Welcome to Our Synagogue!

We are an open and inviting congregation for anyone seeking to connect to Jewish community, tradition, study and worship. Our members come from all parts of Monmouth County. Click here to view this wonderful video to see what we are all about. We are affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism and combine contemporary values with classical teachings of Torah. We are eager to connect with you so please do not hesitate to contact us at 732-747-9365 if you cannot immediately find what you need on this website. Visit our Membership Page. Or take a look at our busy Calendar and our latest Weekly Email Blast. Or peruse our ever-growing Gallery of activities and events! There truly is something for everyone!

We are please to have two wonderful ClergyRabbi Renee Edelman and Cantor Gabrielle Clissold! Click on their names to email them. Both are available for your spiritual, pastoral, and life cycle event needs.

Monmouth Reform Temple Stands with Israel!

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Socialize with Us!

Our Men’s Club and Sisterhood provide many opportunities to meet with other congregants. Sisterhood-sponsored events provide something for everyone. There are monthly book clubs and speakers, Supper in the Sukkah, the Purim Party, as well as the wonderful Apple Cake & Honey and Sh’lach Manot fundraisers. The Men’s Club meets monthly followed by a friendly game of poker. They excel in the kitchen serving up a great “Tail-gate Party” at the Monday night Minyan and Football or serving a gourmet Home-cooked Breakfast on Mother’s Day.

Worship With Us!

Every Friday night is special at Monmouth Reform Temple. Our services, led by Rabbi Renee Edelman and Cantor Gabrielle Clissold, are spiritually uplifting and filled with joyful music. And for worshipping at home, we have prepared a wonderful Holiday Handbook! And now, you can enjoy Live Streaming of our services!

Learn With Us!

We offer innovative classroom experiences for Kindergarten through 7th grade, Mitzvah Academy for 8th and 9th grade, and Confirmation classes with the Rabbi for 10th grade and beyond. Meeting days and times can be found in the Youth Learning section of our website (K – 6th, 7 – 9th, and Confirmation).

Our enriching  Adult Jewish Learning program provides various forums for learning. The annual Shabbat Kallah and Scholar-in-Residence weekends always feature a timely topic by a celebrated lecturer.  More informal opportunities occur with our Saturday morning Torah Study group and – from time to time – a Tuesday morning study group on various topics.

Special Note

There are members of our Congregation who are very sensitive to scents. MRT strives to provide a “Scent Free” environment in our building.  The MRT community asks that you avoid wearing scents of any kind when coming to our facility and we ask you to tell your guests who visit with us. Thank you for being our partner in creating a “Scent-Free” environment.

Diversity Equity and Inclusion

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MRT welcomes the full participation of all who seek a Jewish community. We invite those from a diverse spectrum of Jewish life, including people of color, multi-faith and interfaith people and families, Jews by Choice, single parents, single people, those differently-abled, and LGBTQ+ individuals and families.

 

From the Union For Reform Judaism / Reform Movement

Why Israel Celebrates the Ethiopian Jewish Holiday Sigd

Why Israel Celebrates the Ethiopian Jewish Holiday Sigd jemerman

For many generations, the Beta Israel had longed to reach Jerusalem in a quest to renew their covenant with God and for spiritual redemption. So strong was their desire that they created a holiday as a time to pray for this miracle. They called it Sigd (meaning "worship") and celebrated it on the 50th day after Yom Kippur. This year it is celebrated today, November 4.

For Some of Us the Holidays Are Just…Hard

For Some of Us the Holidays Are Just…Hard jemerman

As we head into the holiday season, I am acutely aware of how much different this year is going to be than previous ones. I will be celebrating without my mom for the first time. My mother died in January 2021, and I'm still dealing with the unexpected waves of grief that wash over me, sometimes out of nowhere. As I head into this first winter holiday season without her, I'm not quite sure I know what to expect, other than everything is going to be very different.

Enjoy A Crockpot Shabbat

Enjoy A Crockpot Shabbat jemerman

As the weather begins to get chillier, many home cooks pull out their trusty slow cookers to create easy yet warm dishes. Slow cooking is nothing new. It hasn't had staying power with Jewish communities just because the resulting food is delicious; it also allowed observant Jews to keep Shabbat by kindling a fire before sundown on Friday and keeping food warm until Saturday afternoon.

The Cost of Free Land

The Cost of Free Land jemerman

When I was a child growing up in the 1980s, the story I learned about Thanksgiving followed the classic script: it highlighted amity between the Pilgrims and their Indigenous neighbors. Due to this connection, the hunger of the European settlers was met with squash and turkey.