Been a member for over 30 years and have always been extremely happy throughout, up until today, with our wonderful young, bright, engaging Rabbi, our exceptional Religious School, our fun family & adult activities, and our stupendous Sisterhood of which I'm the President. Presently, we have a Give From the Heart dues format so come and check us out. You'll be pleasantly surprised! read more

I am proud to be a member of Manetto Hill Jewish Center, a warm and inviting synagogue. A place that welcomes young children, a place that is open to interfaith couples, a place were you can grab a cup of coffee with your Rabbi and a place were you feel like you really belong. My three kids love going to Hebrew school! They are lucky to have wonderful Hebrew school teachers and benefit from small class sizes that allow them to really learn about Jewish life, our culture, about Israel and most importantly learn to read Hebrew through one on one personalized Hebrew lessons. My family joined Manetto Hill Jewish Center 8 years ago because we were looking for an affordable temple that offered young family programming. We could not have imagined that it would become a second home, the memories we would make and how many life long friends we would meet that are like family. read more

have been a member of Manetto Hill Jewish Center for over nineteen years. It is a warm, Hamish synagogue where men and women are treated equally and people are both welcomed and encouraged to get involved. The Hebrew School, which earned the distinction from United Synagogue as a Hebrew School of excellence for many years, has undergone several changes in the past year. In addition to the basic schooling, children now have the opportunity to pick electives. From what I have heard, the children and their parents are very happy. (My children are now past Hebrew School age.) I frequently attend Friday night and Saturday morning services and have not seen people walking out of the service. On the contrary, I have heard guests at Bar and Bat Mitzvahs comment as to how warm the Rabbi and the congregation are. I have also been very impressed with the amount of participation of the Bar and Bat Mitzvah children in the service. My children have been involved in USY and Kadimah, which are the youth groups at Manetto Hill Jewish Center. They have made friends, gone on trips, learned about their heritage and raised money for charity. Manetto Hill has helped instill the values that I want them to have. As for me, I have been able to get involved in the Sisterhood, family life and the Israel and Jewish Affairs committees, to name a few. I will never forget the sight of the Magen David Adom ambulance in Manetto Hill Jewish Center's parking lot a few months ago before it was shipped to Israel. The money to purchase that ambulance was raised by the Plainview - Old Bethpage community and the drive was spearheaded by Manetto Hill Jewish Center. I do agree that it would be nice to have High Holiday services in Manetto Hill Jewish Center, especially since the sanctuary and bathrooms have been renovated but I also understand that the number of people who attend those services make it necessary to hold services at the Mid Island Y. Although services are held at the Y, the synagogue transforms the gym into a sanctuary and each High Holiday service that I have attended has run smoothly. I like the fact that on the most important days of the year, the majority of the congregation is given some sort of honor. It also makes me proud that Manetto Hill Jewish Center runs a community yiskor service on Yom Kippur so that everyone will have the opportunity to say yiskor. It is that type of caring and outreach that speaks volumes as to the type of congregation that is Manetto Hill Jewish Center. If you are looking for a synagogue where you are not judged but accepted, if you are looking for a synagogue where your children are prepared for their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and are afforded an excellent education, if you are looking for a synagogue which runs a youth program that is both fun and instills important values in your children, and if you are looking for a synagogue that exudes warmth, then Manetto Hill Jewish Center is certainly the synagogue that you should belong to. My family made the decision to become members over nineteen years ago and I am so glad we did. read more

I have been a member of Manetto Hill Jewish Center for the past 8 years. One daughter has been Bat Mitzvah'd there and my other will be in just under 2 more years. This is a synagogue that cares. The Hebrew School classes might be small but the children learn a tremendous amount. My daughter was able to lead the entire Saturday morning service by herself as well as do almost the entire Torah reading. My children have learned a lot there about the holidays, Israel, the Jewish faith and much, much more. They do not come out lacking any knowledge. Especially due to our new Educational Director. Our Rabbi has been with our synagogue for almost 3 years now. He is fabulous. If you have any questions he is always there to answer them. His sermons always keep you interested. He makes every person who walks into the Synagogue feel welcome and as if you belong there. Our congregation has grown since he has joined us. As for the children he tries to always include them in the services. He might call them up on a Friday night to help him lead or ask a Bar/Bat Mitzvah'd child to come in and read from theTorah. He knows it's important to keep the kids as involved as possible to help them want to be there. Our High Holiday services are held at the YJCC every year. Some people look at this as a negative but to tell you the truth, when we are all there as a complete congregation you don't even notice that you are not in a regular Sanctuary. The gym floor is covered up and there is a Beema and Ark along with Torahs. I feel that this is all you need to do your praying. As for the children services, this past year we have started 3 separate services downstairs for different age groups. This really makes a difference so the children can have the services to their own level. One of the groups is even for the toddlers. My family & I feel at home when we enter the synagogue. It is like a family and everyone makes you feel comfortable and welcome. We had many options in the area to join other Synagogues but we are glad that we joined this one. read more

