A Short History of Temple B’nai Or

In the late 1800's there was a significant Jewish presence in Morristown. Significant enough that the Morristown Jewish Center, a conservative congregation, celebrated its centennial in 1999. It was more than fifty years later that the Reform movement took its place along side of its neighbors.

Sam Hollander was in the navy during WWII. During his service he was an assistant chaplain to a Reform Rabbi. It was his introduction to Reform Judaism and the beginning of a life long love. In June of 1954, he and Ruth Epstein, of Epstein’s Department Store, gathered 11 families together to see if there would be support for a Reform congregation. When 25 families showed up at the second meeting, he knew it was going to happen. In November of the same year 58 families came together to receive the UAHC Charter of Affiliation.

From its very beginning the congregation of Temple B’nai Or, which means "the children of light," has been intertwined with the community around it. Due to Sam’s connections with the school district, religious school classes met in a public school. Friday night services were held in the parish house of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer and High Holiday Services were conducted in the parish house of the Presbyterian Church. The first congregational meeting was held at the Women’s Club of Morristown.

The new congregation hired a student rabbi, Hillel Gameron, who stayed on for six years. A growing congregation, they found it was time for a building of their own. They approached a wealthy Morristonian, a vestryman at the Church of the Redeemer and former Mayor, Parsons Todd, about the purchase of land on South Street. He told them the property was not for sale, but then added that he would donate the land! And so the beginning of a permanent home began.

Ground was broken in November of 1957 and the first service was held in the new building seven months later. Meanwhile, former Mayor Todd gave adjacent land to build the school. Shortly thereafter came the third gift of land. The story goes that after former Mayor Todd was approached the third time he told the asker, "Look, I’m an old man, ask me for everything you want now, I might not be here the next time!"

In honor of this first true friend of Temple B’nai Or, in 1976 a scholarship was established by the Temple to be given annually to both a male and female graduate of Morristown High School who not only excelled academically, but who was involved in the community, just as Mayor Todd had been.

There were over 100 families by the time Rabbi David Baylinson arrived. He served briefly before taking a pulpit in Brighton, England. It was at this point, 1962, that a new rabbi was hired who would stay for the next 28 years. Under Rabbi Z. David Levy, the congregation took on its identity and many of the characteristics that remain to this day. Levy wasn’t ordained until he was 39, having spent eleven years prior to that as an ordained cantor and teacher at the HUC-JIR School of Sacred Music in NYC. So, the first identifiable attribute that he brought to the congregation was his love for music. He formed a choir, he introduced musical instruments to the high holiday services, first the French horn and later the cello, violin and timpani. In 1969 the Rock Service by Gershon Kingsley (which was commissioned by Temple B’nai Jeshurun) was performed by Rabbi Levy and Cantor Ted Aronson. It was such a success, with a capacity audience and people looking in from the outside, that it was performed the following year at the Presbyterian Church on the Green with 1200 Jews and non-Jews in attendance.

Today, the great passion for music continues. Special musical services have been conducted on an ongoing basis running the gamut from Sefardi music to a jazz service with renowned jazz pianist Rio Clemente to the "Rock Shabbat" with Cantor Bruce Benson, to the "Shiru Ladonai" Service conducted monthly.

Temple was founded on the principle of egalitarianism. With that in mind, innovativel financial policies were established. The first was an "open door policy" for the High Holidays. This meant that anyone could attend the service for free as long as there was room. As the congregation grew, the policy continued, with one change: the service was brought to the non-ticket holders in a separate room via closed circuit TV. This policy remains in effect today. From the very beginning there was a sliding dues scale which was officially adopted as Fair Share in 1972. And then in the early 90’s an associate membership was created for congregants who move away but want to maintain an affiliation, receive the bulletin and come "home" for the High Holidays if feasible.

