About Stamford
A dynamic and engaging city, Stamford is located 34 miles from New York City in Fairfield County, Connecticut and is the state’s second-most populous city with a diverse population of approximately 136,000. It mixes a lively urban vibe downtown populated by virtually every cuisine, shops and bars (and the largest indoor pickleball facility in the country!) with the beauty of public beaches fronting Long Island Sound and multiple parks and green spaces in virtually every neighborhood. Particularly beloved is the newly revitalized Mill River Park in downtown Stamford which features a beautiful fountain, walking paths and is the site of multiple events throughout the year.
Stamford is the wealthiest city in the state with a median household income approaching $100,000 and an average home price of $672,000. It is a welcoming city with a diverse population that engages its citizens in every stage of life.
Originally an industrial city, it has transitioned into a service-based economy and is currently home to eight Fortune 500 companies and numerous divisions of large corporations making it the largest financial center in the New York metropolitan region outside New York City. Dominant sectors of Stamford’s economy include financial services, tourism, information technology, healthcare, telecommunications, transportation, and retail as well as a thriving downtown campus of the University of Connecticut (UConn) as well as Norwalk Community College.
Among its many attributes is a direct commuter line to Grand Central Terminal in New York – a trip that takes under an hour and provides easy access to all that Manhattan and New York City offer. Frequent service from early morning to late evening make for an easy trip.
About the Stamford Jewish Community
Temple Beth El is fortunate to be an integral part of a broad, deep, and vibrant Jewish community and actively engages with both other Jewish congregations as well as the broader faith-based, interdenominational community. According to the Jewish Federation of Western Connecticut, Stamford is home to approximately 12,000 Jews living in Stamford, Darien and New Canaan, part of the approximately 118,000 people identifying as Jewish throughout the state.
Following are a variety of resources providing greater detail on the Stamford Jewish community:
Jewish Organizations
B’nai B’rith Youth Organization (CT Valley Region)
360 Amity Road
Woodbridge, CT 06525
203-389-2127
cvr@bbyo.org
https://bbyo.org/bbyo-near-you
For more than 95 years, BBYO‘s leadership programs, the Aleph Zadik Aleph (AZA, high school fraternity) and the B’nai B’rith Girls (BBG, high school sorority) have been providing exceptional leadership programs and identity enrichment experiences, shaping the confidence and character of more than 350,000 alumni who are among the most prominent figures in business, politics, academia, the arts, and Jewish communal life. Now, BBYO’s network of teens, alumni, parents, volunteers, and philanthropists serves as the Jewish community’s most valuable platform for delivering to the post Bar/Bat Mitzvah audience fun, meaningful, and affordable experiences that inspire a lasting connection to the Jewish people.
Friendship Circle of Fairfield County
1074 Hope Street, #201
Stamford, CT 06907
Mrs. Malya Shmotkin
203-409-1543
malya@friendshipct.com
https://www.friendshipct.com
The Mission of the Friendship Circle is to bridge the gap between special needs and typical youth through shared experience, empower special needs youth with the skills they need to live a productive and independent adult life, give parents and families much-needed respite, and nurture a sense of awareness and communal responsibility in our teens.
Hadassah
203-307-1319
stamfordhadassah@gmail.com
https://my.hadassah.org/regions/connecticut/chapters/stamford.html
Hadassah, the power to heal our world. Together. We believe we can and must do all we can to advance justice and healing. We’ve been defying the odds for more than a century, creating new leadership roles for women, sustaining a vibrant Jewish state and paving the way for a pioneering health care system that saves lives every day. We are the power of women who do. And we believe that each of us has the power to heal our world, to take action, to make an impact.
Hillel-UConn
Trachten-Zachs Hillel House
54 N. Eagleville Road
Storrs, CT 06268
Edina Ostreicher
860-429-9007 x101
edina@uconnhillel.org
https://www.uconnhillel.org
Serving Jewish undergraduate and graduate students, Hillel is the Center for Jewish life at the University of Connecticut. We strive to serve students at all 5 UConn campuses.
