Late last year, a Wantagh synagogue underwent a name change as it enters into a new era of serving the local Jewish community.
Farmingdale-Wantagh Jewish Center is now known as Congregation Beth Tikvah. The conservative synagogue, which is located on 3710 Woodbine Ave., serves more than 400 families in southeast Nassau County. The temple formerly known as Wantagh Jewish Center merged with the Farmingdale Jewish Center in 2007 and the next year welcomed families from the closed Israel Community Center in Levittown.
The name Congregation Beth Tikvah stands for “House of Hope” and according to the temple’s spiritual leader Rabbi Alan Lavin, represents a vision for enduring well into the future following mergers that presented major challenges such as what location to operate out of before ultimately deciding on Wantagh.
“[The name change] reflects the feelings of our members that after the possibility of the demise of each of our three synagogues due to demographics, by consolidating, we have insured our future,” Rabbi Lavin said.
Since merging three synagogues five years ago, Rabbi Lavin said the efforts have proved successful and the synagogue is now “the largest conservative Jewish congregation in southeast Nassau County.”
Congregation Beth Tivkah is currently holding a membership drive. For further information, call 516-785-2445 or log onto to the temple's website.
