About Us

Melville Jewish Center is a family-oriented, friendly, and engaging community where spiritual seeking is encouraged and all are welcome. Social Action, Tikkun Olam, a love for Israel, and a desire to educate and nurture our children drive our synagogue community to new heights each and every day.

Through service, prayer, and learning we come together to create a space where our kids can grow and laugh, our families can celebrate and memorialize, and our spirituality can flourish anew. Through acts of loving-kindness, performed with reverence for tradition and respect for change, we build friendships which last through multiple generations. Come and be a part of it!

History

Melville Jewish Center, formerly known as the South Huntington Jewish Center, was created in 1960 with fifty families. Services and religious school were held in the storefront on Route 110 that now houses the restaurant Roast. The first High Holiday Services were held at the Sweet Hollow Presbyterian Church on Old Country Road. In 1962, we obtained the land the synagogue sits on today with the aid of Ruby Wagner z”’l and Leon Lazar z”’l. A ground-breaking was held and many town dignitaries helped to dedicate the synagogue.

After several interim Rabbis, we were fortunate to hire Rabbi Morris Shapiro z”’l. He was a highly respected Talmudic scholar who taught us much and helped put South Huntington JC on the map. Rabbi Shapiro was with us for twenty three years.

After three more building expansions; one under Martin Liebman z”’l, another under Joel Girsky and the last under Alan Reid, Monique Mensch and Ed Rudofsky, Melville JC has blossomed into the beautiful Shul we have all come to know and love.

Many of our congregant members in fact grew up at our synagogue and have chosen Melville JC as their adult place of worship.

In 1993, we were again very fortunate to hire Rabbi Ian S. Jacknis – an affable and caring Rabbi.  He and his wife, Suri, shared our simhas and sorrow during their 28-year tenure.  Rabbi Jacknis became Rabbi Emeritus in 2021 after his retirement.

In 2010, we celebrated our 50th anniversary with a year long celebration.  Visit our Religious School wing to view the timeline and click here to visit Our Book of Memories.  We look forward to celebrating upcoming synagogue milestones in the years ahead.

In 2021 we welcomed Rabbi Orrin Krublit and his wife, Meira, and their son Asher.  We look forward to stimulating programs continued and new ones introduced.

In January 2022, we voted to rename our synagogue Melville Jewish Center.

The summer of 2022, we welcomed our student Cantor, Rachel Black, her husband Eric Moore and their 3 year old daughter, Cora. We’re excited to have them in our community!