Mission & History

Mission

Ahavat Achim is a Modern Orthodox synagogue that strives to create an environment that combines love for Hashem, Torah and Am Yisrael, commitment to halacha and mitzvot, and respect for our fellow human beings.

As a shul we are committed to engaging our community with a holistic and dynamic religious experience.  We aim to provide social, educational, and spiritual programming that is both meaningful and enjoyable. We are devoted to affording our kehilla with Shabbat, holiday, and daily minyanim that are dedicated and uplifting. We believe that the shul has a role to play in engendering and cultivating Jewish values, ideals, and practices in our congregation’s youth and to be a spiritual home to each one of the children of our community.

We cherish our love and support for our fellow Jews through our openness and warmth, as well as our commitment to tzedaka and chesed. We welcome Jews at every level of observance to our community. Our goal is to always be an inclusive house of worship where all Jews will find a spiritual home, friendship, amity, and inclusion.

We believe in the ideals of Torah u’Maddah and live in both the religious and the secular worlds. We strive to engage with society with our commitment to Torah, halacha, and religious tradition guiding our behavior and shaping our perspective. In this way, we hope to fulfill our national mission to serve God and be a light onto the nations. We feel an unbreakable bond with the State of Israel, raishit z’michat ge’ulataynu, the beginning of our redemption, and with its citizens.

History

Ahavat Achim was founded in 1977 by a group of nine dedicated families whose vision and goal were to increase their own level of observance and create a welcoming house of worship and congregation for the Jewish community. As the second orthodox synagogue established in Fair Lawn, Ahavat Achim has been instrumental in creating and enhancing a vibrant Jewish presence throughout the borough.

The founding families bought and refurbished a house of Saddle River Road that became the first physical and spiritual home for the nascent congregation. Within a decade, the building was no longer adequate for the growing membership. We acquired the adjoining property and built the current synagogue. Our sanctuary has room for 500 worshippers, and the social hall and classrooms are used every Shabbat for our lively youth program and weekly post-davening kiddushes.

Today our membership ranges from members of our founding families to young married couples just beginning families of their own. Our programs include extensive options for Torah and learning, chesed and tzedakah programs that link us with the wider Jewish community and enable us to sustain people in need, youth activities, family events and social programs that bring us together as family.

Congregation Ahavat Achim
18-25 Saddle River Road, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
Phone: (201) 797-0502