Freehold Jewish Center
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The Freehold Jewish Center, also referred to as "Congregation Agudath Achim", is an unaffiliated
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
congregation and
synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...
, located in
Freehold Freehold may refer to: In real estate *Freehold (law), the tenure of property in fee simple * Customary freehold, a form of feudal tenure of land in England *Parson's freehold, where a Church of England rector or vicar of holds title to benefice ...
,
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, in the United States. The congregation was founded in 1911 and it completed its first synagogue building by 1916, and its current building in 1957, with an additions to the current building completed in 1973. Eli Fishman was the congregation's
rabbi A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
from 1970 to 1997. He was succeeded by Kenneth Greene, who served for 13 years. As of January 2025, the Rabbi is Andrew Schultz, and the president is Jeffrey Malkin.


History


Early history

In July 1911, a charter was drawn up for the formation of an
Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...
synagogue named Congregation Agudath Achim Anshai. Many of the founders had immigrated to the United States from
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
and
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
. Raphael Riemer, who immigrated to Freehold from Russia in 1906, was the synagogue’s first rabbi and cantor. Louis Finegold, a local merchant, was the first President of the synagogue. In 1911, the synagogue had a membership of 40 families. The synagogue was first built at a land and construction cost of approximately $1,000, as a wooden structure on the corner of First Street and Center Street in Freehold between 1911 and 1916, by the Freehold Hebrew Association, which had been established in 1894. The synagogue's religious school started at that location in September 1914. Dues were $6 ($ today). The synagogue added a second floor to the building in 1916. The synagogue formed a sisterhood in 1920, and that year a ''
mikva A mikveh or mikvah (,  ''mikva'ot'', ''mikvot'', or ( Ashkenazic) ''mikves'', lit., "a collection") is a bath used for ritual immersion in Judaism to achieve ritual purity. In Orthodox Judaism, these regulations are steadfastly adhered t ...
'' was constructed below the synagogue. The synagogue also established a cemetery on Route 33 in Freehold, which it has maintained for more than 90 years.


1940–2000

In the 1940s, the
Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to KKK or Klan, is an American Protestant-led Christian terrorism, Christian extremist, white supremacist, Right-wing terrorism, far-right hate group. It was founded in 1865 during Reconstruction era, ...
became active in the Howell Township area, and members of the synagogue regularly patrolled the synagogue grounds armed with shotguns to protect it against Klan members. An old Torah on display in the synagogue was rescued from a ruined synagogue in Italy by World War II veteran Jack Steinberg and later restored. Synagogue membership had grown to 100 families by 1943, and 184 families by 1950. During the 1950s and 1960s, synagogue membership in the synagogue reached 400. It changed its name to Freehold Jewish Center in the 1960s. Rabbi Eli Fishman was the synagogue's
rabbi A rabbi (; ) is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi—known as ''semikha''—following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form of t ...
from 1970 until his retirement in 1997. He was succeeded by Rabbi Kenneth Greene, who retired in 2011. In 2011, the synagogue was led by Rabbi Dr. Tal Sessler.


21st century

In 2002, the synagogue commissioned the writing of a new
torah scroll A Sephardic Torah scroll rolled to the first paragraph of the Shema An Ashkenazi Torah scroll rolled to the Decalogue file:Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue, Interior, Tora Cases.jpg">Torah cases at Knesset Eliyahoo Synagogue, Mumbai, India ...
, for $30,000. The following year, it was one of a number of area synagogues that took part in helping fund the building of a new home for a family, under the auspices of the Freehold Area
Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), generally referred to as Habitat for Humanity or Habitat, is a U.S. non-governmental, and tax-exempt 501(C)(3) Christian nonprofit organization which seeks to build affordable housing. The international ...
. In April 2003, the synagogue named its chapel the Oglensky Chapel, after David Oglensky, a synagogue member and soldier who had been a lieutenant and commander in the 740th Tank
Battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of up to one thousand soldiers. A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into several Company (military unit), companies, each typically commanded by a Major (rank), ...
of the
U.S. First Army First Army is the largest OC/T organization in the U.S. Army, comprising two divisions, ten brigades, and more than 7,500 Soldiers. Its mission is to partner with the U.S. Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve to enable leaders and deli ...
killed in the
Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive or Unternehmen Die Wacht am Rhein, Wacht am Rhein, was the last major German Offensive (military), offensive Military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western ...
, who for his gallantry was awarded posthumously the
Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the president to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, ...
and the
Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against a ...
. Family members had constructed the synagogue's ark and benches by hand after his death. In 2006, the synagogue had a membership of 260 families. By 2010, membership had fallen to 175 families. In 2011, to commemorate its centennial year, the synagogue planned a series of events. Past president Jerry Einhorn said: “I think it’s absolutely wonderful we have reached our 100th year. It’s a beautiful synagogue, and I look forward to its next 500 years.” That year marked Greene's 13th and final year as the congregation's rabbi. As of 2025 the congregation's Rabbi Andrew Schultz, The Executive Director is Tracey Barbour and the President is Jeffrey Malkin.


Broad Street Synagogue building

Ground was broken in 1947 for a new synagogue, on lots measuring that were purchased in 1943 and 1945, responding to the need for a larger facility. In 1957, the new synagogue was completed on the corner of Broad Street and Stokes Street. The synagogue was dedicated on August 25, 1957, with Governor Robert B. Meyner and his wife as guests of honor. David Metz was president of the synagogue at the time. In 1973, an addition was added to the synagogue, containing classrooms and offices, and expanding the sanctuary. The synagogue's sanctuary and extension are flanked in beautiful
stained glass Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...
windows. The building also houses 12 classrooms, social halls, a 350-person formal ballroom, a youth lounge, a library, a smaller chapel, and kosher kitchens.


See also

* Synagogues in the United States


References


External links


Freehold Jewish Center websiteFreehold Jewish Center facebook page''70 years of Jewish life in Freehold: 70th year, Congregation Agudath Achim, Broad St., Freehold, N.J.''
Congregation Adugath Achim (Freehold, N.J.)
''75th diamond jubilee anniversary, April 12th, 1986''
Congregation Agudath Achim (Freehold, N.J.), 1986 {{Freehold, New Jersey 1911 establishments in New Jersey 20th-century synagogues in the United States Ashkenazi Jewish culture in New Jersey Buildings and structures in Monmouth County, New Jersey Freehold Borough, New Jersey Jewish organizations established in 1911 Polish-Jewish culture in the United States Russian-Jewish culture in the United States Synagogues completed in 1916 Synagogues completed in 1957 Synagogues in New Jersey Unaffiliated synagogues in the United States Ukrainian-Jewish culture in the United States