Jewish Federation Association of CT (JFACT)
40 Woodland Street
Stamford, CT 06105
Michael Bloom
860-727-5701
mbloom@jfact.org
http://jfact.org
JFACT lobbies city, state and federal officials on issues of importance to the seven Jewish Federations, as well as their beneficiary service agencies, across Connecticut. In addition, JFACT works in collaboration with a variety of interfaith and secular nonprofit agencies and promotes statewide advocacy on behalf of Israel.
Jewish Historical Society of Fairfield County
990 Hope Street
Stamford, CT 06907
Peter Lilienthal
203-359-2196
info@jhsfc-ct.org
https://www.jhsfc-ct.org
The Jewish Historical Society of Fairfield County provides historical and educational materials and information about the Jewish community of Fairfield County and serves the community through its membership and its archival resources.
Jewish Senior Services
4200 Park Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06604
203-365-6400
https://www.jseniors.org
For nearly 50 years, Jewish Senior Services has been a leader and trusted provider of skilled nursing and senior care services. Each of our programs and services reflect a Person-centered philosophy that fosters commitment with a customized care plan to meet individual needs.
Schoke Jewish Family Service
196 Greyrock Place
Stamford, CT 06901
Matt Greenberg
203-921-4161
mgreenberg@ctjfs.org
https://ctjfs.org
Since 1978, the Elayne and James Schoke Jewish Family Service of Fairfield County has been all about families and community. Our mission is to sustain families and individuals through all of life’s challenges and build strong, healthy communities. An ever-changing, ever-evolving social service agency, Schoke JFS is a presence in the community that continuously responds to challenges with the highest degree of professionalism, so that those who need us the most can benefit from our services. We are constantly adding new programs and services to meet the increasing demands of today’s world. Our seasoned, caring and compassionate staff provides creative, individualized attention to all our clients. Serving Stamford, Westport, Bridgeport and Upper Fairfield County
Stamford Jewish Community Center
1035 Newfield Avenue
Stamford, CT 06905
Marshall Kurland, CEO
203-322-7900
https://stamfordjcc.org
Founded on and guided by Jewish heritage, culture and traditions, the Stamford JCC provides a welcoming, inclusive, and nurturing community for all people to help enrich their lives. We offer educational, recreational, and cultural programs that bring people of different backgrounds together from birth through life.
United Jewish Federation of Stamford, New Canaan and Darien
P.O. Box 3124
Stamford, CT 06905
(203) 321-1373
Diane Sloyer, CEO
office@ujf.org
https://www.ujf.org/
United Jewish Federation of Stamford, New Canaan, and Darien builds and safeguards our Jewish community and strengthens our connections to Israel and global Jewry by convening and mobilizing our community to invest in Jewish life for today and future generations. Federation is committed to unifying the Jewish community through planning and coordination of community resources, support of Jewish education for all ages, a strong fundraising campaign, and judicious allocations. UJF’s mission is centered around a community built on the Jewish ideal of tzedakah: charity, righteousness, and social justice. Our support for the programs of our local agencies and the humanitarian work of Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) throughout the world enriches local, national, and international Jewish life.
Jewish Schools
Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy
2186 High Ridge Road
Stamford, CT 06903
Rabbi Tzvi Bernstein
203-329-2186
https://bcha-ct.org
Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy of Connecticut is an independent Jewish Day School offering an outstanding Judaic and Secular education for students in grades Pre-K through 12 on a 13-acre campus in Stamford, CT. We empower our students to become leaders and global citizens of remarkable character and self-confidence, knowledgeable in the values of our Torah, with a strong commitment to Klal Yisrael and the world at large.
Since its beginning, Bi-Cultural has continued to grow and flourish, maintaining a reputation in American-Jewish education as a school in the vanguard of progressive educational practices, creating innovative programs, such as the school’s longstanding three-week Eighth Grade Israel Experience trip, serving as a model for other day schools and yeshivot across the US and Canada.
