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Congregation Etz Ahaim Sephardic

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Coordinates: 40°29′58″N 74°25′45″W / 40.49944°N 74.42917°W / 40.49944; -74.42917
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Congregation Etz Ahaim Sephardic
Hebrew: קהילת קודש עץ החיים
Religion
AffiliationOrthodox Judaism
RiteSephardi
Ecclesiastical or organizational statusSynagogue
LeadershipRabbi Eliyahu Tal
StatusActive
Location
Location230 Denison Street, Highland Park, New Jersey
CountryUnited States
Congregation Etz Ahaim Sephardic is located in New Brunswick, NJ
Congregation Etz Ahaim Sephardic
Location near New Brunswick
AdministrationAmerican Sephardi Federation
Geographic coordinates40°29′58″N 74°25′45″W / 40.49944°N 74.42917°W / 40.49944; -74.42917
Architecture
TypeSynagogue
StyleMid-century modern
Funded byHarry A. Naar
Date established1921 (as a congregation)
GroundbreakingMay 15, 1960
Completed1962
Specifications
Direction of façadeNorthwest
MaterialsBrick, wood
Website
www.etzahaim.org

Congregation Etz Ahaim Sephardic (Hebrew: קהילת קודש עץ החיים, lit. 'The Tree of Life') is a Sephardic Orthodox synagogue located on Denison Street in Highland Park, New Jersey, in the United States. The congregation is a member of the American Sephardi Federation,[1] the Sephardic Jewish Brotherhood of America (La Ermandad Sefaradi)[2] and the Raritan Valley Orthodox Jewish Community Organization (ROCNJ).[3] It is the only Sephardic congregation in Highland Park/Edison area.[4]

The congregation consists of approximately 125 families.[5] Its members and supporters have roots in Israel, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Europe, North Africa, Persia, Iraq and, of course, the United States. Prayers are offered in Hebrew, English and Ladino. It is the oldest Sephardic Jewish congregation in New Jersey.[6]

History

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Immigrants from Salonika, Greece, Turkey and the Balkans settled in the New Brunswick, New Jersey area in the early 20th century.[7] The congregation was originally organized in September 1916 and incorporated on June 27, 1921. However, the original congregation apparently dissolved. In the late 1920s, the congregation was reorganized into "Congregation Es Ahaim Sepharedith" (The Tree of Life), named after the oldest synagogue in Salonica, Greece, Ets ha Chaim. The Congregation was re-founded on March 12, 1927, and incorporated on April 3, 1927.[8] In 1928, when ground was broken for the original synagogue building on July 1,[9] it was the only Sephardic synagogue in New Jersey.[7] The synagogue was on Richmond Street,[9] in the Hiram Market neighborhood of New Brunswick.[10] The name of the congregation was later officially changed to Congregation Etz Ahaim.[8] The congregation moved to its current location in Highland Park[11] in 1962.[12]

The current synagogue was built in 1962, mainly of brick. The building is beautified with Jewish motifs, such as the Tree of Life carved into the wooden front door, two metal seven-branched menorahs on the front wall of the main sanctuary and the Torah Ark היכל with wooden doors carved with a Tree of Life. Tiffany-style stained glass windows in the dome above the main sanctuary bathe the space in rich, radiant colors. The windows form two themes: Jewish Holidays and The Tribes of Israel.[13] It seats 88 in the men's section, and 60 in the women's section, with a wooden mechitza topped with glass. On High Holy Days, the seating is expanded to accommodate 240 people.

Activities

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Daily prayer services are held mornings and evenings.[14] Minyans on Shabbat number 100 people on a weekly basis.[15] Shabbat Shacharit services are followed by a sit-down kiddush.[16]

Child care and a children's program are offered on Shabbat and Yom Tov.[17] Congregation Etz Ahaim organizes community outreach, philosophy classes and adult education.

It also has an active Sisterhood, the Daughters of Etz Ahaim, as old as the congregation itself.[18] The Sisterhood has organized a cookbook,[9] fundraising activities for the Congregation, food on Yom Tov, Purim baskets, and other activities which support and enhance life in the community.

Highland Park has New Jersey's first eruv.[19][20] Congregation Etz Ahaim is located inside the eruv. Highland Park has a mikvah.[21]

Cemeteries

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The Congregation maintains two cemeteries. One, shared with Congregation Poile Zedek, is in New Brunswick.[22] The other, Floral Park Cemetery, is in South Brunswick, New Jersey.

