TBS A Shul for You!

A Shul for You - Temple B’nai Shalom East Brunswick, 15 Fern Rd, East Brunswick

By Joann Abraham, JLife New Jersey Magazine

Background: Temple B’nai Shalom, then known as the Reform Temple of East Brunswick, was incorporated in December 1972. During its formative years, the Temple rented space in various East Brunswick Public School buildings, moving to its current location in August 1978. In the early 1980’s, the Congregation changed its name to Temple B’nai Shalom. The Temple was a founding member of the East Brunswick Area Clergy Association and, with its Daniel Pearl Education Center, has been active in local ecumenical life.  

   The Daniel Pearl Education Center at Temple B’nai Shalom is a non-profit, charitable organization committed to the ideals of understanding and cooperation - those principles that are part of the legacy of the late Daniel Pearl. Pearl, the Southeast Asia bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal, was kidnapped and murdered by extremists in Pakistan on February 1, 2002.

What are the most popular of your synagogue’s programs and/or services?
    At Temple B’nai Shalom, we are a welcoming, uplifting, and inclusive Reform congregation dedicated to enriching the lives of our congregants through worship, education, community, social action and support of the Jewish people and Israel. We love music at TBS and celebrate Music Shabbat Services, join together for our world-famous Purim Spiel, and special concerts and events.  Every June we gather for Shabbat Under the Stars, and our annual Beach Havdalah in Monmouth Beach is always great fun!

What programs and/or services do you think capture the synagogue’s underlying philosophy?

   At Temple B’nai Shalom, we are a hamishe Temple family.  Every week we gather for Shabbat and enjoy the oneg. Our Shabbat Minyan and Lunch brings us together for prayer and community. Our religious school educates the next generation to learn and to love our Jewish traditions and faith with family programs and holiday celebrations.  Our Sisterhood, Men’s Club, and the Daniel Pearl Education center offer engaging and meaningful programs.  We celebrate the good times in life together, and we support one another in times of need. We are also great supporters of Israel and our Jewish State. Am Yisrael Chai!

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What is the most unique aspect of your synagogue?
    At Temple B’nai Shalom, we pray together in nature and appreciate the beauty of the world. Two of our special Shabbat services are Shabbat Under the Stars and Beach Havdalah. In June, we gather in the Temple backyard for an outdoor Shabbat service followed by a delicious BBQ Shabbat Dinner. In August, we gather at Monmouth Beach for the TBS Beach Havdalah. The Daniel Pearl Education Center at the Temple offers guest speakers and programs, along with a yearly free student trip to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC.

What would you say to encourage someone to join your synagogue?
   This year we are celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Temple B’nai Shalom. We are grateful to have been a hamishe Temple family for 50 years and we welcome all to come join us for our next 50 years of simcha, prayer, and Jewish community. To learn more about Temple B’nai Shalom, come join us for Shabbat and visit our website.
We would love to meet you!