WELCOME TO BARNERT TEMPLE!

We are glad you are here! The Nathan Barnert Memorial Temple (Congregation B'nai Jeshurun) is a Reform congregation located in Franklin Lakes, NJ. We are proud of being the oldest Reform Jewish Congregation in New Jersey.  Barnert Temple is affiliated with the Union of Reform Judaism (URJ) and is proud to participate in and support the great traditions and purposes of the URJ.  Today, as it has been through our 160-year history, our mission is to be a sacred community committed to offering Reform Jewish experiences that are relevant, accessible, and meaningful for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Under the leadership of Rabbi Elyse Frishman and Rabbi Rachel Steiner, we are a spiritual center for approximately 480 member families from more than 36 surrounding communities in northern NJ and the New York suburbs. We are large enough to serve the diverse needs of our congregants, but small enough to provide an inclusive, comfortable and nurturing environment.

We hope you will take the time to learn more about us. Learn about our various events, our preschool and religious school, our adult education offerings and all that Barnert Temple has to offer. To schedule a tour or learn about membership, contact our Membership Liaison at (201) 848-1027.

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
For a complete list of events, visit our online calendar.

Volunteers Needed to Staff the Family Promise Day Center: Sunday, February 12 and others
Barnert Temple members of all ages are needed to volunteer with the Family Promise Day Shelter located in Ridgewood. This social services program provides shelter and support for working families who have lost their homes. To learn more about Family Promise, click here.

Your role as a volunteer is basically friendly visitor, providing company, playing with the children (who range in age from 3 to 16) and providing general oversight during the weekend shifts when the regular staff is not there. The children's parents are there at all times, so you are not responsible for childcare. We can play games, do arts and crafts, watch movies, etc.

As a volunteer, you take a shift from either 8:30 to 11 am, 11 am to 2 pm or 2 to 5 pm. Each month we look for at least two adults (18+ years old), as well as younger volunteers for each shift. It is a great opportunity for a bar/bat mitzvah project and for young families, as it is one of those rare community service opportunities where all ages can interact with the people they are serving.

We are setting up a pool of interested volunteers, and will put out a call each month to the group to see who can help that month. To add your name to the list, contact Temple member Donna Meyer.

Cooking with Beans - Warming the Winter with Lentils and Beans: Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 7 pm
Want to add some protein and fiber to your diet? Always wanted to add beans to your menu but wasn't sure how? Come join us for a cooking class that will leave you ready to "bean up" your diet and menu!

Sisterhood Game Night: Monday, Jan. 30 at 7 pm
Bring your favorite game (Mah Jongg or any other game) to our Game Night! RSVP to Rita Kron.

God Talk - Personality and Spirituality with Rabbi Frishman: Wednesdays at 9:30am
For the next few weeks, we're exploring the relationship between personality (as indicated by the Meyers Briggs Personality Profile tool) and personal spirituality. Why is one person drawn to a personal experience of God, while another has a more transcendent sense? Certainly there are personal experiences that affect our spirituality; yet, according to research, there is also a particular natural inclination that resides within each of us.

If you're interested in joining in this lively and vibrant discussion, RSVP to Helen Milstein Your response is essential so that you're prepared for the next session.

Update on Tent City and the Fight for Lakewood's Homeless
"Jeffrey Wild, in his day job, handles enormous corporate lawsuits involving millions but, in his spare time, he defends the homeless and recently won a decision in a Toms River Court to allow the homeless to camp out on public land." Read the Jan. 20 article in NJ.com about Jeff's work with the New Jersey Coalition to End Homelessness and the ongoing efforts to help the homeless in Lakewood.

Gift Cards Needed!
The Center for Food Action is still looking for gift cards to help their client families. You can donate cards directly to the CFA or purchase gift cards from the Sisterhood. The Sisterhood will forward your donation to the CFA on your behalf. Click here for details or contact Amy Lynn.

Mitzvah Mall - It's Not Too Late to Donate!
If you couldn't join us on December 4 or you didn't make a donation, it's not too late to make a difference! Download the Mitzvah Mall Doantion Form and return it, with your check (payable to Barnert Temple). To view a complete list of participating organizations, click here.

Donations are Needed
Emergency Coat Drive:  Have a coat that you are not using? Donate your coat to those in need! CUMAC (Center of United Methodist Aid to the Community) will distribute the coats that we collect to those in need in Paterson, Passaic county and northern New Jersey. So far, we have 210 coats!  Keep them coming!

Men's Suits and Business Attire: CUMAC serves men who are need of business suits, shirts, ties, etc. so they can go on job interviews.  Please look through your closet and donate now!

Toddler and Young Children's Clothing:  CUMAC serves families with toddlers and young children who need warm winter clothing.  Please donate now!

Shoe/Sneaker Drive:  Soles4Souls helps distribute pre-owned shoes and sneakers to men, women and children in need.  Even if you have any unmatched (single) shoes, please doante them instead of throwing them away.  They WILL be used.  There are people in need who only have one foot or one leg.  So far, we have donated over 1,500 pairs of shoes!  Please keep them coming!

Help Restock Local Food Pantries
Local food pantries are empty. There is a desperate need for non-perishable, non-breakable goods. Please drop off your contributions in the baskets in the Atrium.

Food for Thought: Blog by David Harris, Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee
The blog by David Harris, Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), provides food for thought in his blog. He provides the following introduction: "Despite efforts by the U.S. and doubts expressed by PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, the Palestinians are moving ahead unilaterally on the UN front. AJC, long committed to a two-state accord, views this strategy as antithetical to the search for peace." To read Harris' blog, go to www.jpost.com. Then scroll down the right side of the page to "Featured Bloggers" and the heading "Support peace: Oppose Palestinian UN gambit."

Calling all 20 and 30 Somethings!
Barnert is looking to bring together people in their 20s and 30s who are interested in meeting up with other young Jews in the area. If you know someone who might be interested in being a part of this, please send Rabbi Steiner their name and email address or have them contact Rabbi Steiner or Rachel Schulties. Both singles and couples are welcome!

Make Sure Your Child is Part of the Barnert Temple College Connection
Do you have a child who has gone away to school? We would love to keep connected to our college-aged students throughout the school year. Messages from Rabbi Frishman and care packages with holiday greetings or words of encouragement are periodically sent to let them know that the Temple is thinking about them. Please send your child’s college “snail mail” address and college email address to Alice Berdy. If your child is going away on a term abroad for the spring semester and won’t be at his or her school address, please mention this in your email. Also, if your child is away for the fall semester, but will be back for the spring semester, please let us know what his or her address will be when they are back.