Rabbi Jacob Friedman
Rabbi Jacob Friedman, 79, of Lakewood died Nov. 27, 2012. He was born and raised in Jersey City.
Rabbi Friedman served as youth adviser and assistant to the rabbi at Congregation Sons of Israel, Jersey City, then served as its associate rabbi. He served as rabbi at Congregation Kneseth Israel, Kittanning, Pa., 1958-1960, and then as rabbi at Congregation Tree of Life, Uniontown, 1960-1965. He then became the rabbi at Temple Beth Torah, Ocean, for 35 years. He was also the rabbi at the Congregation of Long Beach Island.
He attended Rabbi Jacob Joseph Rabbinical Seminary, New York; Yeshiva B’nei Akivah, Israel; Trinity University, Texas; and Indiana State University, Pennsylvania; and also received his Doctor of Divinity. He was ordained in June 1956.
He was active in many organizations, including UJA, Jewish Federation, Israel Bonds, Shore Board of Rabbis, Solomon Schechter Academy, where he was dean, Chaplain Jewish War Veterans Post 125 Asbury Park-Ocean, and National Chaplain JWV. He was chaplain for Wanamassa Police, Fire and First Aid. He and his wife were active during the Soviet Jewry Resettlement Program from 1988 to 1993. Through their effort, a Soviet-Jewish family gained their freedom in 1989.
He received many awards and honors and was been selected for inclusion in a number of directories among American and Jewish citizens. He was the author of “From Slavery to Freedom” a Passover Haggadah for the American Jewish family, and has authored many High Holy Day sermon pamphlets and creative prayer books. He wrote a weekly column on the portion of the week, “Let’s Learn Torah,” that is used by many rabbis for their Shabbat morning Torah study.
He is survived by his wife, Alison; eight children, Anita and Scott, Raymond and Chris, Carol and Larry, Eric, David and Jessica, and Amy; a sister, Betty; and 13 grandchildren.
Services were held Nov. 29 at Congregation Torat El with arrangements by Bloomfield-Cooper Jewish Chapels, Ocean.
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