The third piece of our identity is a strong historical commitment to social action. Rabbi Levy took a group of congregants to Washington DC, to hear Martin Luther King’s "I have a Dream" speech and he marched in Selma. He strongly supported the Women’s Movement and opposed the Viet Nam War, both of which created inter-generational conflicts in the congregation. During those turbulent years Jane Fonda, Daniel Ellsworth and Ceaser Chavez were all guests of the Temple. His last fight, and victory, had to do with the homeless. Temple B’nai Or is a member of the Interfaith Coalition for the Homeless and helps by housing, feeding or entertaining homeless families throughout the year.

The African-American dialogue that Rabbi Levy established with black churches in Newark continued under Rabbi Rossoff, with an emphasis on building connections to the black churches in Morristown.

The social action agenda continues to expand; the Temple is a major supporter of the local soup kitchen and Interfaith Coalition for the Homeless; has housed the Federation’s Pathways program which is for intermarried families who have not identified with either spouses religion; holds an annual "Mitzvah Day," and urges one night of Hanukkah be a night of giving to local causes. Through the years, Temple has received grants for special projects focusing on seniors and the ecology and recognition for its devotion to interfaith families and victims of domestic abuse.

Temple B’nai Or is also known for the establishment of the first Renaissance Group for Seniors in the Region, the MUM dues challenge (which came to a head at the biennial in Boston and brought about the two tiered MUM system, formula or per-capita), and an introduction of the Patrons and Benefactors program.

In the mid-90’s Temple B’nai Or had a history of serious financial problems, but that did stop it from contributing to the building campaign for one of Morristown’s black churches that really needed help, nor over the years returning the favor to other churches who needed a home when their facilities burned.

Although the Temple did not have a paid full time principal until 1974, it was commended by the UAHC in 1970 for exceeding all curriculum requirements and the school had over 400 students at the time. Adult education was equally important and so lecture series with such renown speakers as Elie Wiesel, Arthur Goldberg, Abba Eban and Isaac B. Singer are all part of our history.

Through the years, Temple B’nai Or has sent congregants out to a higher UAHC calling. Deenie Schlosser served as District 4 Regional Sisterhood president before it was Women of Reform Judaism, and two past Temple presidents have served the regional board as vice presidents.

Rabbi Donald Rossoff joined the congregation in 1990 and brought his own priorities and style. He continued the emphasis on music and social action, bringing with him devotion to innovative Jewish Education for children and adults, Reform Jewish Camping, Israel, and the implementation of creative worship and a variety of worship modalities. Emphasis on family fills our congregation with Family Shabbat, Torah Explorers, Family Education and Class Shabbat dinners that draw in excess of 120 people to our not nearly big enough social hall. Speakers and scholars in residence have included Rabbis Eric Yoffie, W. Gunther Plaut, Daniel Syme, Gary P. Zola, Michael Cook, Mickey Boyden, David Forman and Leonard Thal, as well as Daniel Matt, Danny Seigel, Gerard W. Kaye, and Carol Ochs.

The Temple instituted its "Tikkun Olam" award, given to Temple members in recognition of their contributions to the community. The first recipient was Fran Rossoff. In 2005, the "Tikkun Olam" award was given to Lorraine and Jerome Aresty and posthumously to Josephine and Gerald Aresty. In 2007, the award was given to Wendy and Gordon Keil, Susan and Michael Miller, and Linda (of blessed memory) and Bill Blatt.

In 1998, Temple B'nai Or spearheaded a special Morristown celebration of "Israel at 50," with a festival at the Vail Mansion. The event brought together the synagogues and Jewish institutions of Morristown, along with local civic and elected officials. In 1994-5, the Temple celebrated its 40th Anniversary with a year of special events which included visiting scholars, a dinner dance and Temple-wide celebration.

In 2004, we celebrated the Temple's 50th Golden Anniversary. The Celebration was "kicked off" at a Shabbat Service at which URJ President, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, both lauded and challenged the Temple. Special events included an Anniversary dinner dance at which our past presidents were honored, scholar in residence Dr. Gary P. Zola, Director of the American Jewish Archives, a concert with Peter and Bethany Yarrow, and a picnic at which the mortgage was burned.

Recent additions to our clergy include Associate Rabbi Mary L. Zamore and Cantor Shira Nafshi, both of whom bring with them talent, heart, devotion and depth.