250 Grove Avenue Metuchen, New Jersey 08840

Phone: (732) 548-2238 Fax: (732) 548-2335

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Rabbi Gerald L. Zelizer came to Congregation Neve Shalom, Metuchen, New Jersey in 1970. Under Rabbi Zelizer's leadership Neve Shalom has merged with two congregations. Since Rabbi Zelizer arrived at Neve Shalom, his Adult Education classes, participatory services, and relationship to the youth have been commended for their excellence.

A fourth generation rabbi, born in Columbus, Ohio (1938), he was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America where he also received a Masters in Hebrew Literature (1964). Rabbi Zelizer is on the Board of Contributors of USA TODAY where he has written over 70 op/ed articles on matters of religion and American society, including the topics such as religion and the media; Other of his writings have been published in many journals and newspapers, including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune, and major Jewish publications, including Judaism, The Jewish Spectator, The Reconstructionist and Conservative Judaism. Rabbi Zelizer is currently instructor of homiletics of the senior class at the Jewish Theological Seminary. From 1992 to 1994 Rabbi Zelizer served as President of the International Rabbinical Assembly. From 1994-1999 he served on the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, which formulates religious policy for the Conservative Movement. Since 2000 he has been a member of the Ethics Committee of the RA.

In 1980, Rabbi Zelizer established the Jewish Family Service of Middlesex County. From 1995 to the present, he has been a member of the New Jersey Committee for a moratorium on the death penalty, served on its Executive Committee, and interacted with the Governor and legislative leadership to achieve a moratorium in 2006. In 1999, he was appointed to the Coalition of Religious Leaders of New Jersey, which crafts public positions on social issues and dialogues with New Jersey's Governor and Senators on matters of public policy. In 2006, the United Synagogue of New Jersey bestowed upon him the Keter Torah Leadership Award for distinguished rabbinic service.

Prior to his arrival in Metuchen, he served as Rabbi of Congregation Beth El in Buenos Aires, Argentina (1964-1966), and Temple Israel in Union, NJ (1966-1969). (His wife Viviana, is a Professor of Sociology at Princeton University, and their son Julian E. Zelizer, is Professor of American History and Public Policy at Princeton University.) Julian has two children, a daughter, Sophia Miriam, born June 1, 2002, and a son, Nathan Solomon, born on December 26, 2003.

A message from the Rabbi

Shalom,

Neve Shalom is the only traditional, egalitarian full service synagogue in Middlesex County. Let me explain each component. The mode and structure is traditional Judaism. Yet women, from Bat Mitzvah on, participate in all ritual and organizational aspects of the Shul.

Like many Jews, you are probably concerned with Jewish continuity. We live in a wonderful American environment where Jews have "arrived" politically and economically in ways that our ancestors only dreamed. What about our descendants? Will they be Jewish and what will be the quality of that Jewishness?

The best way to increase the possibility that the answer will be "yes" is to join a full service synagogue that provides a total Jewish environment. Neve Shalom is just such a place -- a center for Jewish living -- for families and single Jews alike. In these pages, you will see that the range of activities offered, both religious/cultural and social, can be secured only in a quality synagogue such as ours.

Baruch Ata Bevoecha - Blessed are you who come to see us. We look forward to working together to ensure Jewish continuity.

Sincerely,

Gerald L. Zelizer

Rabbi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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