Oceanside Jewish Center or East Meadow Jewish Center

Hi all,

I am not dying to get married at a Jewish Center but FILs went to both Oceanside Jewish Center and East Meadow Jewish Center and liked them. ANyone been to weddings there or has anyone had their wedding there?

I am looking for any info and pics.

Thanks!

We just went to a bar mitzvah at the Oceanside Jewish Center last weekend. I don't have pictures inside the actual synagogue, just the lobby, since I didn't take out my camera during services because no one else. But I hope this written description helps! If I can get the pictures to upload here, I'll post them.

The main lobby was fancy, with pretty carpeting, a few mirrored walls, and a grand piano with a huge floral arrangement on top. The inside of the actual synagogue area (the chapel? not sure what it's called and I'm jewish!) was very beautiful. The bimah was raised up, I think it had about 4-5 steps to go up (we were sitting in the back, so i couldn't see that) and the ark where the torahs are kept had sliding glass doors decorated with gold Hebrew lettering. They slid to both sides to open, and back again to close. The rabbi and cantor were very nice. The cantor (an older gentleman) had a beautiful voice.

There are two long rows of pews with one center aisle. The pews are wood and have cushioned upholstered fold-down seats (burgundy color, if I remember correctly). Very comfy!! We were there about 3 hours, so this was important! Sitting in the pew and facing the bimah, the left side of the wall is decorated with those memorial plaques where some are lit in memory of those who passed away. The right side of the wall is filled with floor-to-ceiling stained glass panels that was absolutely gorgeous with the sunlight streaming in.

When the bar mitzvah/Shabbos services were over, they opened the curtains in back of the seating area to reveal a huge room with carpeting and a square wooden floor in the middle where they had after-services snacks on tables around the perimeter of the room.

Having gone to synagogue as a teenager at the Jewish Center of Forest Hills West, which is actually located in Middle Village across from Juniper park, in a very Italian/Irish neighborhood, and was sparsely decorated given a declining Jewish population in the area (I think it's become more Russian/Jewish lately -- haven't been there in many years), the Oceanside place was very impressive to me.

Hope this info helps!