Community In Action

Talmud Brachot teaches that "One must pray only in a house with windows" so that even in prayer, we will never forget the world around us – those from whom we can learn; those with whom we can join hands; those in need of help.

Join us as we weave the bonds of community within B’nai Shalom and extend those bonds to Israel and to the larger community in which we live.

Social Action

Every contribution and hour spent in hands-on outreach is a mitzvah. There are so many ways to help and volunteers are always welcome.

Yad l’Yad. Sisterhood spearheads this effort to help members and those in the community facing difficult circumstances. Volunteers help with food shopping, friendly visits, and transportation to doctors and other local appointments. If you have time to give, please contact rabbitobin@bnaishalom.net.

Minyan Meyuchad. B’nai Shalom is a fully accessible facility, supporting full inclusion and participation of individuals having all abilities in our religious and communal life. We are proud to host some 30 differently abled individuals monthly to enjoy a Shabbat service and participate in the congregational Kiddush luncheon. To volunteer to help with these events, contact director@bnaishalom.net.

Men’s Club Toy Drive. Each fall, we collect new, unwrapped toys and school supplies to be distributed to organizations that care for children in need.

Career-Gear Clothing Drive. Men’s Club coordinates this drive to collect and donate business attire in good condition for men and women who need appropriate clothing for job interviews and the workplace.

Saving Lives through Blood Drives. Several times a year, B’nai Shalom hosts blood drives for Community Blood Services, a not-for-profit organization that supplies blood and blood products to help patients in over 20 hospitals in New Jersey and New York. Watch our e-Happenings calendar for dates.

Sisterhood

B’nai Shalom’s Sisterhood combines purpose, friendship, and fun. A welcoming group of women who enjoy one another’s company, Sisterhood members plan a lively schedule of speakers, hands-on activities, and service to the congregation.

  • Yad l’Yad is Sisterhood’s project to help elderly or ill members who need rides to appointments, grocery shopping, and friendly visits.
  • The Rina Kurland Memorial Sisterhood Book Club, open to all congregants, presents reviews and discussion of four to five notable Jewish books each year.
  • Sisterhood-sponsored luncheons make holidays special for the whole congregation and Sisterhood Shabbat celebrates the extraordinary role Sisterhood plays in the life of our congregation.
  • Sisterhood’s Gift Shop in the Legow Loggia is a convenient place to find affordable gifts, Jewish crafts, and elegant Judaica. Please email sisterhood@bnaishalom.net for an appointment.

Our Sisterhood is affiliated with the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism, and actively participates in regional and national events. Through Women’s League, we support the Torah Fund Campaign to fund the education of the Conservative Movement’s scholars, rabbis, cantors, and educators at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York and its campus in Israel.

There are abundant opportunities to take part, whether you want to be active or to enjoy a program when time permits. To learn more, please write to sisterhood@bnaishalom.net.

SCRIP - An Important Fund Raiser

What an easy way to raise money for our Sisterhood! Buy Sisterhood Scrip for Shop Rite (a gift card) with no added cost to you! We buy them at a discount but you get full face value. Enjoy the convenience of a gift card and support Sisterhood and B’nai Shalom at the same time! To order Scrip please complete the form below.

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Men's Club

Men’s Club adds enjoyable dimensions of camaraderie and community service to men’s experience at B’nai Shalom. Members organize many selfless projects: a Chanukah Toy Drive, the Yellow Candle Holocaust Remembrance program, the collection of career oriented clothing to help those in need, a pre-Pesach kosher wine sale, and more.

From Scotch-tasting in the Sukkah to game nights, attending sports events, and active athletic evenings, Men’s Club provides occasions for fellowship and friendship across all ages and vocations.

Men’s Club Shabbat is held in conjunction with an Annual Cholent Cook-Off. The group also offers both men and women the opportunity to learn about the mitzvah of wearing tefillin, by participating in the World-Wide Wrap.

The B’nai Shalom Men’s Club is affiliated with the Northern New Jersey Region of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs.

To learn more, or to offer new ideas for projects and activities, contact mensclub@bnaishalom.net.

Hazak

Are you a senior adult, wanting to share your love of good conversation and curiosity about the world with like-minded friends?

