About Us

Young Israel of West Hartford is a warm community that has an impact beyond its size on the local Jewish Community. We are a diverse group of families that share a commitment to Torah values and to looking after our community like family We welcome visitors to experience our community first hand.

Best Cities 2010: West Hartford, Conn.

There's no shortage of business opportunities and things to do in this small town, our number-nine pick for Best Cities for the Next Decade.

By Jessica L. Anderson, Associate Editor

From Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, July 2010

Can you define ambitious? The residents of Noah Webster’s hometown can. This once-sleepy suburb of Connecticut’s capital is not content to be merely an idyllic place to live and raise a family (it is, by the way). West Hartford made our list because it is transforming itself from a suburb into a destination -- in this case, a regional destination for shopping and dining.

The majority of West Hartford’s residents work in the area’s biggest sectors -- insurance and financial services -- in nearby towns. But small business is the new game in town, and everyone’s playing. West Hartford’s economy rests largely on professional and health services, from law and accounting firms to satellite offices for Hartford Hospital and St. Francis Hospital. The University of Hartford is the biggest employer.

Retail makes up the rest of the local economy. Three years ago, the town doubled the size of West Hartford Center by adding a new mixed-use development of upscale retail stores and residences. Called Blue Back Square, in homage to Webster’s Blue-Backed Spelling Book, the square brought a movie theater, a Crate & Barrel, a Whole Foods Market and an REI to the town’s central shopping and dining district.

Parking aplenty means townies and visitors alike can ditch their cars for the day and walk to the bank, the grocery store and the library, or grab a bite to eat and go to a movie. Elmwood Center and Park Road on the south end of town add restaurants and niche businesses, including one of the region’s biggest art-supply stores, a professional-figure-skating retailer and a ’50s-era diner.

Location-wise, the town couldn’t be better situated. The Center is 15 minutes from downtown Hartford, where you can find art museums, the Connecticut Science Center, sports arenas and concert halls, such as the Bushnell Center for Performing Arts. It is two hours from both Boston and New York City. As a blossoming destination in its own right, West Hartford is in talks to bring a hotel to town and grab a stop on the proposed New Haven-Springfield high-speed rail line, which would connect it to Amtrak.

West Hartford continues to steal market share from Hartford on the entertainment front -- “Downtown Hartford is not really where people go anymore,” says town mayor Scott Slifka -- but it’s also focused on retaining the small-town charm that keeps it, well, charming. “Great neighborhoods, a safe community and great schools have been our tradition,” says Slifka.

Community is key, and this is place where you know your neighbors. The outlying suburbs in the Hartford area feature loads of land, big homes and high price tags. But in West Hartford you can get in for under $200,000 on the south end of the city, and the median price is about $300,000. Housing near the Center is the most desirable and ranges from $350,000 to $500,000. Modest colonials dominate the scene, although the east and west ends have their fair share of small estates.

Education is West Hartford’s hallmark, and schools -- both public and private -- are the biggest draw for newcomers to the town. Public schools are top-notch in the state, and Connecticut schools rate among the best in the nation. Nationally known private schools, such as Renbrook and Kingswood-Oxford, call West Hartford home, too. Three colleges in town up the quotient of highly educated residents -- 57% have a bachelor’s degree or higher, versus 36% for the state.

The chief complaint is high taxes, but most figure that great schools and amenities don’t come cheap. In addition to green space at Elizabeth Park and the MDC Reservoir (both ideal spots for walking the trails or a picnic), the town has five swimming pools, an ice rink and two public golf courses, including Rockledge, noted to be one of the top ten in New England.

Where We Are

Young Israel of West Hartford

2240 Albany Avenue    West Hartford CT, 06117

(860) 233-3084

Local Resources

Here you can find information about Jewish institutions and services available in the West Hartford area. Another very comprehensive list of resources can also be found at the Hartford Federation website.

