Marty Schwartz

Marty was able to book them for August 22nd.
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Marty Schwartz

Judaism is alive and well in New Jersey, says Martin Schwartz, a life-long member of Temple Shalom in Plainfeld.People want to maintain a connection to Judaism..

A willingness to change with the times has helped to enable older synagogues to survive.All of that bodes well for the future, says Schwartz.

When synagogues survive for a long time -- and, of course, a century is a very long time in American life -- they have stories.Here are some of them :.

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Martin Schwartz of Mendham and Judge William Dreier of Warren used to ride their bicycles to Hebrew school at Temple Sholom in Plainfeld more than 50 years ago.
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Schwartz's most vivid childhood memory is when Bill and I used to set the alarm clock in the teacher's drawer so it would go off during [ Hebrew ] class..

Now in their 60s and still close friends, Schwartz and Dreier are still members of Temple Sholom.They both got married there, children of both families became bnai mitzva there, and each man served there as synagogue president.

They are also third-generation members of the synagogue.Each had a grandfather among the 22 charter families who established Temple Sholom in November 1913, making it New Jersey's ninth oldest Reform congregation.

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Families fled to Warren, Watchung, Scotch Plains and Edison, explains Schwartz.Since its peak, membership has declined ; there were once 400 member families, but now there are 275.

Plainfield does not have a large Jewish community left, but we be still alive, says Schwartz.

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Says Schwartz, The ties are just too strong and the loyalty runs too deep to go anywhere else.it be still my spiritual home..

Marty Schwartz

"Judaism is alive and well in New Jersey," says Martin Schwartz, a life-long member of Temple Shalom in Plainfeld."People want to maintain a connection to Judaism."

A willingness to change with the times has helped to enable older synagogues to survive."All of that bodes well for the future," says Schwartz.

When synagogues survive for a long time - and, of course, a century is a very long time in American life - they have stories.

Here are some of them:

AHAVATH ZION

...
Martin Schwartz of Mendham and Judge William Dreier of Warren used to ride their bicycles to Hebrew school at Temple Sholom in Plainfeld more than 50 years ago.
...
Schwartz's most vivid childhood memory is when "Bill and I used to set the alarm clock in the teacher's drawer so it would go off during [Hebrew] class."
...
Now in their 60s and still close friends, Schwartz and Dreier are still members of Temple Sholom.
...
Samuel's father was a member of the Orthodox shul, but his son wanted to break away from that more traditional style, explains Schwartz.

At first the congregation had 38 member families; its first building was on Grove Street in North Plainfield, in what had formerly been the Young Men's Hebrew Association.Over the next 12 years the congregation grew; in December 1927 it moved to its present site on West Seventh Street.The congregation continued to expand; in 1961 the older building was converted to other uses and a new building was built on the property.

In 1968 rioting touched Plainfield, and many Jews moved to the hills.Families fled to Warren, Watchung, Scotch Plains and Edison, explains Schwartz.Since its peak, membership has declined; there were once 400 member families, but now there are 275.

Plainfield does not have a large Jewish community left, but "we're still alive," says Schwartz.

...
Says Schwartz, "The ties are just too strong and the loyalty runs too deep to go anywhere else.It's still my spiritual home."

Judaism is alive and well in New Jersey , says Martin Schwartz , a life-long member of Temple Shalom in Plainfeld.People want to maintain a connection to Judaism..

A willingness to change with the times has helped to enable older synagogues to survive.All of that bodes well for the future , says Schwartz.

When synagogues survive for a long time - and , of course , a century is a very long time in American life - they have stories.

Here are some of them :.

AHAVATH ZION

...
Martin Schwartz of Mendham and Judge William Dreier of Warren used to ride their bicycles to Hebrew school at Temple Sholom in Plainfeld more than 50 years ago.
...
Schwartz's most vivid childhood memory is when Bill and I used to set the alarm clock in the teacher's drawer so it would go off during [ Hebrew ] class..
...
Families fled to Warren , Watchung , Scotch Plains and Edison , explains Schwartz.Since its peak , membership has declined ; there were once 400 member families , but now there are 275.

Plainfield does not have a large Jewish community left , but we're still alive , says Schwartz.

...
Says Schwartz , The ties are just too strong and the loyalty runs too deep to go anywhere else.It's still my spiritual home..