Temple Neve Shalom records

Dates

1949 - 1985

Scope and Contents

The records of Temple Neve Shalom date from 1949 to 1985. Records prior to 1949 were not acquired. A few AD JOURNALS and NEWSLETTERS more recent than 1985 were acquired and filed in the collection. Other than these, records dating from 1985 to the present were not acquired. The documentation is well distributed over the span of years represented.

Included in the records of the Temple are its CONSTITUTION, one ANNUAL REPORT, MEMBERSHIP DOCUMENTS, FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS, a CHRONO FILE, and NEWSLETTERS.

The ANNUAL REPORT, although only for the year 1956 , is representative of all the various committees and activities that take place at the Temple. In addition, there is also MINUTES OF ANNUAL MEETING, from 1983. This meeting was held for the entire congregation.

The MEMBERSHIP DOCUMENTS include membership lists of various years. These lists are not representative of the whole span of years the collection covers. In this series there are also membership applications.

In the series FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS, the subseries Budgets is the most complete. It covers the years 1956-1983 inclusive. In this series there are also Ledger pages, Payroll/ Disbursement records, an analysis of the Dues Structure of the Temple and an Expansion Proposal from 1982.

The CHRONO FILE is one of the largest series in the collection, taking up an entire cubic foot. However, this series only covers the years 1979-1985. This series consists of mailings, flyers, and outgoing correspondence.

The MINUTES of the subgroups Board of Directors, and Executive Committee record the decisions made for the proper functioning of the Temple. The MINUTES of the Ritual Committee and the Education Committee record the decisions relating to the concerns of those two committees. For instance, in the MINUTES of the Ritual Committee, Bar and Bat Mitzvah protocol, and religious functions are discussed. In the MINUTES of the Education Committee, decisions regarding hiring teachers, school curriculum and other school functions are recorded.

The Hebrew School takes up almost a whole cubic foot which makes it the second largest component of the collection. There are COURSE CATALOGS from a number of years . The STUDENT RECORDS include lists of students, rosters, attendance and registration details for recent years. There is also a CHRONO FILE and a GENERAL FILE containing records like minutes from the Student council, Teachers Meetings and Youth Committee of which there are only one or two of each.

Extent

5 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Biographical / Historical

Chronology

ca. 1937-1940: Residents of Metuchen met in Royal Arcanum Hall for Friday evening services and High Holy Day services.

1938: Dr. Walter K. Nelson elected as first president.

1941: Purchased building at 17 Highland Avenue. Chartered under name of Metuchen Jewish Community Center as a Conservative synagogue. Student Rabbi from United Synagogue led services. Sunday morning Hebrew class formed.

ca. 1947-1948: Building on Highland Avenue sold, site on Center Street purchased. Construction of new building begun in April 1948.

11 Sept. 1949: Formal dedication of new building on Center Street.

1950: Part-time Rabbi William Berkowitz named spiritual leader. Adult Institute class, Sunday School and weekly religious services started.

1951: Rabbi Bernard Leffel hired.

1953: Four acres bought on Grove Avenue to expand and enlarge Community Center. Rabbi Charles Abeles hired as first full-time spiritual leader.

13 June 1954: Ground breaking ceremony held for new building.

Dec. 1954: Name of Neve Shalom, 'Habitation of Peace', adopted for Bet-Hamikdash (Holy Temple).

13 March 1955: Dedication of new building on Grove Avenue. Cantor Benjamin Stein came to Neve Shalom.

1957: Rabbi Abeles left Neve Shalom to be replaced by Rabbi Phineas Kadushin.

1959: Rabbi Kadushin left Neve Shalom to be replaced by Rabbi Hershel Matt.

1968: Aaron Twersky hired as principal of Hebrew School.

1969: Meir Zion replaced Aaron Twersky as Hebrew School Principal.

1970: Dedication of Stained Glass Windows in Sanctuary.

1971: Rabbi Hershel Matt replaced by Rabbi Gerald Lee Zelizer.

1974: Linda S. Sherman replaced Meir Zion as Hebrew School Principal. Cantor Stein left to be replaced by Cantor Mordechai M. Goldstein.

