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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.
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