We invite you to join B’nai Shalom’s group for mature adults, Hazak, named for three Hebrew words: Hokhmah—wisdom, Zikhnah—maturity, and Kadimah—looking ahead.

Hazak meets every second Wednesday of the month at 12:30 PM for programs that include musical performances, health and fitness, films, and speakers on a variety of Jewish and cultural topics and current events. We are grateful to the Hirschhorn Foundation of Greater MetroWest Federation for its generous, ongoing support of these programs.

Annual dues of $20 cover the cost of the opening luncheon, and desserts and beverages throughout the year. We celebrate Chanukah together and close the year with an uplifting, entertaining presentation in June.

If you are not yet a member of Hazak, or know someone who might be interested, connecting is easy. Just call the synagogue office at (973) 731-0160, mention Hazak, and someone will get back to you quickly.

Israel Connections

B’nai Shalom’s love of and support for Israel is deep and personal. We have members who have lived there or have second homes there; adult children who have made aliyah; and many teens for whom a March-of-the-Living trip to Israel or gap-year study program is a natural continuation of their Jewish education.

Every three years, Rabbi Robert Tobin leads a congregational journey to Israel. He varies the itinerary to explore different aspects of Israeli history, culture and arts, scenery and society.

Commitment to Israel

B’nai Shalom's Israel Committee welcomes all who care about the Jewish State and want to be part of shaping its future. The committee has three goals:

  • To work with the Jewish National Fund to learn about water and environmental needs and infrastructure development, and to determine our next JNF project
  • To support the Masorti Movement and liberal congregations in Israel in the quest to secure full rights and recognition in a setting dominated by the Orthodox Rabbinate
  • To bring Israeli speakers, arts and culture to B’nai Shalom

Join us! For more information, contact Rabbi Tobin.

Our Sister Congregation in Israel

The one constant in B’nai Shalom’s Israel travel itinerary is a visit to Shira Hadasha, a Masorti congregation in Arad. We always spend Shabbat with this “sister congregation,” learning its members’ stories and sharing ours.

Set in a desert city of 20,000, on the way from Be’er Sheva to Masada and the Dead Sea, Shira Hadasha has members from Russia, England, South America, South Africa, Germany, America, and Iraq. The congregation looks like Israel in microcosm. But its aspiration to create an authentic Jewish experience that is neither Orthodox nor secular is rare. It is the only Masorti congregation among 22 synagogues in Arad.

Gifts and associate memberships from B’nai Shalom members help keep this valiant congregation alive. The congregation receives no support from the city or the Masorti movement. Every gift or membership is a lifeline – helping Shira Hadasha’s members explore and enjoy the Judaism that we share.

Donate to Shira Hadasha

Pursuing Justice

Jewish boys become Bar Mitzvah. Black boys of the same age and younger get “the talk,” cautionary instruction by their parents on how to behave if stopped by the police. Eyes down. Hands visible. Yes sir. In a world where “walking while Black” or “driving while Black” can suddenly turn dangerous, parents want to keep their sons alive.

Understanding these sad facts and heeding Judaism’s prophetic call for justice, B’nai Shalom’s Racial Justice Committee organizes non-partisan educational programs and special events such as virtual museum tours, lectures, and performances. They have established an ongoing dialogue with the West Orange Police Department to discuss use of force and policies for response to calls involving mental illness.

In collaboration with major congregations and organizations statewide, through the group NJTogether, the Committee will be advocating on behalf of issues such as affordable housing and sentencing reform that have broad support across the political spectrum.

All are welcome to participate. For more information, please contact Don Batchelder

Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America

We at B’nai Shalom are proud of the men and woman who have served defending the United States. Their heroism and bravery has helped to define our great democracy. Below is the honor roll of our Veterans who served in the armed forces either from B’nai Shalom or from Congregation Ahavath Achim in Belleville.

We remember and honor those Jewish men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces.