1977: Rabbi Shalom L. Eisenberg replaced Linda Sherman as Hebrew School Principal.

1982: David Schwarzmer replaced Rabbi Eisenberg as Hebrew School Principal.

1983: Rabbi Howard Rosenbaum hired as new Director of Education and Youth Services

Biographical / Historical

Principal Officers

CONGREGATION PRESIDENTS

1938-1939: Dr. Walter K. Nelson 1948-1950: Dr. Walter K. Nelson 1951: Al Harris 1952-1955: George Olmezer 1955-1957: Sam Simkin 1958-1959: Daniel Kaufman 1959-1960: James Izenberg 1960-1961: Herbert Weissberger 1961-1962: James Izenberg 1962-1963: Milton Robbins 1963-1964: James Olkein 1968: Jerome Gunsher 1969-1970: Alfred J Rauchman 1973-1975: Paul Berman 1975-1977: Herbert Gorbunoff 1977-1979: Philip Landever 1980-1981: Mildred Holtzman 1982-1983: Kenneth M. Emmer 1983-1985: Edward S. Markman

Presidents between 1939 and 1948 included Oscar Gurshman, Sol Friedman, Ben Plakum, Max Braunstein, Mrs. Max Becker, and Abe Gurshman.

CONGREGATION VICE-PRESIDENTS

1949-1950: Al Harris, Morton Berkower 1951-1952: Morton Berkower, George Olmezer 1953: Theodore Simkin, Dr. Paul Cohen, Lawrence Friedrich 1954-1955: Samuel Simkin, Bernard Belikove, Alfred Schwartz 1955-1956: Bernard Belikove, Alfred Schwartz, Mervin Cooper 1956-1957: Bernard Belikove, Alfred Schwartz, Daniel Kaufman 1958-1959: Louis Kahn, Allan Bass, George Gostin 1960-1961: Theodore Simkin, Phillip Selber, Milton W. Robbins 1962-1963: Abraham Greenberg, James Olkien, Alfred Rauchman 1963-1964: Alfred Rauchman, Abe Greenberg, Leo Kaufman 1973-1974: Gerard Bell, Mrs . Joseph (Zona) Fishkin, Herbert Gorbunoff, Tobias Weitz 1974-1975: Mrs. Joseph (Zona) Fishkin, Philip Landever, Leo Terr, Tobias Weitz 1975-1977: Mrs. Joseph (Mildred) Holtzman, Mrs. Howard (Marion) Kaufman, Philip Landever, Joseph Sumner 1977-1978: Bernice Bloom, Dr. Herbert Gary, Mildred Holtzman, Robert Korb 1978-1979: Bernice Bloom, Dr. Herbert Gary, Mildred Holtzman, Dr. Eliot Spack 1980-1981: Kenneth Emmer, Dr. Herbert Gary, Harriet Kaplan, Irwin Slursburg 1982-1983: Iris Berman, Herbert Blum, Bernice Chadowitz, Robert Kussner 1984-1985: Iris Berman, Jewel Kraham, Robert Kussner, Alvin Zoland

MEN'S CLUB PRESIDENTS

1960-1961: Irving Schlesinger 1962-1963: Herbert Finkelstein 1963-1964: Joseph Shapiro 1973-1974: Dr. Martin Goffman 1974-1975: Lawrence Halber 1975-1976: Dr. Irving Engleson 1976-1977: Dr. Martin Tessler 1977-1978: Lawrence Goldberg 1984-1985: Ronald Becker

SISTERHOOD PRESIDENTS

1960-1961: Mrs. David Herbst 1962-1964: Mrs. Benjamin Stein 1973-1974: Mrs. Herbert (Susan) Gorbunoff 1974-1975: Mrs. William (Bess) Levine 1975-1977: Mrs. Stephen (Trudy) Sklans 1977-1978: Rita Gare 1978-1979: Rhoda Berkow, Dorothy Thompson 1982-1984: Ethel Hollander 1984-1985: Linda Landsman

HEBREW SCHOOL PRINCIPALS

1968: Aaron Twersky 1969-1973: Meir Zion 1974-1976: Linda S. Sherman 1977-1981: Rabbi Shalom S. Eisenberg 1982-1983: David Schwarzmer 1983-?: Rabbi Howard Rosenbaum

Arrangement

When the records of Temple Neve Shalom were received by the Special Collections and Archives, they took up approximately six cubic feet of space. None of the records had been placed in any sort of order. They were divided up into different categories and given file headings.

