by Johanna Ginsberg
NJJN Staff Writer

March 19, 2009

On Feb. 28, members of the Englishtown Synagogue in West Orange celebrated Shabbat in their own house of worship for the first time in more than two years. It was a homecoming of sorts after a bumpy start.

The synagogue, located in a house the congregation purchased at 37 Buckingham Place in West Orange, opened its doors on Shavuot in June 2006 and by that September had hired a part-time rabbi.

But in January 2007, the township zoning board shut the shul down, citing issues with the use of the residential property for public worship. After more than a year of hearings and negotiations, the township granted a restricted zoning variance last May. It required renovations to bring the building up to code for a public building and to meet accessibility requirements.

Just in time for the last Shabbat of February, the group received a temporary certificate of occupancy.

Congregation president Dan Needle called the process “long and difficult.” But upon returning to the building, he said, “It was just really amazing. I was personally overcome with excitement and positive feelings after all we’ve been through.”

For the past two years, until the return to the building, congregants worshiped in people’s homes, just as the 30-family group had done for 20 years before acquiring their own facility. But, Needle said, “Once we were in the building, it was much harder to go back.”

Tens of thousands of dollars went into the renovations, which included making the stone-facade, two-story house handicapped and wheelchair accessible, reinforcing the floor, and bringing electricity and plumbing systems up to code. The congregation decided to add its own touches as well, including an expanded sanctuary, a washing station, and a youth lounge.

Some minor accessibility repairs are expected to be completed within 60 days. “The building still has a little left to do to be fixed up completely and be photo-ready, but we aren’t waiting to go in,” said Needle on Feb. 27.

The zoning variance granted last May was issued with certain conditions. The synagogue will not be permitted to hold a daily morning minyan, or prayer service; no large celebrations, such as weddings or bar mitzva receptions, may be held there; and regular classes cannot be conducted on the premises. The congregation was permitted to celebrate Purim with the reading of the megilla on March 9.

The variance was also issued with the understanding that traffic will not be affected except for a few days per year. In keeping with the residential neighborhood, the shul will not be permitted to put up a sign, and the building must continue to look like a single-family residence.

One ritual zoning authorities and even the congregation may not have taken into consideration: a special minyan for Birkat Hachamah, a special blessing over the sun said once every 28 years, which comes around this year on April 8.

“I don’t think they included that on the very few non-Shabbat/holiday occasions we are permitted to use our shul!!!” Needle replied in an e-mail message.

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