Founded as a community school deeply committed to Torah, mitzvot and a love for Medinat Yisrael, Bi-Cultural has long been a place where students and families from all Jewish backgrounds are embraced and respected.
Center for Judaic & Middle Eastern Studies UCONN
One University Place
Stamford, CT 06901
Dr. Frederick Roden
203-251-9525
frederick.roden@uconn.edu
https://judaicstudies.uconn.edu/stamford-center
The Center for Judaic Studies at UConn Stamford offers credit courses within the academic curriculum in the Humanities, as well as non-credit outreach programs for the community at large in all areas of Judaic culture, literature, and history, from antiquity to modern times, Israel, and Middle Eastern literature and politics, and in interfaith studies. The Center has created a learning community around itself which gathers for intellectual pursuits and discussions of scholarly and contemporary issues. The Center has been recognized for its innovative programs in the areas of traditional academic education and particularly outreach projects. Since its inception, the Center has enjoyed broad community recognition and has been financially supported by individuals, foundations, corporate gifts, and matching grants. The Center is also a recipient agency of the United Jewish Federation of Greater Stamford, New Canaan and Darien.
Chabad Gan Yeladim Early Childhood Center
770 High Ridge Road
Stamford, CT 06905
203-324-2223
Mrs. Leah Shemtov
https://www.ganyeladim.org
The Gan is a Jewish, Reggio-inspired preschool committed to excellence in early childhood education. We provide an environment that is emotionally secure and supportive of children, families, and staff. We believe in active, hands-on learning, and our bright, expansive classrooms include a wide variety of authentic, developmentally appropriate materials. As educators we strive to build upon the unique strengths and interests of each child and to help children become independent thinkers by offering meaningful choices, asking open-ended questions, and listening closely with the intent to understand and respond.
JCC Sara Walker Nursery School
Stamford JCC
1035 Newfield Avenue
Stamford, CT 06905
203-322-6541
https://www.stamfordjcc.org/jccsarawalkernurseryschool
At The JCC Sara Walker Nursery School, our expert early childhood teachers help nurture children to become excited learners and kind, contributing citizens. Our programs will offer your child a host of opportunities to innovate, create and play together within a community of learners from all walks of life while encouraging self-expression, discovery, and imagination. Our curriculum is driven by the Jewish (and universal) values of kindness, respect compassion, confidence, and responsibility to encourage intellectual and moral development.
Temple Beth El Hebrew School
350 Roxbury Road
Stamford, CT 06902
203-322-6901
youngfamilies@tbe.org
https://www.tbe.org/religious-school
TBE’s Religious School offers a full program of studies for children in grades Kindergarten through 7.
Synagogues
Chabad New Canaan Jewish Center
137 Putnam Avenue
New Canaan, CT 06840
Rabbi Levi and Michal Mendelow
203-972-7708
rabbi@newcanaanjewish.org
https://newcanaanjewish.org
The Chabad New Canaan Jewish Center is dedicated to strengthening and building the New Canaan Jewish Community by offering local Jewish resources that bring more positivity, Jewish education, charitable activity, good deeds and blessing to our lovely town. We are about Judaism, not affiliation. Regardless of your background, and however you choose to define your level of Jewish observance or identity, the Chabad New Canaan Jewish Center can add spirituality, joy, study, community and connection for you and your family.
Chabad of Stamford
770 High Ridge Road
Stamford, CT 06905
Rabbi Moshe and Leah Shemtov
programs@stamfordchabad.org
https://chabadstamford.org
Congregation Agudath Sholom
301 Strawberry Hill Avenue
Stamford, CT 06902
203-358-2200
http://www.congregationagudathsholom.org
Rabbi Daniel Cohen, Senior Rabbi
Rabbi Moshe Kurtz, Assistant Rabbi
Matt Feinberg, Executive Director
CAS is a warm and active center of Jewish life, offering a wide range of religious, educational, and social activities. Located in Stamford, Connecticut, the shul is set in a beautiful, wooded suburban area, an easy train ride or drive of less than one hour from New York City. We are a dynamic Modern Orthodox congregation, serving Jews of all ages, backgrounds and commitments. Stamford boasts an Eruv, Mikvah, Day School, Chevra Kadisha, Daf Yomi, JCC, and kosher bakeries, supermarkets, and restaurants under supervision.
