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 Rabbi Malinger
Rabbi Laurence P. Malinger was born in Philadelphia and raised in Florida, Virginia and Texas. He graduated from Southern Methodist University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics in 1987. He completed graduate work at Trinity University in Master of Education with School Psychology in 1988. In 1991, Rabbi Malinger completed his unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at the Children's Medical Center in Dallas. He received his Masters of Arts in Hebrew Letters degree and was ordained Rabbi in 1992 and 1993 respectively, from the Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, Ohio. Upon ordination in 1993, Rabbi Malinger became Assistant Rabbi and Director of Education at Congregation Beth Emeth in Wilmington, Delaware. He was promoted to Associate Rabbi in July, 1997. In June of 1999 Rabbi Malinger was elected as senior Rabbi of Temple Shalom of Aberdeen, New Jersey.
He is a member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), the New Jersey-West Hudson Valley Association of Reform Rabbis (NJWHVARR) currently serving as the president, and the Bayshore Ministerium as the immediate past chair. He is also involved as a delegate to the Joint Commissions on Ethics for the CCAR and the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) as well as on the advisory committee for the URJ Camp Harlam.
Rabbi Malinger has been involved in many civic activities in New Jersey including the Interfaith Alliance for Fair Treatment, the Jewish Addiction Resource (JAR) of the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County, and a member of the Rabbinic Supervisory Council for Future Projects for the Federation.
Rabbi Malinger is married to Samantha Jablo Malinger, a MSW with a specialty in geriatrics. They are the proud parents of their daughter, Alyson and two sons, Joseph and David.
The Rabbi Writes:
On Wednesday evening, September 8, 2010, we will join with Jews worldwide to begin the New Year, 5771. Traditionally, Jews believe Rosh Hashanah represents either analogically or literally the creation of the World, or Universe.
On Rosh Hashanah we celebrate renewal, we celebrate creation, the birthday of the world. There is a Midrash, a rabbinic story that says: When God created the first person, showing Adam all the trees in the Garden of Eden and saying, "See My handiwork, how beautiful and choice they are...be careful not to ruin and destroy my world, for if you do, there is no one to repair it after you." Midrash Rabbah Ecclesiastes 7:13) We are, of course, the descendants of Adam and Eve and that voice speaking to Adam in the garden is speaking to us, right now. There is no one to repair it after us. Our very existence demands that we are stewards of this great planet
The term that many of us know well, Tikun Olam, means repair of the world. In our day, initiated by the Reform movement and Greenfaith (an organization that believes that the world's great religions see the sacred in nature and teach respect for the earth), the term Tikun Olam has taken a much more specific, concrete meaning – social action and a literal repair of the world. This, of course, takes different forms. For some of us, we are thinking of environmental issues; global warming and our response – a very literal repair of our broken, physical world. This is based on core Jewish values. Judaism has always been as much a religion of acting in the world as it has a spiritual and ritual based religion.
Almost every state this summer saw new records set in temperature. Glaciers are disappearing, the polar ice caps are melting, rivers and lakes are drying up and we are doing it. The average American generates about 15,000 pounds of Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere from our transportation and domestic energy consumption, more per capita by huge proportions than any other nation.
There is a concept in the Book of Deuteronomy, of bal taschit – a prohibition against destruction and waste. The purpose of this mitzvah [bal tashchit] is to teach us to love that which is good and worthwhile and to cling to it, so that good becomes a part of us and we will avoid all that is evil and destructive. This text clearly states that one of the moral qualities that define us as 'good' people is environmental responsibility and sensitivity.
On this Rosh Hashanah, this New Year, we have potential in a very real way to save the world. That is why Temple Shalom has become a part of the Greenfaith Certification program which provides the foundation for our religious-environmental mission with them:
Spirit—we believe that people grow spiritually through a strong relationship with the earth. We also believe that people of faith are called to understand the teachings on the environment in their sacred texts and theologies.
Stewardship—we believe that people of faith have a vital role to play in restoring healthy ecosystems around the world. We also believe that religious institutions can support the widespread adoption of environmentally sustainable consumption habits by ‘greening’ their building operations and by educating and mobilizing their members to do the same.
Justice—we believe that all people deserve a clean, safe environment, regardless of their race or economic status. We know that minority and poor communities suffer disproportionately from environmental degradation. We believe it is the role of religious institutions to advocate for a healthy environment for these communities.
Let us work together to build an environmentally sustainable world and strengthen our awareness of how much energy we use and how much we could save. Each of us can have a significant impact by making small changes that cost us very little, but the planet cannot afford for us not to make these changes. What greater gift could we give to the world on her birthday than a deep and real commitment to be partners in ensuring her survival? May the shofar wake us up to this urgent call! May this New Year, 5771, be sweet for all of us and for our world in which we live.
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 Cantor Camhi
Cantor Marnie Camhi, a native of Long Island, NY, has become the Cantor of Temple Shalom as of July 2008. She is a member of the American Conference of Cantors (ACC). Cantor Camhi was invested as a Cantor in 2006 and received her Master of Sacred Music Degree in 2005 from The School of Sacred Music of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York where she was awarded The Leo and Julia Forchheimer Foundation Scholarship, The Cantorial Alumni Association Prize, The Edith Roberts Memorial Prize and The Esther Zelfman Scholarship.
