Who We Are 

Temple Beth Or is an egalitarian, conservative congregation affiliated with the Conservative Movement.  As the spiritual center of our Jewish community, our aim is to create a Jewish environment that is warm and caring, meaningful and enriching.  The congregation is made up of about 150 families.

                                                                                                Our Rabbi

                                                                                                

                                                                          Rabbi Robert Benjamin Rubin

Rabbi Rubin believes that a synagogue is a very special place in which many different activities happen reflecting the diversity of the people and the various classical roles a synagogue can fill as a House of Prayer (Beit T’fillah), House of Study (Beit Midrash) and House of Gathering (Beit K’nesset). He feels that a congregation should also be a friendly welcoming place and the anchor of a caring community which reaches out to its members relating to their needs and interests and to the larger Jewish and  general community through social action projects. He feels that is important to reach out to, involve and work with persons of all ages in the congregation, from preschoolers and their families to senior adults (and everyone in between). He is open to listen to new ideas and is also dedicated to transmitting and preserving Jewish traditions and teachings so that an ongoing synthesis can be maintained.

Rabbi Rubin has recently served congregations in Pennsylvania (Adath Israel, Merion Station and Congregation Beth T’fillah, Philadelphia) and previously in New Jersey (Temple Mekor Chayim, Linden and Congregation Agudath Israel, Caldwell). He has also been a Jewish community healthcare chaplain and a coordinator of kosher supervision. Through his congregational work and chaplaincy service, Rabbi Rubin has been involved in many interfaith activities and dialogue sessions.

Rabbi Rubin was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City and has a MA in Rabbinics from JTS, EdM from Teachers College–Columbia University in New York City and a BA in Chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis. 

 Rabbi Rubin has served as the Vice President of the Rabbinical Assembly Mid-Atlantic Region and on the Executive Committee of the VAAD: Board of Rabbis of Greater Philadelphia. He is also a past President of the Rabbinical Assembly New Jersey Region and of the Union County (NJ) Board of Rabbis.  

Rabbi Rubin was born in Chicago and was active in Religious School and Junior Congregation at Congregation Rodfei Zedek, a Conservative synagogue. At college, he became involved in Hillel, Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry and Judaic studies courses. While in rabbinical school, he served as a counselor at Camp Ramah, Wisconsin. He has travelled to and studied in Israel at various times, including the leading of congregational trips.           

 Rabbi Rubin is married to Susan and they have two sons, Daniel (who is married to Miriam Leisman) and Jonathan.
 
 Rabbi Rubin may be e-mailed at:  RBobRubin@gmail.com

Rabbi Emeritus

Rabbi Dr. Robert E. Fierstien, spiritual leader of Temple Beth Or since June 1976 until July 2008 is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of New York University, holds an M.A., Rabbinical Ordination, and Doctorate from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.  He is a published author, a past president of the Shore Area Board of Rabbis, and is a chairman of the Centennial History Committee of Rabbinical Assembly.

Location

Temple Beth Or is located in the lovely Jersey Shore community of Brick Township.  Brick is approximately 70 miles from New York City and 60 miles from Philadelphia.  The temple is easily accessible from the Garden State Parkway SB Exit 91.  It is located just off State Highway Route 70, on Van Zile Road.