The earlier review is seven years old. In that time MHJC. Has made great strides in attracting a young congregation with young children while respecting the traditions of Conservative Judaism. The young and energetic rabbi has won praise from families with children approaching bar or bat mitzvah for the individual attention he gives each youngster. Every effort has been made to ease the financial burden on young families with the synagogue offering free hebrew school and reduced dues . The result of these tireless efforts to make the synagogue relevant and enjoyable has been an increase in membership while other congregations are combining or folding. My suggestion as someone writing of the synagogue today rather than seven years ago, is for you to call the office, come for a tour and meet the rabbi and Hebrew school director. read more

In terms of a temple, it is a close knit group that cares about each member as family. I have been there for 30 years and I would go nowhere else. We do have our High Holiday services in the Local JCC. Why? Because we are too large to have High Holiday services in our synagogue. So, we go to our JCC, have services there and still have our family feel. Some places you can feel like a number or a lost face in the crowd. At MHJC, I have always felt important whether I have been there every week for a year, or recently moved back after some time away. If moving to the Mid-Nassau area, I suggest looking into Manetto Hill Jewish Center. It is not the largest Shul or the fanciest. But, I have always felt it is one that I can never live without. Good luck on your searches. read more

Maybe yelp ratings should share all of the reviews for a particular group. If that were true, one would see rave reviews of "The Little Synagogue that could." Manetto Hill Jewish Center is a small, friendly synagogue that gets the job done. In the past few years alone, we have spearheaded several community projects. We raised funds to buy a new ambulance for Israel through Magen David Alam. This ambulance has already saved thousands of lives. Under the leadership of our dynamic new Rabbi, Rabbi David Ross Senter, we have renovated a Holocaust Torah from Kolin, Czechoslovakia, which is now in use in our synagogue. We are now in the process of restructuring our Hebrew school to have an inclusion model for Special Education students. I feel sorry for the young lady that wrote the vicious review of our synagogue. Clearly she didn't try to take advantage of what Manetto Hill Jewish center has to offer. If one had the pleasure of attending a Bar or Bat Mitzvah here, you would see how proficient the children are. This is due directly to the Hebrew school, which individualizes its curriculum and accommodates students with varying educational needs. Check it out for yourself. You won't be disappointed. read more

I had the best Passover experience I have ever had last evening. The surroundings were warm and inviting, everyone read from the Haggadah from the youngest (6 years old, my nephew) to the oldest (I am guessing 80's). It was a lovely familiy experience. The Haggadah chosen was very meaningful and easy to understand. There was a nice balance between English and Hebrew and the Rabbi has a beautiful singing voice. He explained our traditions and applied some of our ancient experiences to current events. Passover felt more real and relatable than it ever has. The food was also very enjoyable~5 stars. In the spirit of the evening, we were encouraged to eat at certain times during the service so that we didn't become famished and squirmy. This was very good for the many children that were there. I am looking forward to next year's service! My sister and her family are very happy with the Hebrew School and being a part of this Temple. I would highly recommend this Temple for its warm and inviting atmosphere. read more