One cubic foot of material was removed from the collection in the course of processing. The material removed consisted mostly of bill receipts, duplicate copies of numerous records, and blank forms.

Arrangement

Temple Neve Shalom

CONSTITUTION 1977: Unarranged. Constitution of Temple Neve Shalom accompanied by proposed amendments.

ANNUAL REPORT 1956: Unarranged. Reports of various committees and functional groups within the structure of Neve Shalom.

MINUTES OF ANNUAL MEETING 1983: Unarranged. Minutes from meeting of entire Temple.

MEMBERSHIP DOCUMENTS: Arranged Chronologically. Lists of members of Temple Neve Shalom.

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS. Grouped into subseries by format of financial document: Budgets 1956-1983 comprise two folders. Arranged chronologically. Payroll/Disbursements 1968, 1972-1975, 1977 comprise twelve folders. Arranged chronologically. Consist of payroll sheets for employees of the Temple. Cash Disbursements 1974 comprises one folder. These are receipts for purchases made with cash. Ledgers 1973-1975, 1973-1979 (Golden Age) comprise five folders. Arranged Chronologically. Consist of ledger pages recording dues owed and paid to the Temple. Pledges 1978-1979 comprises one folder. Unarranged. Lists promises of pledges made to the Temple during the years 1978-1979. Dues Structure 1978 comprises one folder, while the Background Literature comprise six folders. Unarranged. The Dues Structure is the structure adopted by Temple Neve Shalom. The Background Literature contains articles and other literature concerning dues structures in various religious organizations nationwide. Expansion Proposal 1982 comprises one folder. Unarranged. Consists of proposed cost of expansion of building.

CHRONO FILE 1977, 1979-1985: Arranged chronologically. Consists of flyers, outgoing correspondence and mailings.

NEWSLETTERS 1949-1984: Arranged chronologically. Consists of both Center News and Bulletin publications.

AD JOURNALS 1959- 1992 with gaps: Arranged chronologically. Consists of commemorative publications, dedication and event programs and programs for honoring individual members of the Temple.

PRESS RELEASES 1968-1970: Unarranged. Consists of information released to the press regarding events, Temple news and other articles.

GENERAL FILE: Separated by content into various groupings including prayers, sermons, Adult Education and other di verse subjects. Arranged Alphabetically.

Board of Directors

MINUTES 1955-1983 with gaps: Arranged chronologically. Consists of MINUTES taken during the meetings of the Board of Directors during these years.

Executive Committee

MINUTES 1969-1984 with gaps: Arranged chronologically. Consists of MINUTES taken during meetings of the Executive Committee during these years.

Ritual Committee

MINUTES 1977-1985: Arranged chronologically. Consists of MINUTES taken during the meetings of the Ritual Committee during these years. There is also Bar/ Bat Mitzvah information comprising four folders. This includes lists, protocol,and songsters.

Sisterhood

MEMBERSHIP 1973-1982: Unarranged. Consists of lists of members as well as directors. Also an Award from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.

Education Committee

MINUTES 1960-1985: Arranged chronologically. Consists of MINUTES taken during meetings of the Executive Committee during these years. Also includes Principal's Report presented to the Executive Committee.

Hebrew School

COURSE CATALOGS 1976-1985 with gaps: Arranged chronologically and by subject. Subjects include catalogs, programs and curriculums.

STUDENT RECORDS 1974-1976: Arranged chronologically and by subject. Subjects include lists, attendance records, rosters, applications, and lists of graduates. There are also a number of Teachers records including contracts and applications.

CHRONO FILE 1983-1985: Arranged chronologically. Contains mailings, flyers and outgoing correspondence specifically relating to the school.

GENERAL FILE: Separated into various subjects, then arranged alphabetically. Subjects include school newsletters, programs, school calendars, and Minutes from Student Council, Teachers Meetings and Youth Committee.