Temple Beth Sholom (Cherry Hill, New Jersey)
Encyclopedia
Temple Beth Sholom is a Conservative
synagogue
located at 1901 Kresson Road in Cherry Hill, New Jersey
.
, TBS was founded in 1940 at its former location at 19 White Horse Pike
in Haddon Heights, New Jersey
, about six miles west of Cherry Hill. Among the founders was S.H. Fastow, the owner of Fastow's Five & Ten Cent Store in Haddon Heights, which opened in 1936 and closed in 2001. The founders located the synagogue in Haddon Heights hoping that as Jews moved from Camden
into the suburbs, they would settle around the synagogue, but that did not happen. As of 1948, the synagogue had 50 member families. While in Haddon Heights, it grew to over 600 families.
In 1988, the synagogue moved to its current location, in a building with a light stone facade that The Philadelphia Inquirer described as "spectacular", in eastern Cherry Hill, at the corner of Kresson and Cropwell Roads. In January 1989, members of the congregation marched for six miles carrying the synagogue's 10 Torah
s from their old location in Haddon Heights to the new synagogue in Cherry Hill. The Cherry Hill synagogue seats 2,000 people, has a school wing with 19 classrooms, and in 2002 expanded to include a Green Center for Jewish Learning, an expansion of 13000 ft2, that contains a multimedia resource center and 7 high school classrooms. The synagogue now includes about 1,000 member families, and offers a variety of educational and cultural programs.
(1917-2008), who served for 44 years at TBS. Lewis was also a rabbi emeritus at the synagogue. Steven Wernick is a former associate rabbi of the synagogue. As of 2011, the senior rabbi is Steven Lindemann, the associate rabbi is Micah Peltz and the cantor is Jen Cohen.
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
located at 1901 Kresson Road in Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill is a township in Camden County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a population of 71,045, representing an increase of 1,080 from the 69,965 residents enumerated during the 2000 Census...
.
History
A member of the United Synagogue of Conservative JudaismUnited Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism is the primary organization of synagogues practicing Conservative Judaism in North America...
, TBS was founded in 1940 at its former location at 19 White Horse Pike
U.S. Route 30 in New Jersey
U.S. Route 30 is a U.S. highway running from Astoria, Oregon east to Atlantic City, New Jersey. In the U.S. state of New Jersey, US 30 runs from the Benjamin Franklin Bridge at the Delaware River in Camden, Camden County while concurrent with Interstate 676 southeast to Virginia...
in Haddon Heights, New Jersey
Haddon Heights, New Jersey
Haddon Heights is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population is 7,473....
, about six miles west of Cherry Hill. Among the founders was S.H. Fastow, the owner of Fastow's Five & Ten Cent Store in Haddon Heights, which opened in 1936 and closed in 2001. The founders located the synagogue in Haddon Heights hoping that as Jews moved from Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
into the suburbs, they would settle around the synagogue, but that did not happen. As of 1948, the synagogue had 50 member families. While in Haddon Heights, it grew to over 600 families.
In 1988, the synagogue moved to its current location, in a building with a light stone facade that The Philadelphia Inquirer described as "spectacular", in eastern Cherry Hill, at the corner of Kresson and Cropwell Roads. In January 1989, members of the congregation marched for six miles carrying the synagogue's 10 Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
s from their old location in Haddon Heights to the new synagogue in Cherry Hill. The Cherry Hill synagogue seats 2,000 people, has a school wing with 19 classrooms, and in 2002 expanded to include a Green Center for Jewish Learning, an expansion of 13000 ft2, that contains a multimedia resource center and 7 high school classrooms. The synagogue now includes about 1,000 member families, and offers a variety of educational and cultural programs.
Clergy and staff
Former staff include Rabbi Albert L. LewisAlbert L. Lewis
Rabbi Albert L. Lewis was a leading American Conservative rabbi, scholar, and author; President of the Rabbinical Assembly , the international organization of Conservative rabbis; and Vice-President of The World Council of Synagogues...
(1917-2008), who served for 44 years at TBS. Lewis was also a rabbi emeritus at the synagogue. Steven Wernick is a former associate rabbi of the synagogue. As of 2011, the senior rabbi is Steven Lindemann, the associate rabbi is Micah Peltz and the cantor is Jen Cohen.