Our Affiliation
We are affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the association of Conservative congregations in North America.
About Temple Emanu-El
We are a Conservative Congregation
A Glorious Past
an Exciting Future!
Temple Emanu-El was founded in 1911.
Our members contribute not only to our congregation, but also take leadership roles in our local JCC, Hadassah, Yiddish Club, the Jewish Family Service and Bayonne civic associations. Many members have been honored by UJA-Federation of Bayonne and by the Bayonne Chapter of the American Conference on Diversity.
Loving traditional Judaism and its inspiring values
Embracing the challenges of modernity, and
applying the values of our tradition to our lives
Celebrating and observing Jewish holidays
in traditional and innovative ways
Loyally identifying with the Jewish people
and enthusiastically supporting Israel
Meeting your religious, educational cultural,
social needs and interests, in all their variety
Come and join us on our Jewish journeys!
History
Temple Emanu-El was organized in April 1911 by Joseph Feldman and Leon Lazarus. They wanted a non-Orthodox synagogue available in the community, in part so that services could be conducted in English so that the children could understand them. However, the by-laws stressed that services were to be “Orthodox” in order that they not be confused with the growing Reform movement.
Early services were held in various places around the city, including the Opera Hall and Capital Hall. Simon Elbaum served as congregational president from 1911-1922. By 1914, the temple had built its first synagogue building. A ladies’ auxiliary was founded in the late teens, and a men’s auxiliary was to follow in 1924.
Senior rabbis at the congregation included: M. Berman (1914-1919), J. Rosengard (1919-1922); L. Schwefel (1922-1924), Benjamen Plotkin (1924-1930) and Eugene Kohn (1933-1935).
Our Art Treasures
Our Temple family’s sanctuary is fortunate to be surrounded by beautiful tapestries. These works of art that represent the largest collection of tapestries by the Israeli Artist, Kopel Gurwin in one location.
The “Song of the Sea” tapestry was honored by being chosen as the calendar cover for the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism about 10 years ago. One is the parohet (curtain in front of the Holy Ark).
The tapestry called “Emanu-El” (middle picture, below), is from the verse of the Bible which gives our temple its name. The whole verse says, “They may plot and scheme, but it will never come to pass, because ‘Emanu-El’–’God is with us.’”
Our Chapel
Our chapel is the site of our daily morning minyan and Erev Shabbat services. The Aron Kodesh is the original holy ark from the earliest years of our temple.
Rabbi Clifford B. Miller
Our Rabbi, Clifford B. Miller, has served Temple Emanu-El for almost 25 years. Rabbi Miller is a fount of Jewish knowledge and every contact with him is an opportunity to learn. A graduate of Columbia University and ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, Rabbi Miller enjoys the presence of young children and families at services. Currently, Rabbi Miller is the teacher of elementary-aged students in our congregation. Rabbi Miller overflows with a love of and commitment to Jewish tradition and to helping Jews find personal meaning in observance and learning. He enjoys working with people who are interested in becoming Jewish, and has participated in hundreds of conversions over his 44 years in the rabbinate.
HIGH HOLYDAYS CANTOR
Cantor Menashe Fetman
Cantor Menashe Fetman has been the hazzan for High Holidays at Temple Emanu-El since 2001. In Israel, he has had a very productive career, putting out ten recordings, conducting various orchestras, and appearing on radio and television shows. For the last 15 years, he has been the cantor-in-residence at the Hilton Hotel in Tel-Aviv. He has also served as High Holydays cantor for congregations in Brazil, Canada and South Africa.
We at Temple Emanu-El love Cantor Fetman’s beautiful voice, his way of encouraging the congregation to sing along, and his ready smile.
Executive Director
Dr. Ellen Goldberg
Dr. Goldberg takes major responsibility not only for Temple Emanu-El, but also for the Jewish Community Center of Bayonne, which she also serves as Executive Director. Dr. Goldberg can help families link all aspects of Jewish life in Bayonne, from nursery school through temple membership.
Meet the Rabbi
Clifford B. Miller has been with Temple Emanu-El since 1987. He serves as Cantor of the congregation, except when we have the services of a visiting Hazzan. He is also our Torah reader four or more times a week. He is our Bar and Bat Mitzvah tutor.
Clifford Miller learned informal education as founding President of Detroit city-wide Leadership Training Fellowship and as a camper, counselor, and teacher at Ramah Camps in Wisconsin, Connecticut, Canada, and Pennsylvania.
As a Jewish Chaplain, Rabbi Miller served at Sheppard Air Force Base in the Air Training Command, as the Jewish Chaplain for Thailand, Laos and Nepal, and as Rabbi of Strategic Air Command.
After rising to the rank of Captain in the US Air Force, Chaplain Miller resigned from the military and served congregations in Rockville (MD), Germantown (PA), Bayside Hills (Queens), Scotch Plains (NJ), Minneapolis (MN) and East Windsor (NJ). In Minnesota, Rabbi Miller prided himself in leading the slowest minyan in the Midwest.
He says the person who finishes praying last, wins.
A National Merit Scholar, Rabbi Miller’s bachelor degree from Columbia College was in Philosophy and Religions, concentrating on Oriental Studies. From Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, he earned the degree of Master of Library Service, and he has been employed since 1990 as a librarian at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He was awarded three degrees by the JTSA: Master of Hebrew Literature degree, Rabbinic ordination; and an honorary degree, Doctor of Divinity.
Rabbi Miller enjoyed teaching in Cantor’s Institute and Seminary College of Jewish Music, and as a guest in a number of colleges and universities. He is an UNaccomplished pianist. He is the father of two daughters and three grandchildren. He and Deborah Uchill Miller celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary on Memorial Day.
