In 1984 tragedy struck. A faulty furnace caused a fire which destroyed the entire building.
The congregants were devastated. Services continued to be conducted in make-shift and borrowed premises.
Congregation
Beth Israel of Northern Valley
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HISTORY
The Congregation was first organized as the Bergenfield-Dumont
Jewish Center, in 1927, by a handful of families who had settled
in the area.
| The Congregation grew and in 1948 built a
commanding synagogue on the present site. The building
was further expanded in 1955 to accommodate the rapid
influx of Jewish families into the area. In 1984 tragedy struck. A faulty furnace caused a fire which destroyed the entire building. The congregants were devastated. Services continued to be conducted in make-shift and borrowed premises. |
|
| Meanwhile the dedication of the members
was not tempered. A building committee was formed and
went to work. Their efforts are reflected in the modern facility, completed in 1987, in current use. Many artifacts were salvaged from the destroyed building and incorporated into the new structure. With this beautiful, modern facility, the Congregation was once again ready to grow and attract new families. |
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The congregants, young and old, always sensitive to the needs of the local Jewish population, formed steering committees to chart the course of the Congregation into the next millenium. It was recognized that young Jewish families moving into the surrounding Northern Valley towns, such as Closter, Cresskill, Demarest, Haworth and Tenafly were interested in making our Congregation their home. As a result the Congregation was renamed Congregation Beth Israel of Northern Valley to reflect the wider area that we now serve.
After serving the Congregation for 50 years, Rabbi Jerome Blass retired in 1998 and became Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Beth Israel. Rabbi Lawrence Troster succeeded Rabbi Blass.
In September 2004, the Congregation welcomed Rabbi David Bockman as its the religious leader.
In 2007 the membership of Congregation Beth Israel
voted to merge with Congregation Beth Sholom of Teaneck
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