Some members of the congregation are buried at the Sephardic Jewish Brotherhood section at Elmwood Cemetery in North Brunswick, New Jersey.[23]

2008 cemetery vandalism

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In January 2008, almost 500 gravestones in the cemetery which Congregation Etz Ahaim shared with Congregation Poile Zedek were damaged in an incident of vandalism.[24]

Clergy

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Founded at the start of the Great Depression, the congregation was unable to afford a rabbi. They relied on the uncompensated services of Rabbi Benjamin Naar[25] of Salonica, and on unordained lay leaders Eliyahu Nahama and Elie Saporta until 1955. After that, Congregation Etz Ahaim was led by Rabbis Ishmael Cohen, Murray Greenfield, Rafael Wizman,[citation needed] David Glicksman, and Yamin Levy.[18]

Starting in 1991, Rabbi David Bassous was its spiritual leader. Prior to joining Etz Ahaim, Rabbi Bassous was spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Hamidrash in Vancouver, Canada.[7] Born in Calcutta and of Iraqi descent, Rabbi Bassous studied in London for an engineering degree and in Israel for his religious training.[26] He led Congregation Etz Ahaim for almost 30 years.[27] Rabbi Bassous retired in 2020 and made aliyah.[7]

The congregation's current spiritual leader is Rabbi Eliyahu Tal (Hebrew: רב אליהו טל). He was born in London and lived most of his life in Israel.[28] Before joining Congregation Etz Ahaim in 2020, he had served since 2017 as the rabbi of the Sephardic Orthodox Congregation Beit Mordechai[29] in West Hartford, Connecticut.[30]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Sephardic Congregations in the United States of America". American Sephardi Federation. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  2. ^ "Sephardic Congregation Etz Ahaim". The Sephardic Jewish Brotherhood of America. 2023. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  3. ^ "Shuls" (video). youtube.com. The Raritan Valley Orthodox Jewish Community Association. July 6, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  4. ^ Glazer, Harry (May 24, 2023). "Highland Park's Rav Eliyahu Tal Publishes Sefer, Gets Congrats From Mayor". Jewish Link. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  5. ^ Abraham, Joann (February 1, 2023). "A Shul for You". Jlife Heart of New Jersey. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  6. ^ Goldstein, Charles "Shai" (April 11, 2014). "'Why is this dinner different from all other dinners?'". MyCentralJersey.com. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d Kirschenbaum, Sherry S. (March 2, 2020). "Congregation Etz Ahaim bids farewell to beloved rabbi". New Jersey Jewish News. New Jersey Rockland Jewish Media Group. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "The History of Etz Ahaim". May 11, 2017. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  9. ^ a b c "Come, Es Bueno!: Sephardic Tastes of Congregation Etz Ahaim". Morris Press. 1999. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  10. ^ "National Register of Historic Places – Registration Form – Poile Zedek Synagogue". National Park Service. Section 8, pp. 1–2. September 19, 1995. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  11. ^ "Check out Raritan Valley, NJ Orthodox Jewish Communities of East Brunswick, Edison & Highland Park" (video). youtube.com. The Raritan Valley Orthodox Jewish Community Association. July 6, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  12. ^ "The History of Sephardim in New Jersey". May 11, 2017. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  13. ^ "Our Stain Glass Windows". Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  14. ^ "Welcome to Congregation Etz Ahaim". Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  15. ^ Cohen, Sharon Mark (March 23, 2017). "Congregation Etz Ahaim: A Hidden Gem in Middlesex County". Jewish Link. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  16. ^ "Sponsor a Kiddush". Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  17. ^ "Congregation Etz Ahaim — Highland Park NJ". Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  18. ^ a b "The Congregation Etz Ahaim In Recognition of 75 Years of Service". November 19, 2004. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  19. ^ Selinger, Janice (December 17, 1978). "Highland Park: Site of State's First Eruv". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  20. ^ "The Highland Park/New Brunswick Eruv". September 7, 2023. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  21. ^ "Park Mikvah". 2023. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  22. ^ "Poile Zedek Cemetery". Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  23. ^ "History and Culture". 2023. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  24. ^ Adarlo, Sharon (January 8, 2008). "Destruction at Jewish cemetery probed as bias incident". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  25. ^ "Tracing the Origins of the Naars of New Jersey: A Personal Odyssey". Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  26. ^ Glazer, Harry (July 11, 2019). "Etz Ahaim's Rabbi Bassous to Retire; Search Under Way for New Rav". Jewish Link. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  27. ^ "The Retirement of Rabbi Bassous". May 30, 2019. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  28. ^ "About Rabbi Eliyahu Tal". Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  29. ^ "Welcome to Beit Mordechai". 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  30. ^ "Beit Mordechai hires rabbi, dedicates new sefer Torah". Southern New England Jewish Ledger. CT Jewish Ledger. December 29, 2018. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
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