MARGATE – The Board of Jewish Education of Atlantic and Cape May Counties kicked off Jewish American Heritage Month May 6 at a reception at the Lewis and Marjorie Katz Jewish Community Center.
The organization sponsored a special book release celebration “Seventy Shuls: Synagogue Life and Yiddishkeit from the Pine Barrens to the Boardwalk,” a new work by local historian, educator and community leader Josh Cutler. The event brought together more than a hundred community members, clergy, educators and local historians for an evening celebrating the preservation of South Jersey Jewish history.
The newly released volume explores the stories of 70 unique Jewish congregations stretching from Alliance to Atlantic City and spanning more than 150 years of regional Jewish life. Through archival research, oral histories, photographs and personal narratives, Cutler traces the development of Jewish communities throughout southern New Jersey, from the agricultural settlements of the Pine Barrens to the thriving congregations of the Boardwalk era.
The evening began with a reception featuring a sampling of four Israeli wines paired with gourmet desserts, creating a warm and festive atmosphere for guests gathered for the occasion. Community members mingled while viewing historic synagogue photographs and discussing their own memories and family connections to the region’s Jewish past.
Following the reception, Cutler participated in a conversation with David Jastrow, who served as editor of the book. Jastrow, a longtime friend of Cutler since middle school, guided the discussion through the inspiration behind the project, the challenges of preserving local Jewish history, and the importance of documenting the stories of smaller congregations that are often overlooked in broader narratives of American Judaism.
Different from many of the other BJE programs taking place throughout Jewish American Heritage Month, the nostalgic evening took on the feel of a thoughtful coffeehouse conversation between two old friends with roots in Cherry Hill. The relaxed format allowed audience members to engage not only with the history itself, but also with the deeper spiritual questions explored throughout the project.
In addition to serving as a reference work for future generations, Cutler’s 248-page color hardcover book tells the broader story of Jewish communal life across South Jersey, from humble barn synagogues beside chicken coops to the grand sanctuaries of Atlantic City. Throughout the discussion, Cutler focused on one of the book’s central themes – the power of place and what becomes of these sacred spaces once congregations move on. Some former synagogues became churches, storefronts or homes, while others were demolished entirely to make way for redevelopment projects, parking lots or casinos.
Blending academic research with personal reflection, Cutler described the project as both historical and spiritual in nature. He reflected on the experience of visiting all 70 locations firsthand – although many were swallowed up by the Pine Barrens – and uncovering stories that might otherwise have been lost to time, reminding attendees that local Jewish history continues to live on through memory, landscape and community.
More information on Cutler’s book can be found at www.seventyshuls.com.
Leave a Reply