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A Century of Spiritual Leadership
A Century of Spiritual Leadership
Temple Emanuel of North Jersey was founded in 1906 by a group of Austro?Hungarian Jews who had immigrated to the United States
in search of a better life. In 1907, the first temple was built on Van Houten Street in downtown Paterson. By the 1920's,
Paterson had become a major manufacturing center, with a burgeoning textile industry. Prosperous families began moving
from downtown to the newly settled Eastside of Paterson. The congregation followed the demographic trend and moved to a
home, on the corner of Broadway at East 33rd Street. Jacob Fabian, theater mogul and one time partner of Stanley Warner,
the Hollywood film magnate, provided substantial financial backing for the endeavor. The magnificent art deco building,
designed by Frederick W. Wentworth, was completed in 1929.
Temple Emanuel soon became the center of Conservative Judaism in the region. At its peak, over 2,000 congregants participated
in High Holy Day services, with people spilling out onto the steps of the synagogue. In addition to members who assumed positions
of leadership in local, national, and international agencies, dignitaries including several Israeli Prime Ministers frequently
visited the Temple. Auxiliary organizations have been an integral part of Temple’s life. Temple Emanuel’s Men’s Club, Sisterhood,
and Choral Society were formed more than 50 years ago and serve as the models for similar organization commonly seen in synagogues
throughout the country today.
By the 1970's, much of the manufacturing base, which had driven Paterson’s thriving economy had moved to other parts of the country
or overseas. Paterson’s Jewish community began an exodus from the city to suburban neighborhoods, mirroring the population shifts
seen in many industrial cities across the northeastern United States.
Toward the end of the 1980’s, Temple Emanuel merged with the Oakland Jewish Community Center. This merger began the movement to
relocate Temple Emanuel to northwest Bergen County, and in 1995 the congregation voted to move. This year, Temple Emanuel has entered into a contract to purchase an existing house of worship in the Franklin Lakes area. The windows, dome, Judaica and much of the soul of the Paterson building will be interwoven into our new home. While work continues to be done, our synagogue is operational in Franklin Lakes at 558 High Mountain Road, Franklin Lakes.
Over the past few years, a rejuvenation of the congregation has begun. Rabbi Joshua S. Finkelstein has joined the temple
as its spiritual leader. He has spearheaded the development of multiple social programs,
including adult Jewish education programs, a woman’s so study group, and Saturday morning services in northwest Bergen County.
He has also begun to guide and focus the congregation toward an egalitarian, modern style of Conservative Judaism,
which will parallel the transition to the new Temple. An influx of nearly 50 new families has joined the Temple in just
the past few years. Temple Emanuel’s Hebrew school, dormant since 1972, was restarted several years ago and has
tripled in size. Classes have continued to expand and are now available for children ranging from pre-kindergarten to 7th grade.
Temple Emanuel is a congregation with a glorious past. For nearly a century it has been a vanguard of Conservative Judaism,
both locally and nationally. A vibrant and exciting future is on the horizon.
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