Paramus—A very enthusiastic member of Congregation Beth Tefillah (CBT) is beating the drums and leading the way, attracting young families to join the often forgotten yet long-standing Orthodox community of Paramus. “Our rabbi sets the tone for total non-judgment,” says William Yagoda when describing his rabbi, Daniel Wolff, a teacher at Stern College and rabbinic leader of this shul for the past decade.
It may not be on your radar, but CBT is no startup. It has a 45-year history, nearly 80 families, commuting options, convenient kosher food shopping, and an existing infrastructure in place. Located in a fairly new building at 452 Forest Avenue, CBT already has a decent sized social hall and an airy, open sanctuary. In preparation for the anticipated new member growth, they have begun renovations to the lower level creating a kid’s zone, focused on child-friendly designs and more efficient use of space.
“We are more than just welcoming and friendly, we are non-judgmental and have huge diversity. People have visited me and see that our rabbi wears a black hat and they can’t believe it. Then they see there is a Chabad rabbi that is a member and they think what? Then after they hear the rabbi speak they say, ‘I totally get it’, he (Rabbi Wolff) creates an environment of total flexibility, total non-judgment, total inclusiveness.” Currently, CBT has a Sephardic minyan and an Ashkenazi minyan, which Yagoda says speaks further to their inclusiveness.
If you are seeking to buy or rent a single family home, and are a young growing family looking for an Orthodox community, more living space, kosher conveniences, and child- friendly outdoor options, Yagoda says either before or after you crunch the numbers you’ll find that Paramus is a winning option.
A retail mecca and Bergen County’s commerce center—home to malls, mini-malls, big box stores, the JCC of Paramus, exceptional parks, and many of the area’s choice yeshivot, other synagogues, and even a new mikvah—Paramus really does seems to have it all. Location, location, location; it may trump everything, but many couples shopping for their first home may not even know to look there. They may not know that Paramus is home to an established, small but passionate Orthodox community. Yagoda moved here specifically to help it thrive. He and wife Shoshana purchased their home here precisely to be part of growing a community.
While he leads the campaign, he has no illusions that this is a utopia. He grew up in Teaneck and has lived in Paramus for years with his wife and young son Ezra. Yagoda knows a good value and doesn’t want to keep it secret. “This year we are getting a town-wide (property) tax decrease over last year.”
He may be the front man, but the collective thinking throughout both shul communities is that they have what it takes to woo growing Manhattan families—or from anywhere. “The things you really need are here, plug and play.”
CBT partners with K’hal Adath Jeshurun (KAJ), the other local Orhodox shul, for Shabbatons and summer and vacation minyanim. “We don’t have to drive to Van Saun Park, we can walk there. Plus now we have an eruv, so it is a great way to spend Shabbat afternoon with the kids.” They advocated for the eruv last year and this year they can enjoy the fruits of those efforts. Last April they held their first new member Shabbaton and participated in OU’s new community fair, attracting 15 couples. Since then four families have moved in and there is strong interest from several others.”
Proud of their neighborhood, they say come on over join them for the community Shabbaton June 27th-28th and experience it firsthand. You never know, you might just move in. For info or to rsvp, [email protected] or visit online at http://www.cbtparamus.org
By Elyse Hansford
