The Jewish Center of the Hamptons

The synagogue was founded by a group of dedicated Jews in the East End of L.I. that had no synagogue but had the spirit and perseverance to create one. The synagogue was founded on June 1, 1959 by seventeen families that purchased two acres of land on the Montauk Highway. A sign proclaiming the site as the future home of the Jewish Center of the Hamptons was erected hoping that it would arouse interest. The pieces came together when Evan Frankel provided the congregation with a magnanimous gift in the form of 44 Woods Lane, a lovely old estate, and our home today. This property, combined with a generous pledge from Jacob Kaplan enabled the whole community to join together in sprucing up the estate. The community painted the upstairs bedrooms converting them into makeshift classrooms and transformed the front parlor into a sanctuary. Another congregant carved ark doors.

Over the years, growing community needs were met by the expansion of the original space. For several years members conducted services until a rabbi was hired. When the small facility could no longer handle the growing numbers of participants at High Holy Day services, a small tent was erected. (Today that small tent has grown to service up to 2,000 worshippers at High Holiday services).

By the mid-1980’s, plans were drawn for an addition to the original building. The congregation’s President, Evan Frankel envisioned the Jewish Center of the Hamptons as a gathering place of awe-inspiring beauty. The architectural genius Norman Jaffe was hired, financial support came in the form of generous donations by many congregants, and the dream became a reality. The magnificent sanctuary, nestled in beautiful gardens, was named Shaarey Pardes, and was dedicated on August 26, 1988.

Clergy

Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman

Cantor Debra Stein

Officers and Trustees Elected At Annual Meeting

President Linda Heller Kamm
Vice-President Richard I. Adrian	Vice-President Sherwood M. Schwarz		Vice-President Carol Wenig
Treasurer Stanley Baumblatt		Secretary Charlotte Sasso

President	Linda Heller Kamm
Vice-President	Richard I. Adrian
	Sherwood M. Schwarz
	Carol Wenig
Treasurer	Stanley Baumblatt
Secretary	Charlotte Sasso

Board of Trustees

Chairman:	Leonard I. Ackerman
Hirschel B. Abelson	Stewart Gross	Peter Rothholz
Andrea Ackerman	Harry A. Katz	Nancy Silberkleit
Peter Berley	Madeline Lawler	Lisa Sotto
Barbara Braun	Carole Olshan	Mel Tainiter
Mildred Glimcher	Carol Roaman	Stuart Match Suna
Herman Goldberg		Susan Leyner Wartur

Past Presidents:

· C. Leonard Gordon

· Morris L. Kramer

· Betty L. Marmon, z”l

· Josephh Oppenheimer, z”l

· Donald Zucker

Honorary trustees

Co-Chairmen	Howard Lutnick
	Morton Olshan

· Arnold M. Amster

· Peter Brown

· Peter Cohen

· David Gerstein

· Jane Goldman

· Peter S. Kalikow

· Steven Roth

· Pierre Schoenheimer

· Sheldon Solow

Founders:

· Evan Frankel, z”l

· Jacob Kaplan, z”/

· Irving Markowitz

· Bernard Zeldin

Executive Director:

Sandra Messing

Director of Education:

Shelley Lichtenstein