| Synagogue of Deal | |
|---|---|
 Synagogue of Deal, in 2020 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Orthodox Judaism |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Synagogue |
| Leadership | Rabbi Isaac Dwek |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | 128 Norwood Avenue,Deal,New Jersey |
| Country | United States |
  Location inNew Jersey | |
| Coordinates | 40°15′09″N74°00′04″W / 40.25250°N 74.00111°W /40.25250; -74.00111 |
| Architecture | |
| Architects | Glicksman & Rizzo |
| Type | Synagogue architecture |
| Style | Modernist |
| Founder | Syrian Jewish community of New Jersey |
| Established | 1973(as a congregation) |
| Completed | 1973 |
| Construction cost | $700,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 325 seats |
| Interior area | 12,600 sq ft (1,170 m2) |
| Materials | Brick, timber |
| Website | |
| http://dealshul.org/ | |
TheSynagogue of Deal is aSephardiOrthodoxJewish congregation andsynagogue, located on Norwood Avenue inDeal,New Jersey, in the United States. Established in 1973 by the localSyrian Jewish community, it was the first synagogue built in Deal.
TheSyrian Jewish community of New Jersey, which traces its roots toSyria,Egypt,Iran, andIraq,[1][2] initially coalesced as a summer community inBradley Beach.[3] Members began moving toDeal in the 1960s, and by 1973 the Deal community numbered more than 100 homeowners.[4] Thousands of Syrian Jewish families continued to descend on the borough during the summers, and by 2009 local historians estimated that the year-round population in Deal was 80 percent Syrian Jewish.[4]
Syrian Jews, aSephardi community which maintains strongOrthodox traditions, had been praying together in members' homes in Deal and also in a local social hall for many years.[1] The Synagogue of Deal was dedicated in 1973 after a 15-year effort to establish a house of worship for the growing community.[1] It was the first synagogue to be built in Deal.[1]
At the dedication ceremony in July 1973, three antique PersianTorah scrolls, estimated to be about 200 years and which had been "artistically restored", were gifted to the synagogue, bringing its total of Torah scrolls to five.[5] Upon its opening, 200 families joined the synagogue's membership rolls.[1] By 1979, membership had increased to 450 families.[3] The synagogue also operated three satellite locations in order "to make it as convenient as possible for people to get to the synagogue", according to spiritual leader Rabbi Isaac Dwek.[3]
In the late 1990s, congregants of the Synagogue of Deal helped create aneruv, ahalakhic boundary enabling residents to carry items onShabbat between private and public domains. The 18 mi (29 km)-long boundary, called the Jersey Shore Eruv, encircles Deal and seven nearby municipalities.[6][7]
The 7,000 sq ft (650 m2)[5] building, constructed from brick and timber, was designed by architects Glucksman & Rizzo ofIrvington, New Jersey. The synagogue is octagonal-shaped. Its main sanctuary seats 325 people and it also has a small chapel which seats 80.[1] Additional facilities include a library and office.[5] Construction costs were estimated at $700,000.[5]
In 1981, the synagogue receivedvariances from the city to allow it to construct a 12,600 sq ft (1,170 m2) addition to accommodate its growing membership. The cost of the new building was estimated at $400,000.[8] A renovation was completed in 2020.
The Syrian Jewish community's social life traditionally centers around the Sephardi synagogue.[9][10] The birth of a child, abar mitzvah, and a wedding anniversary are all marked by receptions and luncheons held afterShabbat morning services. The synagogue has an active sisterhood and men's club.[11]
In 2019, akollel opened on the premises under the direction of Rabbi Mechael Semah.[12]
In August 2009, Deal police received an anonymous bomb threat against the synagogue and two other Orthodox synagogues inMonmouth County. The building was evacuated and searched but no explosives were found.[10]
The congregation's first spiritual leader was Rabbi Morris A. Shmidman, formerly rabbi emeritus of Congregation Sons of Israel ofAsbury Park.[1] Shortly after the synagogue building was erected, the congregation hired Rabbi Isaac Dwek as their spiritual leader.[3] Dwek had emigrated from Syria with his family in 1960 when he was 13 years old[13] and receivedrabbinic ordination atYeshivas Ner Yisroel of Toronto.[14]
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In 1999, a group of [Deal's] Orthodox Jewish residents affiliated with the Synagogue of Deal announced that a public eruv had been completed, not only in Deal but also in seven other surrounding municipalities …