Temple Beth El
350 Roxbury Road
Stamford, CT 06902
203-322-6901
Steven Lander, Executive Director
execdir@tbe.org
https://www.tbe.org
Temple Beth El is a Conservative, egalitarian, spiritual community that challenges itself to sanctify each day through prayer, action, study, and mitzvot. We honor our Jewish traditions and infuse them with renewed meaning by practicing them in both traditional and innovative ways. We pray together by combining music, ritual, dialogue, and reflection. We strive to place Tikkun Olam (“repairing the world”) at the center of our daily lives. We welcome all to join our inclusive community as we aspire to fill the world with spirituality, learning and social justice for all humankind.
Temple Sinai
458 Lakeside Drive
Stamford, CT 06903
Rabbi Jay TelRav
203-322-1649
ravtelrav@templesinaistamford.org
https://www.templesinaistamford.org
Temple Sinai is a progressive, Reform Jewish congregation dedicated to the spiritual, social and intellectual development of our members through engaging worship, community involvement and inspiring learning within a caring, responsive and inclusive extended family.
Young Israel of Stamford
69 Oaklawn Avenue
Stamford, CT 06905
Rabbi Eli Kohl
203-348-3955
rabbi.kohl@youngisraelstamford.org
https://www.youngisraelstamford.org
The Young Israel of Stamford is a community-focused, family oriented, devoted, warm and inviting Orthodox synagogue where members from all backgrounds and cultures are welcome to participate in our dynamic community.
Minnie Manger & Marcia Lieberman Community Mikvah
Congregation Agudath Sholom
301 Strawberry Hill Avenue
Stamford, CT 06906
203-964-1928
appointment@stamfordmikvah.org
https://www.stamfordmikvah.org
Stamford Chevra Kadisha
P.O. Box 2374
Stamford, CT 06906
Men’s Chairperson, Maury Rosenbaum
(203) 253-8395 mr41500@gmail.com
Women’s Chairperson, Rochel Attar
(203) 962-1963 fiveximah@gmail.com
The primary function of the Chevra Kadisha is the preparation and burial of the deceased in accordance with halacha (Jewish law). The Stamford Chevra Kadisha is responsible for the execution of this holy task in our Jewish community. Our volunteers provide this important service of making sure that Jewish individuals are properly prepared for burial and are attended to until internment. We also provide support for the families during the shiva by arranging prayer services, meals, and more.
Kosher Food
16 Handles
219 Bedford Street
Stamford, CT 06901
203-817-0707
613 Restaurant
108 Prospect Street
Stamford, CT 06905
203-614-8777
info@613restaurant.com
https://613restaurant.com/
OU certified kosher restaurant
Beldotti Bakery
Newfield Green Shopping Center
605 Newfield Avenue
Stamford, CT 06905
Chris Beldotti
203-348-9029
Info@Goodbreadbakery.com
https://www.goodbreadbakery.com/
Carvel (Long Ridge Road)
1060 Long Ridge Road
Stamford, CT 06903
203-569-3600
Dairy Queen
885 Summer Street
Stamford, CT 06905
203-348-9147
Gofer Ice Cream
869 High Ridge Road
Stamford, CT 06905
203-504-3105
Greenwich and Delancey
59 East Putnam Avenue
Cos Cob, CT 06807
203-340-2733
greenwichanddelancey@gmail.com
https://www.greenwichanddelancey.com
Navaratna Indian Restaurant
133 Atlantic Street
Stamford, CT 06901
203-348-1070
https://navaratnact.com
Stop and Shop Bakery
Ridgeway Shopping Center
2200 Bedford St
Stamford, CT 06905
203-356-0109
