Blogfinger

*”Shul” is a Yiddish word for synagogue.

Magen David Congregation. Ocean Avenue,  Bradley Beach, NJ. 7/5/22. Paul Goldfinger photograph.  Below is the  view from the shul looking out to the Atlantic Ocean.

By Paul Goldfinger, MD, Editor Blogfinger.net.  Ocean Grove, New Jersey, USA.   7/6/22.

Did you ever drive along Ocean Avenue in Bradley Beach and see a nondescript gray building facing the Ocean ?   You might recall that it has a row of  Stars of David in front, but there is no writing.

We are not from the Jersey Shore originally, except for vacations, but we know that Jewish people have been visiting and living in Bradley Beach for many years and we supposed that this was a synagogue.  And we wondered if it were still in use, because we never saw anyone there and we know that BB has a more impressive and active shul called Congregation Agudath Achim which describes itself as “Orthodox” meaning that it follows the traditions of Ashkenazi Jews who originated in Eastern Europe.  That shul was “established” in 1898.

Jews were not always welcome in some towns at the Jersey Shore, but Bradley Beach and Asbury Park were welcoming.  Some of my family used to rent a room in BB many summers ago. But most of us were dunking ourselves in the Coney Island surf  while clutching the ropes  and chowing down on Nathan’s hot dogs and fries right out of oil.  Too bad our leader Moses had to eat manna while wandering the sand for 40 years.

I decided to take a black and white photograph of the gray mystery shul (see above.) When I got there I noticed that the front door on the 5th Avenue side was open, and a  sign  told us its name:  “Magen David Congregation.”   The name refers to the 6 pointed star symbolic of Judaism.

Front entrance on Fifth Avenue. All photos by Paul Goldfinger, Blogfinger.net 7/5/22

I was surprised to find it open. I cautiously walked up the stairs and looked inside. Just then I felt a presence behind me.  There was a man, with  a short graying beard, perhaps age 50, dressed in black with a black yarmulke (aka “kippah” or “skullcap.”).

At first he seemed suspicious of me, but when I told him that I was Jewish and interested in knowing about this shul, he smiled and became animated.  He was anxious to tell me the “emiss”which means “the truth” about this congregation.

It turns out that he, let’s call him Mr. Cohen, is a Sephardic Jew which means his family came to America mostly  from Syria in the late 19th century.

But the  history of the Sephardim  goes back much farther than that.  Many were in Spain for generations where they thrived until they were expelled  in 1492.

Quite a few of those 15th century Spanish Jews  left Spain and became part of the Diaspora.  Many converted to Christianity as a way to stay in Spain. Others practiced their religion secretly while pretending to be Christian.  But later the Inquisition unearthed many of that group and expelled them or worse, and they too became part of the Diaspora.

Most of these disbursed  Sephardic Jews  wound up in Syria where there already were ancient Jewish communities.

Small numbers came to America in the 17th century, but the Syrian-Sephardic community finally settled in Brooklyn, NY,  in the 19th and early 20th  centuries.

Their first summer location was Bradley Beach, but over time they segued  to Deal in the 1970’s.  Brooklyn is still their home base.

This mystery shul was established in Bradley Beach around 1930 and they practiced the Sephardic traditions. Mr. Cohen lives in Brooklyn but he loves to attend summer services in this  shul as it is nostalgic for him and his friends who go there. So Magen David is open in the summer, and a rabbi is present to preside over the services.

These Sephardim are a close-knit community and they all tend to know each other.  They share many social, business, and religious relationships and they help each other with generous giving. It is an example of “social capital.”–

The Sephardim have their own traditions which govern how they practice their religion, and there are other cultural differences including foods, music, clothing and holidays.

The community keeps this shul going.  They cannot bear the idea of abandoning this historic place of such hope and dreams.

Mr. Cohen told me a lot of how he feels about life and about this shul. He confided in me that DNA analysis revealed that he had many Conversos. (converts to Christianity)  in his distant family.

But he said that anyone who converted would automatically be welcomed back in the fold, no questions asked, if they so desired, and many of them eventually did so.

Because of their background, some of them have a swarthy appearance and they tend to be thin and athletic looking.  The men wear dark suits and white shirts to shul, and of course they wear their kippahs  at all times. I see them daily because I go to the Kosher Hot Bagel Bakery in Oakhurst where many of their group shop.  Kosher food choices are important to these people, and many shop in Deal.

He was curious about my family and he was shocked to hear that we live in Ocean Grove. I know that old attitudes die hard regarding that topic.  He was especially interested in the OG Havurah (fellowship) which was established for Jews living in the Grove.

The Syrian Jewish community in Monmouth County has grown considerably with a number of large shuls in Deal and Ocean Township.  The Sephardic Jews tend to be very religious, but not all are.  Below is my  photo of the interior–with Mr. Cohen’s permission.

So this mystery is now solved.

Paul Goldfinger photograph of Magen David interior. Click to enlarge.

A SEPHARDIC FOLK SONG BY GLORIA LEVY:  “Tres de la Noche.”

Comments are still welcome:   Just direct them to me at Blogfinger@verizon.net.       PG