Ritual Observance

	The Hartford Kashrut Commission (HKC) is the local Orthodox kosher certification authority.  You can find a list of local kosher establishments on the HKC website, including the recently opened Shuman's Deli and Restaurant, as well as local kosher meat, deli counters, bakeries, and caterers.  The HKC also certifies the dining facilities at the University of Hartford and the University of Connecticut.
	Mikveh Bess Israel of West Hartford is the local community mikveh. Please contact the mikveh by phone for hours and appointments.  61 North Main Street, West Hartford, CT 06117  Phone: 860-521-9446.
	The West Hartford Eruv is checked weekly and undergoes advances both technological and halachic every year.  A map is available here.  The Eruv Hotline is 860-232-6417, and a Twitter feed, @WHartfordEruv, is also available for status updates.  The most recent eruv status update is displayed on the right side column of our website.

Additional Ritual Resources

• Brit Milah—contact Rabbi Yitzchok Adler: 860-236-1241
• Shatnez Testing—Shatnez Lab Directory has a list of recommended shatnez testers including one in Waterbury
• The Judaica Store sells everything Jewish, including ritual objects, books, music, software, art, and much more; also check out their online store, Jacob's Ladder Judaica
• Chevra Kadisha of Greater Hartford
• Other Area Synagogues
• Area Info from Chabad

Education

	The Hebrew Academy of Greater Hartford is a congressionally recognized school of excellence. Highlights include a beautiful campus, kosher meals provided, and amazing teachers in every grade, many of whom are part of our YIWH congregation.
	The Solomon Schechter Day School is a non-denominational dual curriculum program with advanced resources for individual learning styles. Their "boundless" playground is recognized nationally.
	The Hebrew High School of New England is the best high school in New England, period end of story. Located on a magnificent new campus right here in West Hartford, many students commute hours every day, or board here from out of state, to come to this school. HHNE is intimately connected with YIWH, our congregation teaming with HHNE faculty, alumni, and current students.

Additional Education Institutions

• Commission on Jewish Education & Leadership
• Yachad Greater Hartford Jewish Community High School
• Beth David Alternative Hebrew School
• Chai Mitzvah Community Learning, Hartford Chapter

Employment

	Jewish Employment Transition Services provides career counseling, workshops, resume preperation services, financial planning, networking, and job coaching. Hundreds of people regularly attend the biweekly Schmoozer's Networking sessions.
	CT Companies to Add Thousands of Jobs Kiplinger's Top Ten Cities for the Next Decade Travel and Leisure's Ten Coolest Suburbs The Daily Beast's Top Ten Jewish Cities CNN's 100 Best Places to Live Gizmodo's Top Ten Fastest Internet Cities

Human Services

	The Hebrew Home and Hospital provides both an excellent hospital specializing in geriatric care, as well as a long-term nursing home on the premises. Kosher food prepared in-house and is provided to all the residents.
	Hoffman SummerWood Community by Hebrew Community Services is an assisted living facility which offers apartments within a minimal traffic pristine community. A variety of assistance levels are available, and kosher food is provided for all meals brought to the home.
	Jewish Family Services is a beacon of hope and support to all those in need. JFS provides a complete range of mental health and social work services, as well as financial planning and employment assistance services, such as JETS.
	Jewish Association for Community Living Our community is proud to have JCL as a member of the Hartford Federation. JCL helps people with developmental disabilities in many ways, ranging from housing in the community to Judaic programming.
	The Mandell Jewish Community Center houses an olympic-class swimming center, a state of the are workout facility, a regulation sized basketball court, squash courts, a spa, a kosher cafeteria, an art gallery, and much much more.
	Jonathan's Dream is a "Boundless Playground", and the very first of its kind. One of the largest playgrounds in the state, it is completely accessible for people with disabilities. Wide ramps provide wheelchair access. Safe and healthy outdoor fun for all ages.
	Federation Housing is available to members of the community who qualify. In Bloomfield, subsidized housing is available for seniors and people with disabilities, and in West Hartford subsized housing is available for many physically or intellectually disabled persons.