Manetto Hill Jewish Center is truly what a synagogue should be; it is not only a house of worship (which of course is its function) but becomes, in a sense, your extended family. It's "hamishness" is pervasive, with all members warmly welcomed, both old and new alike. Typical of Conservative synagogues, weekly Friday night and Saturday morning services are held, and weekday minyans at 8PM for those saying kaddish or observing a Yahrzeit. MHJC was one of the first Conservative shuls in the US to be totally egalitarian, and women are not only welcome, but encouraged, to participate in all elements of the service and are actively engaged in running the congregation. The Hebrew school is small enough to address the needs of each individual child, and an exciting progressive curriculum has recently been enacted. In addition to the typical religious instruction, throughout the year children can choose from electives to peak their interest in Jewish history, religion and culture. MHJC also runs youth groups for kids in 5th through 12th grades, with the MHJC USY chapter long considered one of the best on the Island. MHJC is a small Shul with a big heart. One of our members was the first in the area to recognize the need for giving much needed respite for caregivers. Eliciting the help of others, he established Caring for Caregivers, a non-secular community outreach program that provided funds to hire outside assistance so the primary caregiver could have a few hours to themselves. The concept has been emulated by other organizations over the past several years. We are a small congregation, but passionate. Another member recently began a drive to donate an ambulance to Israel from the Plainview-Old Bethpage community in honor of Israel's 60th birthday. In two and a half months from the kick-off event, we were able to order the ambulance, which is now saving lives in Israel. This was an unheralded accomplishment on several fronts. First of all, we managed to get several synagogues, Hanc and the Mid-Island Y (Orthodox, Conservative and Reform alike) to work together; everyone worked cooperatively towards this wonderful goal. MHJC's fundraising efforts were remarkable and by far were disproportional to its membership. The administration at Mogen David Adom was nothing short of amazed that we managed to mobilize a community in such a short period of time (their goal was a year and a half fundraising effort) and MHJC's success has become a model for other communities nationwide; we have been told that currently that several synagogues are attempting to emulate our success. Usually ambulances are purchased by big donations; we managed to garner a multitude of small donations, encouraging people of modest means to give tzedukah, and letting them make a difference. I can think of no better testament to a synagogue than that. Yes, as a previous poster pointed out, our building is too small to accommodate all the worshippers for the High Holidays, so we set up a temporary "Shul" at the Y. One can focus on the structural limitations, but if they can look past those, they'd see a friendly sea of faces, joyously welcoming the New Year. Hugs and kisses abound as friends reacquaint themselves; it is comforting to know so many of the congregants (another advantage of a small shul). All members are welcome to participate in the services. Members volunteer to read Haftorah and Torah, and the Ritual Committee works hard to call all members to the Bima during the holidays to help run the service; these honors are not relegated to a few major donors like in many other shuls, but to every member. We also run a terrific children's service during the Holidays, and children are not only welcomed, but encouraged to join their families in the main service as well. Lastly, we offer a community Yizkor in the afternoon for non-affiliated members of the community. On a personal note, we recently suffered a tremendous loss, with my Dad's sudden passing. Until then, I never realized what a "Temple family" was all about. The outpouring of love and support was beyond description, and I couldn't imagine having made it through the past year without everyone- and thank G-d that I didn't have to. Not only were our personal friends there for us, but our Temple acquaintances. There wasn't one night for 11 months that we were short a minyan; particularly heart-warming were the vacation and holiday eves, or nights with lousy weather, when people realized that others likely wouldn't be there so they changed their plans and often we had double the number of people needed. There is a saying that "you find out who your friends are when you need them;" suffice it to say that we were overwhelmed. While being actively renovated, admittedly the small size presents some aesthetic shortfalls, but the small size is what makes this Shul so hamish and what enables it to become part of your extended family. Come visit us...you're always welcome! read more

7 people signed on to write 5 star reviews but for some reason their reviews are hidden and filtered below. Be sure to read those too. I love/loved Manetto Hill Jewish Center. read more

We recently joined Manetto Hill Jewish Center after analyzing all the other synagogues within 10 miles. We considered Reform, Conservative and Chabad organizations. While many subjective factors affect selection, objective points are simple. The rabbi is visible, available and approachable. The fee structure is the fairest among all. Not one cent was requested until just before the year ends. (We joined in September and we were asked to pay before year end -anyway we needed to. No payment plans .. pay when you can within the year. They also said if you have financial issues we will work closely with you. The price is by far the most reasonable for what you get. The hebrew school: My 8 year old son comes home with a smile and enjoys his classes. He demonstrates his knowledge and is on target with respect to culture, reading, and traditions. I have attended High Holiday, Shabbat, and Weekday morning prayer. It is no different than any other conservative approach. I also have 3 and 6 year old boys and have taken all 3 kids with me more than 5 times to services. They are kids and expected to act as such. They are not scolded, and I am not ostracized. Wow we are treated like humans. This temple is beyond flexible . Manetto Hill Jewish Center is the most accommadating synagogue. The subjective: It is close to my home, it is conservative, the office manager is exceptionally friendly and professional, the teachers are professionals not ' jewish baby sitters' and finally, this close knit group opens thier arms to welcome new families. I am pleased to be part of this organization. Scott read more

MHJC is a wonderful place for my family. We've been members for the past few years and chose it because it is relatively small. That, and honestly, Hebrew School is free. I love that because it's small, people know who we are and vice versa. The members are warm, friendly and welcoming. The Hebrew School Director, Ruth Kravet, is so high energy, she motivates my kids. It's easy to see how she loves what she does and that she has a mission to educate my kids. It's working. She also inspires me as well. Rabbi Neil is great. He is humble and understands people. He told me that he loves being a part of peoples' most important life moments - ones that are both happy AND sad. He presided over my father's unveiling and he spoke about my father, summarizing what my sisters and I told him and captured my father beautifully. This Passover we are going to attend the community service for the second year in a row. It's updated to reflect upon the current issues we face today. That makes it more meaningful to me. High Holidays are still at the JCC and, I attend the kids' service (there are two depending on the age of the kids) with my children. If you have questions about membership or services, speak to Andi at the office. She's very nice. read more