Temple Beth Sholom was founded in 1958, when Rockland was just beginning its transformation from an agricultural county into a bedroom community of New York City. At the time, Rockland’s total population was less than 100,000 people, and only a tiny fraction were Jewish. Rockland now has approximately 300,000 residents, and fully one third of those people are Jewish.

 

In 1959, the founding congregation purchased our current property on New Hempstead Road in New City. Initially, the congregation used the two structures on the site: the “White Building” (a former private home that previously housed our Nursery School) and a swimming pool. By 1964, the growing number of members required a new building. The congregants literally built the new structure themselves (and eliminated the pool).

 

Over the next ten years, the population of Rockland County doubled, and the number of Reform Jews in the county grew at least as fast. Faced with a significantly larger membership, Temple Beth Sholom built itself a new sanctuary in the mid-1970s. In 1978, the congregation welcomed Rabbi David Fass, who stayed with us and guided us for the next three decades.

 

During the 1980s and 1990s, the temple boasted over 700 member families and ran a religious school program that enrolled almost 1000 students. Approximately 100 students became Bnai Mitzvahs each school year. Large NFTY youth groups met at the Temple, as did active Sisterhood and Brotherhood groups. At one time, the Temple needed an Assistant Rabbi to handle the needs of the congregation. During these years, High Holiday services had such enormous attendance that we had to use the only space that could accommodate the entire membership at once: the gym at the local community college.

 

By the start of the 2000s, the demographics in Rockland began to shift. Although the Jewish population of the county continued to grow, the number of Reform identified Jews began to decline. Temple Beth Sholom (and the other Reform Temples in the county) began to lose membership for the first time. We now number over 250 member familes and growing.

 

While the number of families has decreased, the core strengths and values of the congregation have not changed. Our highly successful nursery school still thrives, as does our religious school, which includes a Learning Center Program that allows children of any ability to participate fully in Jewish education and life cycle celebrations. Just two years ago, we welcomed our first new head rabbi in 30 years, our wonderful Rabbi Brian Leiken. At the same time, we also welcomed Cantor Anna Zhar, who engages everyone with her beautiful voice and huge heart. Our new Clergy have brought a renewed energy and enthusiasm to our congregation and services.

 

Our commitment to Social Action remains one of our hallmarks. Where once we had a “twinning program” in which Beth Sholom’s B’nai Mitzvahs symbolically shared their simcha with the children of Soviet Jewish refuseniks, we now share essential provisions with our local disadvantaged neighbors though partnerships with People to People and other charities. In recent years we have collected thousands of pounds of food for local food banks at our Yom Kippur food drive. We cook and provide meals for local families at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and we run drives to collect winter clothing, holiday gifts and school supplies for the needy. We also strongly encourage each religious school student to do a “mitzvah project” as part of their preparation for their Bar or Bat Mitzvah.

 

Temple Beth Sholom is known for egalitarianism and the warm welcome it extends to people who wish to participate in our religious life. We have the longest standing program in the county to provide religious services and holiday programming for adults in group homes and senior centers. Our interfaith activities with local Catholic, African American and Muslim congregations is in the vanguard of such programs in the Reform movement. We have successful “Chai Society” (55+) and Young Member groups that enrich our members’ lives and increase our sense of family. Our Brotherhood and Sisterhood sponsor frequent social and philanthropic activities. Our congregation strives to make every member feel as if they are a special member of a close-knit family.

 

For over 55 years, our congregation has continually grown and adapted to meet the community’s ever changing needs. We hope to continue in this fashion for another 50 years.
 

We would love to have you join our community!