Real Estate

Zillow.com's listings of homes near our shul:

HERE is a video review of West Hartford by Kiplinger's magazine.

HERE is a "House Hunters" video about West Hartford.

Other Links

Local Jewish Media Services

• Connecticut Jewish Ledger

Miscellaneous Community Resources

• Hartford Jewish Federation
• Federation Community Calendar
• Jewish Community Relations Council
• Jewish Community Center
• Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford
• Koopman Jewish Library of Hartford

Our Rabbi

Rabbi Weinberg was born and raised in Montreal, Canada.  He attended Herzliah High School and Marianopolis College both located in Montreal.  He then went on to study at Yeshivat Hamivtar in Efrat, Israel for one year.  While in yeshiva he primarily studied under Rabbi Chaim Brovender and Rabbi Menachem Schrader whom he is still close with today.

After learning in Israel, Rabbi Weinberg returned to New York where he attended Yeshiva College. While in Yeshiva College, he pursued a double major in History and Jewish Studies and graduated Summa Cum Laude in May of 2004.  While in college, Rabbi Weinberg attended the shiur of Rabbi Elchanan Adler who he continued to study with for four years and with whom he developed a great relationship.  He served as Rabbi Adler’s assistant giving the review lectures for the shiur and helping other students one on one.

After graduating from Yeshiva College, Rabbi Weinberg entered the Semicha program at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) of YU where he studied under various rebbeim and learned in the Marcos and Adina Katz Kollel.

Rabbi Weinberg also completed his Master’s degree at the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and studied Modern Jewish History at the Bernard Revel Graduate School.

During his time at YU, Rabbi Weinberg was granted many prestigious awards including the Torah Umadda Award for the student who best exemplified the ideals of YU as well as awards for excellence in Gemara and History.

Rabbi Weinberg participated in interesting fellowships over the years.  He was one of six semicha students chosen to be a Sanford Lurie Scholar at the Jewish Center synagogue in Manhattan where he studied in a kolel, led shiurim for congregants, and was mentored by Rabbis Ari Berman and Yosie Levine.

Rabbi Weinberg was also a member of the Ramaz Upper School Kolel program on the Upper East side of Manhattan where he combined personal beit midrash study with teaching Gemara to 9^th and 11^th grade girls and boys.  This also afforded him the opportunity to run innovative programs for students and participate in faculty enrichment sessions with some of the best Jewish educators in the country.  Rabbi Weinberg was also a participant in the Ner L’Elef Fellowship which trained him in reaching out to those with a more limited Jewish background as well as the Isralight Teacher Training Program in Israel led by Rabbis David Aaron and Binny Friedman.

Rabbi Weinberg has worked in a number of synagogues where he not only got to know the congregants, but also got wonderful mentoring from well-seasoned rabbis.  He was the rabbinic intern in Shaare Tefilla in Dallas, TX where he flew once a month for shabbos as well as for a few week long visits over the course of 14 months and was mentored by Rabbi Ari Perl.  Most recently, Rabbi Weinberg spent two years as the rabbinic intern in the Great Neck Synagogue (GNS) in Great Neck, NY.   At GNS, he carved out a real niche for himself becoming very close with congregants, giving classes and sermons on a weekly basis, leading one of the High Holiday Minyanim, and participated in life-cycle events.  He worked very closely with Rabbi Dale Polakoff, past president of the Rabbinical Council of America and one of the leading rabbis in the Modern Orthodox community.  Rabbi Polakoff continues to be his mentor, close friend, and advisor on synagogue matters.

Rabbi Weinberg is married to Elana Weinberg (nee Rosenblum) who grew up in East Brunswick, NJ and currently teaches Judaic Studies at the Hebrew High School of New England.

Rabbi Weinberg invites you to contact him, or write to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .