History

In the 1920s, when the Pleasantdale section of West Orange was considered “the country,” Goldman's and Green's hotels on Pleasant Valley Way were thriving resorts catering to Jews from Brooklyn and the outer boroughs. But the local Jewish population was small.

By 1932, Jews in the area were numerous enough to form a congregation, incorporated as the Jewish Center of Pleasantdale. For nine years, they met where space could be found, until—in 1941—the 75-member congregation bought a single-family home and converted it into a house of prayer.

The congregation's first, full-time rabbi, Harold Mozeson, arrived in 1944. He served the community for 28 years.

The second defining event began when a bit of ink on one of the letters on a Torah scroll fell from the parchment—making the scroll unfit for use. The congregation commissioned a scribe to examine all six of our Torah scrolls. A fundraising plan ensued, with congregants invited to sponsor the examination and kashering of whole scrolls, books of the Torah, weekly portions, and even single letters. On the day of the rededication, there was a grand parade, with Torah scrolls carried by singing congregants for a full mile along Pleasant Valley Way to the synagogue. There, the scribe sat ready to inspect and repair every Torah. By afternoon, all scrolls were pronounced kosher. In the late 1980s, with the development of a strong YM/YWHA (now the JCC) in West Orange, the congregation changed its name to B’nai Shalom, identifying itself as a religious organization and not a community center.

Two events, one terrible and one joyful, then shaped the history and spirit of the congregation, establishing a depth of connection to place and community felt to this day.

The first was the explosion of a massive bomb in the synagogue lobby, on April 18, 1971. Torah scrolls were rescued, but the damage was devastating. Despite all efforts of the police and FBI, the perpetrators were never found. The assumption that anti-Semitism would never touch West Orange was shattered along with windows and walls, and the reconstruction that followed was accomplished with a sense of keen resolve.

By that time, Rabbi Mozeson had retired, succeeded by a young rabbi, Stanley Asekoff, whose gift for pastoral care was essential for the healing of the congregation. Rabbi Asekoff's tenure lasted 39 years, and, as Rabbi Emeritus, he continues to be a respected and loved part of our community.

By the mid-1990s, a grant by the Maron Family, in memory of Lynn Sunshine Maron, the first woman president of B’nai Shalom, sparked a Building Campaign that funded the modernization that produced the beautiful building we know today. Maron Hall, dedicated in Lynn's honor, became an elegant room, suited for High Holiday services, receptions, and special events. Thanks to the generosity of the Gruhin Family, the sanctuary was significantly enlarged and reoriented to the east, with the bimah in the center. An impressive, glass-walled loggia was added, dedicated by the Legow Family. In 2001, Congregation Ahavath Achim (Belleville) closed and its members joined B’nai Shalom. The Morris and Miriam Hammer Campus was dedicated in 2006.

Rabbi Asekoff retired in 2011. When his successor, Rabbi Robert L. Tobin stepped onto the bimah for the first time, he was only the third rabbi to serve B’nai Shalom in 79 years. Dedicated to infusing every aspect of congregational life with opportunities for learning, Rabbi Tobin initiated the congregation's latest venture, development of the Culture and Learning Center at B’nai Shalom.

In 2017, Verona's Congregation Beth Ahm closed its doors. Its members joined B’nai Shalom, bringing with them their spirit and strength, and a set of beautiful stained glass windows that now enhance our sanctuary and sanctuary lobby.

Goldman's Hotel is now the Wilshire Grand and its golf course is the Woodlands, a condominium community. Green's on the Lake is a nursing home.

The newly built Sylvia and Buddy Edelman Chapel and Library, made possible by the generous grant of their family, was dedicated on September 22nd, 2024. The chapel is decorated with six beautiful mosaics, created by Abe Glatt, z”l, at B'nai Jacob in Jersey city. This spectacular prayer and study space immediately became an anchor of our congregation’s spiritual life.