Our History
The history of a congregation is the history of the people who came together to establish a Jewish identity in Clifton Park. On Yom Kippur in 1973, a group of Jewish families gathered together to break the fast after services in synagogues elsewhere. We decided to start a congregation in Clifton Park, where we could share prayers as well as a social life. While "next year in Clifton Park" does not have the same ring as "next year in Jerusalem," this goal inspired twenty families to create Beth Shalom in 1974.
Our spirited need to share the common bond of Judaism included, from time to time, heated debates over procedures, which often ended with the argument of "that's not how we did it in Brooklyn!" Out of a full range of Jewish perspectives, the families of Beth Shalom created our own model of Jewish life, together. Woman have always been full participants, and leaders, in our synagogue's life.
Buying the land, and building the synagogue, involved most of the families in the congregation, whether it was legal work or paneling the sanctuary. While the building is the center for Jewish life in Clifton Park, the congregation is the Jewish life.
Membership
We are a community synagogue serving the diverse Jewish community in Southern Saratoga County and surrounding areas.
For more information contact the synagogue office at 518-371-0608 (office staff is available Monday through Friday mornings). Our Vice President, Membership, Coleen Silverman will contact you.
Congregation Beth Shalom is blessed in many ways, now more than ever before in our history.
We are a vibrant and strong congregation, with excellent programs, and strong rabbinic leadership.
Numerous offerings beyond our scheduled services and classes enrich our synagogue community:
A wide variety of social, cultural and social action activities are sponsored by our
- Sisterhood,
- Brotherhood,
- Social Action Committee,
- Reyut (friends in need), and
- COEJL (Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life).
688 Clifton Park Center Rd., Clifton Park, NY 12065
Directions to Synagogue:
From Schenectady
Take Balltown Road over the Rexford BridgeTurn right onto NY 146 E
Turn right onto Waite Road
Turn right onto Miller Road E
Turn left onto Clifton Park Center Road. Beth Shalom will be on the right.
From Albany
Take the Northway (I87) to Exit 9Turn left onto NY 146 W
Turn left onto Vischer Ferry Road
Turn right onto Clifton Park Center Road. Beth Shalom will be on the left.
From Saratoga
Take the Northway (I87) to Exit 9Turn right onto NY 146 W
Turn left onto Vischer Ferry Road
Turn right onto Clifton Park Center Road. Beth Shalom will be on the left.
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Beth Shalom Cemetery is on Schermerhorn Street adjacent to Workmen's Circle Cemetery. It was acquired from the Hebrew Sick and Benevolent Association of Schenectady in 1991 by Congregation Beth Shalom in Clifton Park, N.Y. The gravestones are perpendicular to the ones in Workmen's Circle and to Mt. Stuart Road, and parallel with Schermerhorn St. It ends with the treeline next to Agagut Achim.
LOCATION: Mt. Stuart Road and Schermerhorn Street
Rotterdam, Schenectady County, New York, USAUse the above address in your Maps App to navigate to the Beth Shalom Cemetery. Or, follow the directions below.
Directions to Cemetery
Note that Beth Shalom has received a bronze cemetery plaque that has been placed on the gate leading into our Beth Shalom cemetery. This plaque is important to our cemetery because there are no other visible signs stating where the Beth Shalom cemetery is located.
Directions to Cemetery from synagogue - Go west on 146, turn left to follow 146 over the Rexford Bridge to Schenectady. Continue to Rt. 7. West on State Route 7 past I890; follow signs to Chrisler Avenue; right turn on Hamburg Street which is just before Chrisler Avenue goes under a bridge; second right which is Schermerhorn Road; straight ahead on Schermerhorn to Jewish cemetery area; park by fence; entrance to Beth Shalom's cemetery is on the right through overhanging bushes.
Directions to Cemetery from Albany - Since many funerals originate from Albany and people often lose the funeral procession, the following additional directions are provided- the funeral procession normally goes west on the NYS Thruway from Exit 24. You take Exit 25 off the Thruway, which puts you directly onto I890. Take the first exit (Curry Road and Route 7 West) and take a right onto Curry. Then take another right onto Hamburg Street, which is also Route 146. Continue on Hamburg Street for about 1 mile, at which time you will go over a bridge which crosses Chrisler Avenue. The second right is Schermerhorn Road which leads directly to the cemetery.
Return from the Cemetery - take a left turn onto Hamburg Street; take your first right turn and then take a left onto Chrisler which leads to Route 7 going East.
Directions to Cemetery from Albany - Since many funerals originate from Albany and people often lose the funeral procession, the following additional directions are provided- the funeral procession normally goes west on the NYS Thruway from Exit 24. You take Exit 25 off the Thruway, which puts you directly onto I890. Take the first exit (Curry Road and Route 7 West) and take a right onto Curry. Then take another right onto Hamburg Street, which is also Route 146. Continue on Hamburg Street for about 1 mile, at which time you will go over a bridge which crosses Chrisler Avenue. The second right is Schermerhorn Road which leads directly to the cemetery.
Return from the Cemetery - take a left turn onto Hamburg Street; take your first right turn and then take a left onto Chrisler which leads to Route 7 going East.
| Synagogue Directory: | |
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Beth Shalom Mailing Address:
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688 Clifton Park Center Road
Clifton Park, NY 12065 |
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Beth Shalom Telephone:
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(518) 371-0608
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Beth Shalom Email:
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Rabbi Amiel Monson
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President
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David Clayman
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Rabbi Emeritus Dr. Chanan Markowitz:
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[email protected]; (518) 878-6299
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| Executive Board 2022 - 2023 | |
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President..............................................................
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Davis Clayman
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VP Administration.................................................
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Linda Russell
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VP Fundraising.....................................................
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Open
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VP Membership...................................................
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Colleen Silverman
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Treasurer..............................................................
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Miriam Cooperman
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Financial Secretary...............................................
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Open
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Recording Secretary.............................................
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Linda Russell
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Immediate Past President.....................................
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Lewis Morrison
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Board of Trustees
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2023
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Mark Cury
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2024
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Fern Hayden
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2024
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Barbara Lazarow
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2025
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Wendy Pyle
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2025
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Betsy Knorr
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Board of Advisors
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Appointed Board Members
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Men's Club
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Les Miller
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Cemetery
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Lynne Margolius, Barbara Lazarow, Colleen Silverman
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House
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David Clayman
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Israeli Affairs
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BJ Rosenfeld
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Publicity
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Wendy Pyle
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Reyut
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Carol Davis and Sandy Rybaltowski
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Ritual
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Flo Miller
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Sisterhood
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Sandy Rubin
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Gift Shop
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Sisterhood (Jackie Pajak)
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Social Action
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Michael Weitzman
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Webmaster
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Steven Hayden
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COEJL
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Lewis Morrison
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Listserv
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Jackie Pajak
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Bulletin
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Jackie Pajak, Linda Russell; [email protected]
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