Dr. Maurice Abramson Z"L

Henry Abramson Z"L

Edith Asher Z"L

Harold L. Atkins Z"L

Leonard Atkins Z"L

Wallace Babbitt Z"L

Abraham Becker Z"L

Ralph Becker Z"L

Benjamin Beilin Z"L

Irving Berkowitz Z"L

Leslie Biebelberg Z"L

Theodore Bierstein Z"L

Darren Blatt

Meyer Borks Z"L

Lester Bornstein Z"L

Max Bruss Z"L

Allan Canter Z"L

Donald Canter

Arnold Citrin Z"L

Henry M. Creditor Z"L

Marvin Denner Z"L

Fred Dreskin Z"L

Leonard Eber Z"L

Irwin 'Buddy' Edelman Z"L

Marvin Faner Z"L

Sam Farber Z"L

Jerome I. Firtel Z"L

Dr. Seymour Fischer Z"L

Myron Freeman Z"L

Joseph Friedman

Herbert Gannet Z"L

Jack Gilbert Z"L

Dr. Robert Glynn Z"L

S. Joseph Glynn Z"L

Leonard H. Goldberg Z"L

Emanuel A. Goldmunz Z"L

Alfred Goodman Z"L

Arthur Gordon

Murray Gottlieb Z"L

Jack Greene Z"L

George Grossman Z"L

Irving Grossman Z"L

Abe Haber Z"L

Dr. William Halpern Z"L

Morris Hammer Z"L

Jerome H. Halzman Z"L

Morris Hecht Z"L

Sidney Hellring Z"L

David Hersh Z"L

Irwin Hoffer

Jerry Jacobs Z"L

William Jacobs Z"L

Steven Jacoby

Allan Kalnitsky Z"L

Harold Kaplan Z"L

Simon Kaplan Z"L

Murray Kipnis Z"L

Edgar Kogan Z"L

Edward Kraus Z"L

Herbert Kushner Z"L

Martin Leitzes Z"L

Sol Lempert Z"L

Dr. Hyman Lessin Z"L

Jacob Levine Z"L

Irving Levine Z"L

Charles Levine Z"L

Samuel Levine Z"L

Bernard Liderbaum Z"L

Robert Lieberman Z"L

Jeffrey Maas

Stewart Manheim Z"L

Lt. Roger Melin Z"L

Edward Meyers

Nathan Miller Z"L

Sheldon Mishkind Z"L

Edwin Moscowitz Z"L

Oscar Nathans Z"L

Jack Nathanson Z"L

Joseph Pactovis Z"L

Joseph Paul Z"L

Thomas Phon

Dave Plotkim Z"L

Sanford Pollack Z"L

Dr. Seymour Pollack Z"L

Julius Prager Z"L

George Rader Z"L

Raul Raposa Z"L

Herb Rappaport

Dr. A.A. Rich Z"L

Dr. William Rich Z"L

Donald B. Rochlin Z"L

Dr. M. Roochvarg Z"L

Israel Rosen Z"L

Alan Rosenberg Z"L

Dr. Harry Rossen Z"L

David Roth Z"L

Herbert Rozansky

Harold Savitt Z"L

Dr. Barney Schaffer Z"L

Frank Schanerman Z"L

Abe Schilinsky Z"L

Nat Schlossberg Z"L

Mort Schneider

Emanuel Schnitzer Z"L

Paul Schnitzer Z"L

Alvin Schub Z"L

Charles Schuman

Harry Schwartz Z"L

Morris Schwartz Z"L

Russell Schwartz Z"L

Paul Shapiro Z"L

Jack Sheppard

Alfred Siegler Z"L

Pearl Simon Z"L

Jessica Simpson

Nathan H. Sisselman Z"L

Allen Smiler Z"L

Ralph Smith Z"L

William Smith Z"L

Myron Spector

Charles Sorragen Z"L

Walter Springer Z"L

Sol Stempler Z"L

Fred Strauss Z"L

Stanley Sussman Z"L

Dr. Seymour Taffet Z"L

Dr. William Taffet Z"L

Isaac Tarnofsky Z"L

Louis Tessler Z"L

Adolph Thaler Z"L

Herb Tolkowsky Z"L

Irving Weinstock Z"L

George Zeidwig Z"L

Anita Zirn Z"L

Joel Zucker

Louis Zuckerman Z"L