributed at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on October 27, 1957. Not only did the authors undertake the massive job of reviewing the records and minutes of a century's worth of meetings, but it is obvious that they also did extensive field investigation in the community and at the records offices of New York City.