A Vibrant and Welcoming Modern Orthodox Congregation

Information about our congregation

Our Values and Mission

Our Board of Directors and Officers

Our Rabbis

Hours for Services

Contact Information

Directions - how to get to us

Our Values and Mission

The Lincoln Park Jewish Center is a Modern Orthodox Congregation that can best be described as an “un-orthodox Orthodox congregation.”

LPJC’s congregation is made up of Jews from a wide variety of backgrounds, levels of observance, ethnicities and races, nationalities and many different languages. We are all committed to maintaining and participating in a shul that welcomes this diversity and affirms it, so that we can worship, learn and grow together as a community.

Our services are fully Orthodox and follow the Ashkenazik tradition but also incorporate some Sefardic melodies and traditions. We are also committed to the fullest participation and equality of women as acceptable by Jewish law.

All members and visitors to our congregation are welcomed regardless of their present level of observance or knowledge of Jewish practice. We are all committed to loving and accepting one another as is required by Jewish religious law. Every effort is made to include all of our members in our services.

Our synagogue is dedicated to the observance, practice and spirituality of Jewish Tradition as explained by our Holy Torah and its teachings. We advocate traditional observance because we believe that a “Torah Observant Lifestyle” is the best style of life that we can give ourselves and our families. We are also dedicated to the continuity of Jewish tradition regardless of time or place. We also advocate that all of the sciences, knowledge, arts and culture of modern times be incorporated into our daily lives as Jews. As Modern Orthodox Jews we find no incongruity between modern educated thinking and our religious beliefs and observances.

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Our Board of Directors and Officers

Officers 2007 - 2008:

David H. Weiss, President

Nathan M. Eisler, 1^st Vice President

Joseph Schnitzler, 2^nd Vice President

Stephen Flax, Recording Secretary

Bruce Keltz, Financial Secretary

Sydney Goldman, Treasurer

Board of Directors:

Dr. Rosalyn Avigad

Arno Boritzer

Leonard Geller

Sidney Goldman

Barbara Greenberg

Malkah Kaplan

Dr. Ephraim Katz

Molly Katz

Eileen Schnitzler

Dr. Harold Keltz

Lida Keltz

Beverly Kupchan

Esther Rodriguez

Alan Rosenbaum

Helen Schwartz

Eli Siller

Marilyn Siller

Martin Staub

Moses Stein

Dr. Cheryl Sternlieb

Evelyn Wasserman

Our Sisterhood

Evelyn Wasserman President

Arlyn Vogel & Sylvia Aaron VP Membership

Beverly Kupchan                VP Programming

Dr. Rosalyn Avigad                  VP Programming

Lida Keltz          VP Education

Eileen Schnitzler            VP Fund-Raising

Marilyn Siller                           VP Fund-Raising

Irene Staub Financial Secretary

Geraldine Stein               Recording Secretary

Hilda Hershenfis Treasurer

Sylvia Silverberg Registrar

Elaine Lerner   Social Secretary & Sunshine Fund

Zita Rabin Trustee

Joyce Dutka                   Trustee

Selma Charkin                Trustee

Helen Schwartz              Trustee

Honorary  Presidents

*Joseph Stein                  Seymour Goldsmith

*Samuel Gruberg            Sidney G. Sloves

Murray Magloff               *Hyman Schwartz

*Joseph Sloves                *Sam Kanarek

*George Brody                Herbert Wechselblatt

*Manny Messinger           Harvey Fuchs

Seymour Goldsmith         Emery Kornitzer

Norton Charkin               Herbert Wasserman

Hon. Gilbert Rabin           Benjamin Schwartz

*Abraham Penkin            Dr. Elliott S. Palais

*Abe Zutia

      *Of Blessed Memory - Zichronam Livracha '

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Our Rabbi

Rabbi Rigoberto Emmanuel Viñas (“Manny”), 39, grew up in a traditional Sephardic home of Cuban Jewish parents who came to America after the Cuban Revolution in 1960. He was born and raised in Miami, Florida and attended local Yeshivot in preparation for a Rabbinic career. He attended local Sefardic synagogues that were predominantly Spanish speaking of Cuban origin. He is bilingual in English and Spanish. In 1989, Rabbi Viñas moved to New York to continue his studies at Touro College where he received a B.A. (Magna Cum Laude) in Psychology and Social Sciences from Touro College and a Masters Degree in Social Work (MSW-CSW), with honors in psycho-dynamics from Hunter College. He completed his training as a scribe with ordination (kabala in sofrut) at Yeshiva University under the mentorship of Rabbi Shmuel Schneid, a master scribe from Monsey, New York. Rabbi Viñas also has “Yoreh Yoreh” ordination from Kollel Agudath Achim under the leadership of Rabbi Aharon Zeigler of Boro Park, Brooklyn, New York. He also has a second “Yoreh Yoreh” ordination from Yeshivah VeKollel Zichron Hizkiahu Yoel of Boro Park Brooklyn, New York. At present Rabbi Viñas is continuing his studies at Kollel Agudath Achim for semicha as a Dayan – judge “Yadin Yadin” from his Rebbi, Rabbi Aharon Ziegler. Rabbi Viñas has dedicated his career to serving diverse Jewish communities by bringing Klal Yisrael (all Jews) together regardless of denomination, form of practice, race or ethnicity or any other differences.

