West Orange—As part of its Jubilee year celebration, Congregation AABJ&D, in conjunction with the Jewish Historical Society of Newark, will be hosting a lecture series detailing the history of the Jewish community in Newark and surrounding Essex county. The first lecture will be held on November 4, when Warren Grover, historian and past president of the Jewish Historical Society of New Jersey, will discuss the German migration to Newark, the institutions that resulted, and the success of the first- and second-generation immigrants. Grover will explain the influx of Eastern European Jews who arrived in the 1880s and after WWII, discussing their employment and the institutions they founded.
The second lecture will be held on November 11. David Mallach, former assistant executive vice president of the United Jewish Federation of Metrowest, will discuss the emergence and development of the West Orange Jewish community, focusing on the expansion of the Jewish residents of Newark into the Essex county suburban community, specifically West Orange.
Finally, on November 18, the lecture series will conclude with a panel discussion among members of AABJ&D relating the pivotal occurrences during the synagogue’s 50-year history.
“We want everyone to be able to learn and meet people who were instrumental in this influx of residents from Newark to the Essex county suburbs,” stated West Orange resident Lee Saal.
All programs will begin at 7:30pm in the Sephardic wing at AABJ&D. Refreshments will be served.
The AABJ&D Jubilee celebration kicked off with a Sukkot barbecue, followed by the Simchat Torah dedication of an oversized tallit, designed by Israeli artist Adina Gatt. The wording in the center of the tallit, taken from the Sim Shalom prayer in the Amida, was intended to represent the idea of “achdut” (community). Sponsored by four synagogue families, Andrea and Bryan Bier, the Raskin Family, Andrea and Ronnie Sultan, and Dr. Marvin and Dr. Roz Lipsky, the tallit can be embroidered with children’s names for a $4 per letter donation.
The “alphabet shul,” aptly nicknamed for its tongue-twister initials, got its name from the 1966 merger of two local synagogues. B’nai David was founded in 1963 by twenty West Orange families who wanted a synagogue with a more traditional service and a Hebrew School for their children. Congregation Ahawas Achim B’nai Jacob was a well-established synagogue in Newark which was looking to relocate.
Additional upcoming Jubilee events will include kiddush luncheons and scholars-in-residence, culminating with festivities at the synagogue’s annual dinner. The theme for the Jubilee celebration sums up the planned activities: “Embracing our Past; Building our Future.”
Congregation AABJ&D is located at 700 Pleasant Valley Way in West Orange. For more information, please call 973-736-1407.
By Jill Kirsch
