What A Remarkable Journey In 1986

What A Remarkable Journey

In 1986, a group of young Jewish couples in the greater Vineland area, were worshiping at their respective Congregations in Carmel and Rosenhayn, for the High Holidays. We all had children who joined us for the traditional services, polishing it off with the Yom Kippur Tekiyah G’dolah, wishing for a sweet and healthy New Year, followed by a break the fast meal.

Our children were all about the same age. We were convinced there was a better way to practice our faith and initiated discussions of committing to a way to educate and train our kids to be better Jews. Little did we realize how much of an impact it would have on us adults too.

An interview with the head of the Reform movement out of Philadelphia resulted in a couple things that would guide us to the remarkable Congregation that has evolved since our inception in 1986.

Rabbi Richard Address became the pied piper of our group in 1986 as did our Cantor Marlena.  We educated our children in our own Hebrew school, and merged our congregations in Carmel, at the formerly historic Orthodox schul, Congregation Beth Hillel, built in 1908.

And so the journey began.

Our children were Bar/Bat Mitzvah, our women’s group did a B’NotMitzvah to celebrate this late in life celebration. We had marriages, funerals, celebrations and grew from a group of 8 families to over 86 family units today.

In 2008, we merged with the Bridgeton Beth Abraham synagogue. They had money and few people. We had people and little money, and so this shiddach led to a remarkable “Kehillah Kedushah” ever since. The larger crowds and the Beth Abaham dawry, enabled us to build Stotter Hall, to better accommodate our needs. We never looked back and have not had any regrets.

In 2001 we hired a great Rabbi, Bradley Bleefeld, who, for the next 23 years, led us in prayer and inspired us to practice our faith and traditions with great enthusiasm and wisdom. He led us on two missions to Israel in 2016 and 2019. In 2024 he decided to retire.  We honored him with Emeritus status.  He recently passed. May he rest in peace.  Shortly thereafter, our Cantor since inception in 1986, Marlena Taenzer, was recognized for her marvelous service and dedication and became Emerita as well.

The most extraordinary thing about our congregation is the feeling in our family that we all belong.

We are a group of mostly non-traditional Jews who all believe in the tenants of our faith, in each other and have a great to desire to help humankind.

We have been most fortunate to hire a new spiritual leader. Since 2024, Rabbi/Cantor Rhoda Harrison has continued all of our traditions and has added a new dimension to our faith. We updated our prayer book, we do traditional Torah study, we meet regularly for Shabbat services and Holidays in person as well as by ZOOM.

We have just launched our new website and will hopefully attract people interested in practicing their faith amongst non-judgemental fellow congregants, who thoroughly enjoy each other’s company and help one another thru the ups and downs of life.

Come and join us in prayer and practice our beautiful traditions. No commitments necessary. If you like what you see, you’ll come back and want to be a part of our “Kehiilah Kedushah”

Feel free to reach out to me, your President or Merle Silver, our membership chair, if you have any questions by phone or email. If you want to speak to our Rabbi, she would be pleased to accommodate you.

B’Sha lom

M, Jay Einstein President  856 9827707 JEinstein@FT.NewYorkLife.com

Merle Silver Membership Chair 609 364 3164 MZSilver414@gmail.com

Rabbi Rhoda Harrison Rabbi/Cantor 443 286 705L  RhojHarrison@gmail.com