            He is also the founder and director of El Centro de Estudios Judíos “Torat Emet,” a Spanish language Jewish education and spirituality center for Jews from all over Latin America who live in the New York area. His weekly classes and events are now held at our shul. El Centro’s web site can be found at www.centrojudio.org. His wife Erica, is a Nutritionist and Certified Diabetes Educator in a private practice. They are now happy residents of Lincoln Park in Yonkers with their three daughters.

Our Cantor

Cantor Eric S. Freeman, 30, a native of Philadelphia, began his musical studies at the Settlement Music School where he studied classical piano and music theory for 14 years. As a teenager, he added oboe and clarinet to his musical arsenal and began formal voice lessons with Cantor Daniel Gildar a world renowned Cantor and Cantorial Accompanist. It was Cantor Gildar's mentorship and guidance that led Eric to Yeshiva University where he recieved his Bachelors Degree in Music Speech and Drama and continued his Cantorial Training in the Philip and Sarah Belz School of Jewish Music. He currently serves as Coordinator of Cantorial Placement for the Belz School and is on the faculty as Director of the Belz School Choral Ensemble. Cantor Freeman also directs the choir of Congregation K'hal Adas Yeshurun in Washington Heights, NY.

Cantor Freeman is a Levi, maintaining the tradition of worship through song of his ancestors and bringing it into today. His inspiring renditions of our prayers inspire us to deepen our prayers as well.

Our Rabbi Emeritus

Rabbi Solomon Sternstein, has been our Rabbi since 1953. He was ordained as Rabbi from Yeshiva University and also has an M.S. Degree in Education from Yeshiva College. Rabbi Sternstein served our congregation with distinction for 48 years. He has served as Chaplain of the Yonkers Police Department and has been recognized as a community leader by Jewish as well as non-Jewish residents of Yonkers. In 2003, Rabbi Sternstein retired. He remains as Rabbi Emeritus.

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Hours of Services:

Regular Friday Night Services are at candle lighting times

(During the summer Friday night services are at 7 pm)

Shabbos Saturday Morning Services 9 a.m.

Shabbos Mincha at ½ hour before candle lighting Friday previous followed by a shiur during shalosh seudos

         (During the winter: Mincha is recited directly following Shabbat Morning Kiddush and the shiur during seudah shlishit is held at the above time)

Sunday Morning Minyan 8:30 am

Monday and Thursday Mornings 7 a.m.

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Contact Information

E-mail address

Rabbi@lpjc.org Rabbi Rigoberto Emmanuel Viñas

weissdh@juno.com President David H. Weiss

cantor@lpjc.org  Cantor Eric S. Freeman

Web address

www.lpjc.org

Office phone

(914) 965-7119  (Voice)

 (914) 965- 7557 (Fax)

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How to get to us:

Lincoln Park Jewish Center

311 Central Park Avenue

Yonkers, New York 10704

(914) 965-7119

Traveling by car:

From New York City: and the Bronx

Use West Side Highway into the Bronx, where the W.S.H. becomes the "Henry Hudson Parkway" Continue North into Westchester County. Here the HHP becomes the "Saw Mill River Parkway." Exit at Cross County East exit. Get off at the first exit (#3). Make a left at the stop sign, and then a right at the first light. This light is "Yonkers Avenue." Proceed up the hill on Yonkers Avenue until the intersection of Central Park Avenue. This is a major street that is elevated with the NY thruway running underneath it. Make a right hand turn at the light and proceed south on Central Park Avenue until you reach 311 Central Park Avenue.

By Public Transportation:

By Subway: 4 train to last stop to Woodlawn Station. Take the 20 Westchester Bee Line bus towards the Cross County Shopping Mall. Exit the bus at the reservoir and cross over the pedestrian bridge to the synagogue. This bridge is the second pedestrian bridge that crosses over highway.

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Last revised: February 25, 2008 19 of Adar 1, 5768