A staunch proponent of pre-marital counseling, Rabbi Miller is proud to find that almost all couples he counseled and married have remained happily married. Rabbi Miller has also helped couples through the Jewish divorce process, (get), enabling each one to find happiness in a subsequent marriage.
You may reach Rabbi Miller by e-mail at clmiller@jtsa.edu, or at home (201) 858-8271 or abuelo3@aol.com
Kindly do not telephone on Sabbaths or holy days.
In emergencies, you may reach him at Seminary Library, (212) 678-8092, understanding that he cannot discuss anything personal or sensitive with many others listening in.
Rabbi’s Message
CHECK YOUR MEZUZAH—JUST IN CASE
This page is an electronic portal inviting you to enter Temple Emanu-El. When movable type was invented, the first Hebrew title pages were made to look like gateways through which the reader passes to enter the book. To this day, in Hebrew the title page is still called allegorically Shaar, and in Yiddish, Shaar-Blott. So as you virtually enter our new congregation web-site, it is a good time to talk about the object that identifies and consecrates each Jewish entrance.
You have a mezuzah at every entrance of each room you live in. Or have you? Maybe it is a mere empty shell, masquerading as a mezuzah. The case might be almost any material that does not smell bad: brass, ceramic, glass, Lucite, stone, tin, waxed paper, wood. The exterior hardly matters. Sisterhood’s Gilded Lillie Gift Shop can sell you attractive mezuzah cases.
It might have on the outside the Hebrew word Shaddai, which we understand to mean “Almighty,” or just the initial Shin, which could stand for the Divine name, Shalom, Peace. It can be kosher with no writing on the exterior. There might be a hole in the case where you can see the outer surface of the parchment inside, where the scroll has Shaddai written on the reverse of the spot where a Divine Name is written on the inside. No hole? No problem.
As is true in so much of religion, it is what is inside that really matters. If you have a scroll inside, you may have a true mezuzah. No scroll, no mezuzah. If the scroll is made from the skin of a kosher animal, it could be a proper mezuzah. If it is just paper, it is a fake. You should be able to see, or at least feel, on the outer surface where the animal’s hair was removed.
If it was hand-lettered by a scribe with holy intention, it could be a kosher mezuzah. If machine-printed, it is an imitation mezuzah. How can you tell? The Sofer (calligrapher) needs guide lines from which to suspend every letter. The lines are impressed into the surface by a straight edge. No grooves, no mezuzah.
The mezuzah must include every letter of Deuteronomy chapter 6 verses 4-9, and chapter 11, verses 13-21, printed in Ketav Ashuri, the same Hebrew script used to write Torah & Megillah & Tefillin parchments. You think it is hard to squeeze all those perfectly-formed letters & spaces into so small a space? The smaller the surface, the harder it is to make sure every letter is perfect. That is one reason an authentic mezuzah parchment is costly.
Three strokes called taggin, crowns, are required on every shin or sin, ayin, tet, nun or final nun, zayin, gimmel, tsadi or final tsadi. No two letters may touch. If the ink ran and blotted two letters together, the mezuzah is pesulah, not kesherah, and cannot be repaired. And left and right margins are expected to be justified neatly.
Whether on the hinge side or the latch side, the mezuzah must be firmly attached to the door jamb on your right side as you enter, at about shoulder height, or two thirds of the way from the threshold to the lintel. Use screws, nails, tape, solder, staples or glue — something lasting.
Three words in secret code are written on the outside of the parchment, lined up opposite the three words of the first verse of Shema: Kuzu be-mukhsaz Kuzu, on the reverse of Adonai Elohenu Adonai. The three code words assure you the parchment was lettered by a pious person and not just stamped out by a machine.
Outside Israel, you have 30 days after you move in, before you need to install mezuzot. Therefore your sukkah, your temporary home for seven days, does not require a mezuzah. When you move out, leave a mezuzah only if you know the next occupant will be Jewish.
Bathrooms, storage rooms, vehicles and necklaces are not places for a mezuzah. Actually, synagogues and religious schools do not require them either. Only gateways to your residence, and doorways or archway entrances to rooms in which you live, eat, or sleep. If you DO sleep in Temple, that building also requires mezuzot. Welcome to this virtual, and to the actual Temple Emanu-El, and enjoy your mezuzot in the best of health.
Rabbi Clifford B Miller
Temple Emanu-El Rabbis
1914-1919 M. Berman
1919-1922 J. Rosengard
1922-1924 L. Schwefel
1924-1930 Benjamin Plotkin
1930-1933 Eugene Kohn
1935-1941 Samuel Perlman
1941-1970 Abraham M. Feinerman
1972-1998 Zachary I. Heller
[Sole rabbi since ] 1998- Clifford B. Miller (serving the congregation as a rabbi since 1987)
Contact Us:
Temple Emanu-El’s Office is open Monday through Thursday from 10AM to 1 PM
The office phone is (201) 436-4499.
Office Manager
Debbie Moallem (201) 436-4499
Debbie will be happy to add you to our e-list for current announcements and help you to make room rental reservations for your special events.
Executive Director
Dr. Ellen Goldberg (201) 436-6900
Our Rabbi Rabbi Clifford B. Miller
Rabbi Miller can be contacted Monday through Thursday, 10 AM to 5:30 PM: (212) 280-6003
Fridays, Sundays, evenings: (201) 858-8271.
Our President Ruth Preminger
As the recently-elected president of the physically beautiful, family-oriented Temple Emanu-El, I sincerely thank you for the opportunity to serve you in this honored position.
It is with joy and gladness that I invite all persons who desire to be closer to the good Lord to join with our members in participating in the services, joining in the current functions and witnessing the 2011 100th anniversary of Temple Emanu-El.
Membership Information
Renee Bousso can be reached at (201)-858-8480
