Elmora Hills Minyan

Welcome to the Elmora Hills Minyan!

The Elmora Hills Minyan is an Orthodox Jewish synagogue in Union County, NJ, on the border of Union Township and the city of Elizabeth. We are a close-knit shul with 80 member families led by a young, dynamic Rabbi and Rebbetzin, Michael and Yael Bleicher. We warmly welcome each and every Jew who seeks a place to daven, study Torah and strengthen their connection to G-d.

About Our Shul

The shul hosts daily minyanim — including the community’s earliest weekday shachris minyan — a variety of Torah classes including Rabbi Bleicher’s popular Shabbos afternoon shiur addressing contemporary and timely topics of Torah, as well as shiurim on mishna, gemara, responsa and more. With a plentiful hot kiddush every Shabbos (including a cholent that is locally legendary), and ‘Mishnayos and Breakfast’ every Sunday morning (we’ve been called a “foodie shul”), interactive shalosh seudos, Chanukah and Purim chagigahs, youth activities, teen barbecues and onegs, Shabbos meals, and shul dinners, there’s always something exciting happening at the Elmora Hills Minyan.

Shabbos morning youth groups for our youngest congregants are led by teens from the shul, in our family room well stocked with toys and games. The shul is also home to the community’s gemachs — communal free-loan organizations —for medical equipment and baby equipment.

The shul began in 1986 as a Friday night ‘house minyan’ rotating among a few different homes during the cold winter months. Seven years later, the minyan began meeting on Shabbos morning, as well. In 1995 members recognized the need to more formally establish the shul and the Elmora Hills Minyan was officially incorporated. In 1996, the shul moved to its new home, a storefront on Magie Avenue that it shared with another tenant. From 2004 through 2006, the shul outgrew its location and began utilizing the other half of the building, effectively doubling its physical space. In 2007, Rabbi Yaakov Dombroff, then chief of New Jersey’s Bureau of Kosher Enforcement, became the shul’s rabbi. In 2013, Rabbi Dombroff became rabbi emeritus and a search began for a new spiritual leader.

In August 2014 we welcomed Rabbi Michael and Yael (Butler) Bleicher, and their daughters, Meira and Tamar. They enjoy opening their home for shiurim, girls challah baking, Friday night dinners, teen onegs and for friends who want to share a cup of coffee or tea and inspiring word of Torah.

We’re proud of the warm and welcoming environment we’ve created here, and invite you to see it for yourself firsthand. Email us at elmorahillsminyan@gmail.com and let us know when we can host you and your family for Shabbos. We look forward to seeing you soon!