Religions & Spirituality

NEWARK, NJ — Churches under the Archdiocese of Newark will begin allowing private prayer this weekend, the Archbishop announced Friday, as the first step of a cautious reopening plan. 

The initial phase, which will be minored by parish staff to ensure social distancing, also allows Sacrament of Reconciliation to be celebrated if social distancing can be maintained and masks are ...

Difficult Decision Will Strengthen Schools, Safeguard Future of Catholic Education; At-Home Learning Continues Through End of School Year 

The Archdiocese of Newark has announced the consolidation of its school community and the closure of nine archdiocesan-operated elementary schools at the end of this school year, the result of archdiocesan strategic planning efforts to ...

SCOTCH PLAINS/FANWOOD, NJ -- Singing Jewish hymns is part of his very being, but Cantor Matt Axelrod of Congregation Beth Israel in Scotch Plains had never done it in a TV miniseries before.

Axelrod lent his talents and authenticity to the successful HBO production of The Plot Against America, which is based on the best-selling novel by Philip Roth. It presents an alternate ...

NEW JERSEY - While the Governor has said to stay home repeatedly at every  news conference, he may be changing his tune. Weddings are, according to Murphy supporter and Ocean County Rabbi Aaron Kotler, now authorized.

A public letter was just released from the President of the largest Yeshiva in the world, outside Israel.

Religious weddings approved by the Governor? That's big ...

TRENTON, NJ — With religious holidays approaching and changing guidelines for the use of masks, state officials on Friday urged the public to continue to observe a statewide ban on social gatherings as a means to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

The reminders to observe social distancing came during Gov. Phil Murphy’s daily press briefing during which officials reported an ...

VERONA/CEDAR GROVE, NJ - Local houses of worship have adjusted their worship plans in response to the COVID-19.  Here is a summary of the changes.

CEDAR GROVE

St. Catherine of Siena Church
Cardinal Joseph w. Tobin C.S.s.R, Archbishop of Newark suspended the Masses on Saturday evening at 5 pm and all Sunday Masses this weekend. Additionally all catholic schools are closed and the ...

MONTCLAIR, NJ - More than a month has passed since Montclair Rabbis challenged comments made by James Harris during a December 31 community meeting. Since then, an interfaith group of leaders have continued the conversation among themselves and their respective congregations.

Pastor Campbell Singleton of Union Baptist Church of Montclair hosted a gathering on Wednesday with nearly 70 people in ...

Montclair, NJ - The Montclair Police are investigating the destruction of a grand Menorah located on Church Street.

On Wednesday evening, Rabbi Yaacov Leaf received a call from Police Chief Todd Conforti, informing him that the Menorah had been vandalized. Though police have not rushed to label the destructive act a biased incident, this comes in the midst of the festival of lights, ...

VERONA, NJ - Go into any household in this area, and it would not be that unusual to find both a menorah and a Christmas tree in the front room. Or children celebrating Diwali in October and awaiting Santa’s arrival in December. According to a Pew survey, 4 in 10 Americans who have married since 2010 have a spouse who is in a different religious group. This has doubled since ...

The clergy leaders of five of Verona's houses of worship, and one in West Orange, will continue a long-standing tradition in town by hosting an Interfaith Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, November 24, 2019 at 3pm.  The service will be held at Church of the Holy Spirit located at 36 Gould Street and will feature a joint choir made up of voices ...