At Temple Shalom, the Cantor is the keeper of our Jewish musical traditions and is responsible for transmitting this wealth of knowledge and history to our congregation through leading worship services with Rabbi Malinger, participating in lifecycle events, teaching in the religious school and working with both the Junior and Senior Choirs. Cantor Camhi is also responsible for maintaining our Bar and Bat Mitzvah program, where our students are prepared to read and chant liturgy, Torah, and Haftarah portions. Cantor Camhi works personally with each and every student for the entirety of their preparation, insuring the strong relationship between the students and their cantor.
The Cantor's Corner:
Reflections for the Yamim Noraim
As we begin the new Jewish year of 5771, I began to reflect on the High Holy Days of the past. Each Jewish year is a cycle- we begin fresh, but we shouldn’t forget what we have experienced from previous cycles.
My earliest memories of the High Holy Days are of singing in the jr. choir in elementary school at my home congregation on Long Island. I remember wearing our gold robes for the children’s morning services, and listening to the Rabbi’s Simple Schmerel stories about the town of Chelm, and on Yom Kippur morning singing “Slach lanu, m’chal lanu, kaper lanu” at the top of my lungs with my choir mates in response to the Cantor’s solos.
As adults, how often do we take a few moments and think about this season from our youth? Do you think about the smells coming from the kitchen when your grandmother would come to your house early and cook chicken soup and giant matzah balls? Do you remember celebrating with friends and looking forward to their grandmother’s stuffed cabbage? Or breaking the fast with deli or Chinese food? I do.
What can you do now- as parents, as grandparents, as aunts, as uncles, as friends- to share with our children the memories from your childhood—to keep this holiday season fresh and special for them?
The new dressy clothes, the smells of Jewish “soul food,” the music of the worship services, the Rabbi dressed up in costumes telling funny stories—these are the things you children will keep with them as they grow up and share with their own families. If you have teenagers or young adults in your family, ask them what they remember about the high holidays from when they were younger, and I bet most of the examples above will be in their top five.
The month of Elul is a time of reflection as we prepare to enter the High Holy Day season in the month of Tishrei. Take a moment to remember your experiences of the past and how they helped shape your life. What will you take from today to enhance your tomorrow? What can you carry home in your heart from the music of the services and/or the Rabbi’s sermons? How will you embrace the concepts of t’shuvah, t’fillah and tzedakah (repentance, prayer and charity) in this cycle of the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe)?
Evan and I wish you a Shanah Tovah, Shanah M’tukah (a good year, a sweet year).
L’Shanah Tovah,
Cantor Marnie Camhi
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 Cindy Terebush
Cindy joined our temple staff in 2006, but has long been a part of our temple community. She was first seen walking the halls of Temple Shalom Nursery School when her son, Michael, started pre-K there in 1996.
A member of Temple Shalom since 2001, she is former editor of The Shalom, the temple newsletter, and also served on board of trustees, the communications committee, board of education, sisterhood board and nursery school committee.
Cindy received a Bachelor of Arts degree and teaching certification from Kean College (now Kean University) and has completed the State of New Jersey Director’s Academy for Early Care and Education. In addition to meeting all of the criteria as mandated by the State of New Jersey to direct the preschool, her credentials include New Jersey Teacher Certification through 12th grade. She has additional course work in such topics as special needs; classroom management, educational theory; program management & thematic curriculum; creating positive environments; math and cognitive for preschool; health and safety; and excellence for parents. She also has business management experience in the field of marketing.
Cindy has worked in the field of early childhood education for twelve years, and is a member of National Association for the Education of the Young Child (NAEYC); Early Childhood Educators of Reform Judaism (ECE-RJ); the New Jersey Registry for Childhood Professionals Serving Children Birth Through Age Thirteen. Cindy is also a member of the National Association of Temple Educators (NATE). Cindy has facilitated workshops for educators at the Brookdale Early Childhood Education Conference.
Cindy lives in Old Bridge with husband Todd and their two sons, Michael and Scott.
Contact Info: Cindy Terebush, Director of Temple Shalom Schools 732-566-1630 and/or 732-566-2961
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On May 4, 1987, Sheila Philips, became bookkeeper at Temple Shalom so she could work across the street from her children’s school. Just one week later, Stephanie Pinck was hired as the office manager. Ever since, they have been an indispensable team in the running of Temple Shalom.
The pair does so much more than manage the office and temple accounts. They are often called upon to serve as party planners, psychotherapists, office machine repair women, mothers, grief counselors, security guards, custodians, chauffeurs, fashion consultants, personal shoppers, weather reporters, traffic controllers, and much more. They are our ambassadors to the community, as they serve as the first people whom callers and visitors to the temple come into contact with.
Stephanie lives with her husband Marty in Old Bridge and has two grown daughters, Lara and Alissa. Sheila lives with her husband Jeff in Manalapan and has a daughter, Bernice, a son, Robert, a son-in-law, John, and her pride and joys, grandchildren Jared and Rachel.
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