Mission Statement & History

Congregation Agudath Israel of West Essex is a leading, proactive, pluralistic and egalitarian Conservative congregation based upon six principles:

Chevrah (Friendship/Community)
Torah (Learning)
Avodah (Spirituality/Religious Practices)
Tikkun Olam (Making a Better World)
Klal Yisrael (Connecting to Jews Everywhere)
Shutafim (Volunteerism/Stakeholders)

We provide a wide variety of religious, social, educational, cultural, and social action venues for Jewish living, led by an exceptional professional staff, an engaged lay leadership and an open and growing team of volunteers. We seek to enable our diverse and multi-generational membership to experience Judaism in ways that have personal meaning, promoting Jewish values as they move through the Jewish life cycle. The CAI community strives to assist our members in participating in the activities that best meet their personal interests and needs, and thereby ascending the Jewish “ladder of commitment” at their own pace. Our focus is to create an environment in which our members consider Congregation Agudath Israel to be “a second home.” We invite you to be part of our synagogue family!