Temple Beth-El is a warm, liberal, diverse and welcoming group of people. Our congregation ranges in age from the very young to the very experienced, all of whom share a dedication and devotion to our synagogue community. We are also blessed to have spiritual leaders who speak as true tzadikim , from both the mind and the heart..

Rabbi Debra Hachen joined Temple Beth-El in July of 2011 and is dedicating her first year here as a time to hear the stories of our members. She is excited to be living in an urban setting and to serve a growing congregation where differences are celebrated, history is honored, and new ideas are welcome. She brings her passion for story-telling, text study, social justice, and creating meaningful rituals and worship. A member of the Reform movement’s Commission on Membership and Outreach, Rabbi Hachen cares deeply about inviting in those on the edges of Judaism and especially welcoming the Jewish GLBTQ community, interfaith couples, those of all ethnic and racial backgrounds, and all looking to reconnect with or explore their Jewish roots. Rabbi Hachen believes that God is present in the relationships we build with each other. “Holiness is all around us – and Judaism gives us the texts and rituals to activate the best that is in us so that we can be God’s partners for good.” Some of her social action concerns include domestic violence, economic justice, hunger, homelessness, and the environment. Rabbi Hachen was ordained at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in 1980 and then served twenty-four years in Massachusetts where she was the founding rabbi of a Reform congregation that grew to 500 households. When her husband’s career brought them to this area, she served several years as rabbi at a Reform congregation in Bergen County before moving to Jersey City to join the Temple Beth-El family. Rabbi Hachen is married to Peter Weinrobe who is a lifelong active Reform Jew. They have three grown children: Philip, Carrie and Melissa.

When we asked Cantor Rebecca Joy Fletcher to describe her feelings about being a cantor, she said, "What do I love about the cantorate? I love seeing a Bar or Bat Mitzvah’s eyes light up as they all at once realize how fascinating their Torah portion is; I love helping to foster Shabbat services which are nourishing and moving; I love welcoming the stranger, the absent brother, or the infrequent synagogue go-er as they gather with the community on Yom Kippur. So too, I relish programming concerts, adult education classes and Purim shpiels which help connect community members to each other and to their rich heritage. Yes, and I particularly enjoy exposing Hebrew school kids to Jewish music and prayer, using the few, precious moments during Hebrew School to help nurture and excite the next generation of Jews. "In short, I welcome the wide range of challenges which make up today’s cantorate! "Ultimately, though, it is spiritual discovery about which I am most passionate. I am in the business, I like to say, of helping people discover: the needs of those sitting next to them, the Torah, and their own hearts. I would like very much to become part of that spiritual discovery process at Temple Beth-El."